See photos: Potawatomi unveils newly renovated gaming areas, dining amenities

Potawatomi Casino Hotel marked a major milestone in its ongoing $190 million effort to upgrade and modernize its casino amenities, with the public unveiling Thursday of its newly renovated second-floor gaming and dining spaces.

The second phase of the project, which spans a total of 114,000 square feet, created two new gaming venues, a new bar and restaurant and added more than 300 new slot machines to Potawatomi’s second level (formerly known as the third floor). See photos below.

The completion of the new and improved second level follows the recent opening of Rock & Brews, a restaurant by KISS stars Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and the launch of the city’s first sports betting operation in late March. The retail sportsbook is operating out of a temporary space on the ground floor while its permanent home – the former Northern Lights Theater – is under construction just a few feet away. Once complete in 2024, the opening of the permanent sportsbook location will mark the final phase of the casino’s renovation project, which began in May 2022 and has created 250 jobs at the casino, said Dominic Ortiz, CEO and general manager of Potawatomi Casino Hotel.

“We want to be the premier entertainment destination in the Midwest, and we’re surely on that path today,” Ortiz said Thursday during a ceremonial ribbon cutting held in the new 1833 Club, a private VIP gaming lounge outfitted with a full-exhibition kitchen that will host visiting celebrity chefs, full central bar serving high-end liquors, 89 slot machines and four high-limit blackjack tables.

As the renovation project has progressed, Ortiz has repeatedly emphasized the need to sharpen Milwaukee’s competitive edge against the country’s top gaming cities. Investing $190 million in facility upgrades and, perhaps more notably, the addition of a retail sports book aims at doing just that.

“We’re not competing regionally, we’re competing against Vegas,” he said.

To that end, Ortiz acknowledged the role of contractors Milwaukee-based Greenfire Management Services, I-5 Design Build (based in Washington) and Gilbane, which has a large presence in Milwaukee, in pushing the project forward.

A focal point of the latest round of renovations is what’s now Potawatomi’s largest gaming area, ElevenHundred, replete with 633 slot machines, 16 gaming tables including 12 blackjack, two roulette and two craps, a new dual-wheel roulette game, and electronic blackjack and craps games. In the center of the room is the ElevenHundred Bar & Lounge, featuring a massive granite-top bar, with 28 built-in gaming screens – known as “slot seats – surrounded by customized LED lighting.

Another new addition is the atrium gaming area, featuring 78 new slot machines including Buffalo Lightning Link. The area is highlighted by the Potawatomi woodland florals, surrounding the parameter of the atrium.

Street Eatz is the second level’s newest bar and restaurant, serving up local favorites including barbecue, brats and street tacos next to a bar truck offering slushy cocktails and a variety of beer. The look of the space was inspired by New York City-style graffiti.

“It is our priority to bring our guests the next level of gaming, and do so in an inviting and entertaining atmosphere,” said Ortiz. “Milwaukee has been receiving so much exciting attention and we want to make sure we are viewed as a premier entertainment destination, not just for those in the immediate area, but for people traveling to the city for business or a getaway.”