MIDWEST

The sun sets on Firekeeper GC in Mayetta, Kan.

These are exciting times at the Prairie Band Casino and Resort in northeastern Kansas. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and located about 20 minutes north of Topeka, the hotel and casino are in the final stages of a major expansion that began in 2018 and should be completed in time for a grand opening on June 1 of this year.

Since first opening its doors in 1998 with 297 guest bedrooms and 35,000 square feet of gaming space, the resort has forged a reputation for being one of the most exciting, comfortable, and entertaining in the state, if not the midwest. It is set to reach new heights later this year with the addition of more gaming space, a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and a hotel tower with 74 guest rooms including a number of exquisite suites.

“There will also be an arcade, an exercise/fitness room, a Topgolf suite, and hospitality/meeting rooms,” says the resort’s Director of Hotel and Services, Roman Harjo. “We built a new 20-seat bar in the lobby during the first phase of construction, we’re adding a 24-hour coffee bar, and we will also be offering room service for the first time. All our gaming areas and machines will be state-of-the-art, and we’re adding adult-only sections to the public areas.”

In short, come summer 2021, the Prairie Band Casino and Resort will feel very different, and be ready to wow guests with an entirely new look. Something that will remain very much the same, thank goodness, will be the re-

Firekeeper is a timeless layout designed by Jeff Brauer and Notah Begay III sort’s superb Firekeeper Golf Course, which lies just across road from the resort. It was designed by acclaimed architect Jeff Brauer with an assist from Golf Channel and NBC golf analyst Notah Begay III, a Stanford University graduate and four-time winner on the PGA Tour.

Actually, Begay’s contribution was considerably more than an assist. “Working with Notah was thoroughly enjoyable,” says Brauer. “He was very articulate about things he liked in golf design, which is not something I can say about every pro I’ve worked with. And, he showed a lot of commitment to the course and the client.”

Brauer can’t say enough about that client either. “It was the perfect relationship,” he remembers. “The Prairie Band obviously had a great love for the land, and they trusted us to respect it. And besides a few very general instructions, they sat back and allowed us build what we considered the best possible.”

Given the 100 percent approval rating on GolfPass and its elevated position in many publication Best-in-State rankings, it has clearly been a huge success.

“The site was great,” says Brauer. “We had a nice mix of open land, scrub forest, and mature forest which enabled us to create a really interesting variety of holes.” Indeed, while much of the front nine is fairly open and exposed to the often strong prairie winds, and features some very attractive bunkering (including the Buffalo Bunker at the 6th), the back nine is mostly wooded and culminates with a fantastic long par 4 that gives golfers an intriguing choice of routes to the hole — a more direct but narrower option down the right, or a safer but longer journey to the left. Finish with a par or better at this memorable hole and your post-round beverage in the course’s clubhouse will taste that much better. And you can relive your achievement later that evening over a 30-ounce rib eye in the resort’s exceptional Three Fires Steakhouse, one of three great dining options.

And even if it was only a par, keep celebrations going at the Casino Bar with a Prairie Band Imperial Lager brewed by Wichita’s Walnut River Brewing, or a finger or two of Crown Royal or Knob Creek from the Prairie Band’s own hand-selected single barrel.

You can create your own end to a special day at the Prairie Band Casino and Resort. And with the resort’s expansion imminent, those days are only going to get better. Visit PrairieBand.com for information to plan your dream trip.

The Wilderness at Fortune Bay • Tower, Minn.

Minnesota has long been a favorite golf destination for great golf quality, variety and value. Plan your trip, bring your clubs and play where the world’s best players convene!

e always knew golf was as safe and healthy as any outdoor activity could W be — social distancing is built in.

Enjoy the Heartland of Golf as they coin it now in Minnesota. This year Minnesota’s golf leadership feel it’s going to be a perfect time to play golf and enjoy the benefits of golf and travel — Minnesota is a doable golf vacation of a lifetime. Plan your visit and play a bucket list of great courses.

Did you know Minnesota is the only state to have hosted all 13 USGA championships, the Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, Solheim Cup, PGA Championship for men and women and the Ryder Cup. And on the heels of the success of the cup in 2016 it’s returning in 2028.

Minnesota’s “bucket list” of must-play golf courses can be found with the Explore Minnesota Golf Alliance featuring the state’s top public courses and resort courses. The land of 10,000 water hazards has two great websites for you to stitch together a trip that meets you’re your needs. Nationally-known courses such as Chaska Town Course, Minnesota National Golf Course and StoneRidge Golf Club all appeal to men and women golfers of all abilities and budgets. And that just scratches the surface.

Visit Minnesota’s variety and value at Explore MinnesotaGolf.com and StateOfGolf.com to stimulate your senses.