Belterra Casino Resort & Spa, Florence, Ind.
www.belterracasino.com
Earlier this year, Belterra Casino Resort completed a total renovation
of its 50,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. The 608-
room property along the Ohio River offers easy access to Cincinnati;
Indianapolis; and Louisville and Lexington, Ky.
Recent upgrades to the meeting space include all-new carpeting,
wall fixtures and sconces along with new seating. In addition, technology improvements included Wi-Fi speeds up to 100 megabits
per second, making connectivity and communication faster and
easier for groups.
The resort offers six food and beverage options, a spa and salon,
retail outlets and a Tom Fazio golf course. With all the on-site
amenities, groups can chose from a range of teambuilding and
breakout activities.
In keeping with the casino theme, groups can arrange for a
poker tournament or transform a private banquet room into a
boardwalk arcade complete with a pool table, air hockey, table
tennis and dart boards.
For the culinary-minded groups, there are several programs, such
as Cooking with the Chef, where the executive chef spills “chef secrets”
and incorporates demonstrations and interactive lessons. Wine Tasting and Pairing and Bourbon Tasting classes are offered as well.
For groups that want to stay on-property and indoors, there is
the Belterra’s Survivor Challenge, where groups are challenged to
complete oversized wooden puzzles and other tests, and the Selfie
Scavenger Hunt, where groups use social media and cell phones to
complete an indoor scavenger hunt
around the resort. The Build-a-
Bike program allows attendees
to work together to construct
bikes and a local nonprofit
will invite children in need
to the hotel so they can be
surprised with their new
rides in-person.
For adventure-seeking groups, the team at Belterra can arrange
for a Rev Up Your Engine excursion where guests experience the
behind-the-scenes action of the Kentucky Speedway, home of the
Sprint Cup NASCAR race. Zipline tours, available at two different
skill levels, can also be arranged through the property.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel, Battle
Creek, Mich.
www.firekeeperscasino.com
Opened in 2009 as FireKeepers Casino,
the property completed a major expansion in 2012 that included an eight-sto-ry resort-style hotel with 243 guest
rooms. Now FireKeepers Casino Hotel,
the project also included a multipurpose event center, full-service restaurant,
expanded Bingo room, exercise facility
and indoor pool. In 2015, the property
received the AAA Four Diamond award, just
over two years after opening the hotel.
The Event Center, which can seat up to 2,000, regularly hosts big name performers, and when not in use can accommodate groups starting at just 14. The 17,500-square-foot Mbish
Ballroom can be divided into four separate spaces and can accom-
modate over 1, 100 people. There are four smaller meeting rooms
and a boardroom for smaller gatherings and meetings.
For groups looking for off-site teambuilding, excursions and ac-
tivities, the team at FireKeepers partners with local companies and
outlets to provide uniquely Michigan experiences.
“For groups looking to take advantage of the recent boom in the
craft brewing industry, we are lucky to be within 30 miles of over
a dozen unique breweries,” says Megan Carra, catering and sales
manager at FireKeepers Casino Hotel. “We partner with West Mich-
igan Beer Tours, which offers private tours for groups that includes
transportation, customized itineraries and guides.”
Another big draw to the region is golf, and groups can arrange
customized packages for 15 courses in the area with Michigan’s
Southern Swing. The Medalist Golf Club in the neighboring town
of Marshall is frequently used to plan group outings, and it offers
special packages for groups and guests of FireKeepers.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Catoosa, Okla.
www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Located in Catoosa, near the Tulsa city limits, is the 545-room Hard
Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. With 75,000 square feet of meeting and
exhibit space, including a 23,000-square-foot convention center
and two ballrooms, the property can accommodate groups of all
sizes. The 15,000-square-foot ballroom can be divided into six
separate sections, and for smaller groups there is the more-intimate
4,800-square-foot Grand Hall of the Cherokees.
The property is set against the Cherokee Hills Golf Club. The
course was originally designed in 1924 by Perry Maxwell and redesigned by Tripp Davis. Groups can take advantage of the proximity
of the golf club with a round or two, as well as use the nearly 3,300
square feet of meeting space and the observation deck that overlooks the tree-lined fairways.
Back on-site is The Joint, a 45,000-square-foot entertainment
venue. The space features amphitheater-style seating for 2,700 and a
state-of-the-art light and sound system.
More group space is available on the hotel’s top floors. The Sky
With a high concentration of casinos, about 300 in the region and growing, the Midwestern states have a
wide range of gaming options. More and
more are adding hotels, resort amenities
and meeting and event space, making
themselves one-stop destinations.
Here are a few gaming properties that
stand out with an array of activities,
accommodations and event space that go
well beyond the casino floor.
ABO V E A N D B E Y O N DA B O V E A N D B E Y O N D By Seven Midwest casino resorts that offer it all to groups FIREKEEPERS CASINO HOTEL HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO TULSA
