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Thursday, 2 February, 2012 0:51 AM
The
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Host Topping Off Ceremony
for FireKeepers’ Hotel
Event
Marks Significant Progress in FireKeepers Casino’s Expansion
Photo
credit: FireKeepers Casino
The
NHBP Tribal Council (from left to right) Dorie Rios, Jamie
Stuck, RoAnn Beebe-Mohr and Homer A Mandoka.
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ATHENS TOWNSHIP,
Mich.
— The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP), owners
of FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Mich., celebrated expansion
progress today with a topping off ceremony for FireKeepers’
hotel.
FireKeepers’ expansion will showcase a vibrant and upscale
242 room resort-style hotel complete with a stylish indoor pool,
exercise facility, full service restaurant with seating for up to
150 guests, and a functional multi-purpose event center. The topping
off ceremony celebrates the hotel reaching its highest vertical
point. Since the Mar. 2011 ground breaking ceremony, the project
has been on schedule, on budget, and is to open in the fall of 2012.
Kathy George has been selected by the NHBP Tribal Council to lead
the opening of the new facility as the General Manager. George,
originally from Buffalo, N.Y., has over 20 years of executive and
management level experience in the hospitality industry which includes
serving as General Manager for casino and hotel operations at a
Native American property in New York as well as General Manager
for Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham Hotels. “The hotel and event
center will be an exciting addition to the region. We are looking
forward to providing superior guest service and an unmatched hotel
experience,” stated George.
Also included in the expansion is a multi-purpose event center capable
of seating over 2,000 guests in a concert setting. When not in use
as a concert venue, the versatile space will bring increased visitation
to Calhoun County by accommodating banquets, weddings, corporate
meetings, trade shows, and other events. Bingo operations will also
be expanded to 10,000 square feet, doubling the capacity from 250
players to 500 per session.
Construction of this magnitude has required a high volume of construction
supplies and materials including: 13,600 cubic yards of concrete,
enough for a sidewalk 53 miles long; 20 semi-truck loads of glass
window panels; 50 semi-truck loads of metal studs and drywall.
The NHBP have placed strong emphasis on local suppliers, contractors
and workers during the construction. Fifty percent of the current
contractors and subcontractors are from Battle Creek, Mich. and
Lansing, Mich. Presently there are 165 construction workers on site
and will add 300 additional permanent jobs to the region.
Source: FireKeepers
Casino
Related Story:
FireKeepers
Casino to break ground on hotel and event center expansion
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
FireKeepers Casino sign
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