Four Winds opens today
Published 6:33 pm Thursday, August 2, 2007
By By JOHN EBY / Niles Daily Star
NEW BUFFALO – Stone, copper, cedar and birch – the same materials used in tribal ceremonies – built Four Winds Casino Resort, which officially opened at noon today.
Paying homage to the heritage of the Dowagiac-based Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, "It's an absolutely spectacular property. It has the look of a north woods lodge with all the amenities of a modern casino," according to General Manager Matt Harkness, who played tour guide for Wednesday morning's media sneak preview.
Harkness, a 28-year gaming industry veteran, spent five years as GM of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. He started his career in 1979 as a craps dealer with Resorts International – the first casino on the East Coast.
In 1980, he assisted in opening the Golden Nugget, followed by the Playboy Casino in 1981 and the Taj Mahal in 1990. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from Edison State College in Trenton, N.J.
Four Winds, 11111 Wilson Road, just off I-94 Exit 1, offers 130,000 square feet of gaming space, including 3,000 slot machines, a 165-room 98 suite-hotel and 100 table games.