“In all my years in the gaming industry, this has to be the most exciting time in my career.”
Inside Potawatomi Casino Hotel’s Exciting Transformation
The longtime Milwaukee institution has even more to offer after its multi-million-dollar renovation.
Milwaukeeans know Potawatomi. The casino and hotel has been a local staple for over three decades, with table games, concerts, restaurants and more filling its vast space. But since opening in 1991, the beloved entertainment venue has continued to evolve in major ways.
In 2022, Potawatomi began a $190 million renovation to revolutionize its space. Transforming over 120,000 square feet, the renovation has brought new gaming, food and entertainment options to Milwaukee. “It is our priority to bring our guests the next level of gaming, and do so in an inviting and
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entertaining atmosphere,” said Dominic Ortiz, the CEO and general manager.
In 2023, the renovation brought the opening of Cream City Coffee Co., a new Marketplace dining hall filled with vendors, and Rock & Brews Restaurant, from KISS founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. “It’s a thrill to partner with these music legends by bringing a fantastic dining experience and truly unique new venue to our guests and the people of Milwaukee,” said Ortiz. The venue also reopened the much-loved Dream Dance Steakhouse.
Potawatomi’s VIP members get exclusive access to the new 1833 Club, a luxurious lounge with slots, table games and a bar with a wide selection of exclusive smallbatch spirits. The club also includes a private kitchen where VIP members get an up-close view of guest chefs, such as Justin Carlisle of Ardent and Mario Giuliani of Carnevor, preparing special meals.
This summer, Potawatomi will host its first Potawatomi Amplified Concert Series in its outdoor concert venue, with space for 4,800 patrons, food and drink on site, and free parking. Snoop Dogg headlined the blockbuster June concert – July and August headliners will be announced soon.
In May, Potawatomi officially opened its Sportsbook and Poker Room, capping its major renovation. The Sportsbook is two stories of betting space, with over 20 televisions, a broadcast booth, and over 200 seats, with 75 kiosks, as well as ticket writers available for betting guests. With a capacity of over 400 and more than 6,500 square feet of space, it is the largest sports betting venue in the Midwest. The centerpiece is its over-2,000-square-foot LED video wall, which can show over 30 different sporting events at once. A professional broadcast booth boasts a three-camera system that allows interviews to be broadcast to the LED video wall live. The Sportsbook also hosts The Kitchen,
a new dining option with all-day brunch, sharable appetizers, wings, desserts and much more – not to mention 48 beers on tap and 14 specialty cocktails.
The new Poker Room has 15 tables. Potawatomi will be running regular promotions in the room, as well. The grand opening marks a milestone for Potawatomi, capping two years of construction and renovation to bring the casino hotel into a thrilling new phase, with state-of-the-art technology and luxurious amenities.
“In all my years in the gaming industry, the opening of the Sportsbook and Poker Room has to be the most exciting time in my career,” said Ortiz.
DOMINIC ORTIZ CEO AND GENERAL MANAGER, POTAWATOMI CASINO HOTEL