High rollers

Potawatomi bets on full house

By Jennifer Pfaff

It wasn't quite the Valley of Death, but it was pretty lifeless.

It was just the most recent incarnation of Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley, which has established itself in the heart of the city as a time capsule of growth and deterioration. A once-thriving industrial zone, the region witnessed a surge in vacant buildings and suffered from environmental contamination.

But city and county officials, as well as local business leaders, say it's a safe bet that recent developments in the valley are a sign of a bright future. And they point to the Forest County Potawatomi Community's commitment to expanding its casino and entertainment facility when expressing confidence in the odds.

Potawatomi Bingo Casino broke ground in late August on a $240 million project that will triple the size of its building, add a second six-story parking garage and create a vehicular bridge connecting that structure with the nearby James Groppi Unity Bridge.

By the Numbers 2: Tower cranes that will hover over the site 51: Miles of foundation piles to be driven 7 million: Feet of wiring to be installed 43,000: Yards of concrete to be poured, not including the vehicular bridge or parking structure 786,000: Size of the expanded casino facility in square feet 1.2 million: Man-hours of construction expected 18: Percent of construction to be contracted to minority-owned businesses - about $32 million of the $240 million project

"I believe the city of Milwaukee is doing a great thing for us in Wisconsin, tearing down the interchange and opening downtown and the valley," said Harold "Gus" Frank, chairman of the Forest County Potawatomi Community. "We're creating interest in the valley, and, hopefully, it will draw new businesses to the valley."

The Potawatomi has a deep connection to the land the casino sits on. The American Indian tribe gained its ability to operate in the valley by proving it was once home to the Potawatomi.

Although nearly half of the 1,300 members of the Forest County Potawatomi Community live on a 15,000-acre reservation near Wabeno, its members want to see the land in the valley return to a vibrant state, Frank said.

And the tribe is excited to be a part of making it happen, said Michael Goodrich, general manager of the Potawatomi Bingo Casino.

"We have watched the valley evolve into a place with improved environmental conditions, more green space and, most important, new businesses," he said.

The casino's expansion should generate a new level of economic vitality in the region by creating 1,000 permanent jobs and employing about 525 people from the building trades during the two-year construction process, Goodrich said.

The 24-month project also should pump more than $40 million into the local economy through construction payroll income alone, he said.

Managing that work is Milwaukee-based Gilbane Building Co., the same company that managed the construction of the original casino in 2000. As project manager, Gilbane is overseeing a three-tiered project that will ultimately add 530,000 square feet to the existing 256,000-square-foot building.

Hnedak Bobo Group Inc., Memphis, Tenn., created the design plans in association with Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc., Milwaukee. Irgens Development Partners LLC, Milwaukee, represents the Potawatomi.

The $240 million Potawatomi Bingo Casino expansion is expected to triple the size of the building. Rendering courtesy of Potawatomi Bingo Casino

The 10-month first phase of the expansion, which started on Sept. 15, focuses on a major transportation effort: the construction of the connecting bridge to the James Groppi Unity Bridge, a process that will create a new means of entering the property, said Robert Fenlon, Gilbane's project executive.

October will mark the initial stages of phase two, an estimated one-year process that features construction of a precast parking deck capable of holding 1,800 cars. It will connect to an existing parking structure and will be accessible from the new bridge.

A new road will be wrapped around the back of the casino and a bus reception area, complete with a hospitality center, will be built to safely welcome tour groups.

The final phase, construction of the casino expansion, kicked off with an Aug. 28 ground blessing and will run concurrent with the other two stages.

The construction and design team is planning to add a food court to Potawatomi Bingo Casino in the final phase of the project. Rendering courtesy of Potawatomi Bingo Casino

With the additional space, the casino will increase the number of slot machines from 1,500 to 3,100 and increase the number of gaming tables to 120.

The Potawatomi also will create a new poker room, two new restaurants and a food court. The project will enlarge and, in some cases, relocate the casino's existing restaurants.

The third phase also will create space for 320 cars in a valet-serviced underground parking lot.

But the project isn't just about adding to the casino; it's about renovating what's already there.

"They are trying to enhance the experience for the guests," said Fenlon, pointing out that every level of change on the property will either make it easier for patrons to get around or increase their gaming options.

The casino's signature tower - a glass structure that tapers to a flame to remind visitors that those in the Potawatomi tribe are the Keepers of the Fire - will also undergo change. Whereas those standing at its base can now look up its entire length, the view will soon be cut off by the creation of a meeting space on the second story.

The Potawatomi Bingo Casino expansion is adding a center bar to the facility. Rendering courtesy of Potawatomi Bingo Casino

But perhaps the most striking change for casino patrons and the entire valley will be a 160-foot-long, 64-foot-tall, curved video wall that will greet patrons. The multicolored display will feature changeable patterns to entertain those approaching the building.

"We'll make it a more Las Vegas feel," Fenlon said. "Las Vegas spends a lot of money on their exteriors, gives you something to look at and get you to come inside. We're doing that with the video wall."

And the display is sure to be noticed. More than 4.7 million people visit the casino and its entertainment and dining facilities every year.

And there's a good chance that the developments in the valley will only increase the traffic. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker pointed out that the region's resurgence will bring more people to the area, and the Potawatomi expansion will only fuel more growth in the valley.

There's a Harley-Davidson museum on the horizon, and Palermo Properties LLC is opening a frozen-pizza plant there.

"It's all about jobs," Walker said. "There couldn't be a better time to be in the valley."

A new poker room is in the cards for Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Rendering courtesy of Potawatomi Bingo Casino

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett agrees with that sentiment. The casino expansion spells good news for Milwaukee through a catalytic potential for inspiring more development in the valley and in cold, hard cash.

The casino pays the city and county of Milwaukee an annual percentage of its revenue. The Forest County Potawatomi Community paid nearly $55 million since 2000, not including property taxes it pays on its noncasino land. The tribe also paid $43.6 million to the state in 2005 and $24 million in 2006, money that helps fund the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

As the expansion begins, Barrett said he is excited for what it means to the city.

"Many people had written off the city of Milwaukee years ago, but this year, you'll see something you haven't seen before," he said. "Cranes. Cranes in many locations. People have come to believe in this city again."