Milwaukee’s Iconic Gaming Destination
Potawatomi Casino Hotel is marking 35 years as a cornerstone in the city.
Over 2,000 excited Milwaukeeans braved freezing temperatures to flock to the Menomonee Valley. It was March 7, 1991, and the city was marking the opening of what was then called Potawatomi Bingo Hall. The Sentinel reported on the “high-stakes, high technology” bingo the Forest County Potawatomi tribe was bringing to its new casino – the only off-reservation one in the state.
Just a couple years earlier, that same land had been desolate – filled with toxic brownfields after years of heavy industry. But when the Forest County Potawatomi regained some of their ancestral territory, they had set about reviving and transforming it.
little did anyone in attendance realize that a crowd of 2,000, soon enough, would seem quaint. Thirty-five years later, Potawatomi Casino Hotel welcomes more than 6 million guests every year. What began as a bingo hall in a formerly barren stretch of land is now a thriving entertainment destination.
Potawatomi Casino Hotel
1721 W. CANAL ST.
800-729-7244
potawatomi.com
“For generations, the marshes, rivers and wetlands in the Menomonee Valley sustained our people,” says Brooks Boyd, the Forest County Potawatomi chairman. “When we built Potawatomi Casino Hotel, we were creating economic opportunity – and we were coming home. For us, this place represents a return to our homelands and a promise to remain part of the Valley’s future. It is a way to honor those who came before us while bringing prosperity to the Forest County Potawatomi today.”
The effort reached fruition on that March day in 1991 – but
The complex – which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year with events and promotions – now boasts a 19-story hotel, a casino with hundreds of slot machines, table games, a poker room, restaurants that break the “casino food” mold, and a one-of-a-kind sportsbook.
“We started as a small bingo hall, and 35 years later, here we are, continuing to build for the future,” says Dominic Ortiz, CEO & general manager of Potawatomi Casino Hotel. “We’re building for the future of gaming, sports, music, entertainment, our city and most important, the future of the Forest County Potawatomi community and tribe.
The casino hotel’s nearly $200 million renovation, completed in 2025, ushers in a new era with updated gaming floors, state-ofthe-art technology, new restaurants and more. “We’re continually seeking new opportunities to provide the best possible experience for our guests,” says Ortiz. ◆