First of its Kind
• Four Winds South Bend Casino , South Bend , Indiana •
South Bend , Indiana is most famous as home of one of the legendary universities in the U . S ., Notre Dame . From the Touchdown Jesus mural near the stadium to the Golden Dome , Notre Dame has been the focal point of South Bend for generations .
Now South Bend has another focal point : the first tribal casino in the state of Indiana . The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians operates several casinos in Michigan and has roots in Indiana . After going through the “ land-into-trust ” process , it built an extraordinary casino in South Bend .
As an extension of the Four Winds brand , the South Bend property opened to the public in January . As with the other Four Winds properties , it integrates tribal symbolism into the guest experience with tailored elements that relate to the South Bend market .
“ Over the past 10 years , architects and interior designers at HBG Design have built an ongoing relationship with the Pokagon Band and Four Winds in Michigan and Indiana ,” says Paul Bell , project manager and principal at HBG . “ Our team has worked to strategically enhance the design quality and aesthetic over their four-property , now multi-state , brand .”
Designers helped the brand evolve from very traditional to more transitional in design , in part to appeal to broader guest demographics . Within a high-contrast , contemporary aesthetic , unique tribal motifs are showpiece elements balanced proportionately with rich , dark wood tones , geometric ceiling patterns , a sophisticated palette of tile , stone and wooden finishes , leather-look upholstery and intricate flooring patterns that relate to aspects of tribal heritage .
“ The Pokagon call South Bend ‘ Ribbontown ,’” says Nathan Peak , lead architectural designer and principal at HBG Design . “ Known for arts and crafts , tribal symbolism is connected to unique patterns and artwork as well as the tribe ’ s original location on the river and water .”
A standout for the 175,000-square-foot South Bend property is the large dramatic rotunda entry , which connects key amenities within : the 1,800-slot casino with a dedicated 40-machine non-smoking area ; a casino center bar ; retail space ; a coffee shop ; and four new dining experiences , including Copper
Rotunda entry ; Copper Rock Steakhouse
Rock Steakhouse , the Buffet , Kankakee Grille and Timbers .
The Potawatomi consider copper a sacred healing metal and the Pokagon are descendants of the Copper Culture people , an ancient indigenous tradition and lifeway of early inhabitants of northern Michigan and Wisconsin . Ancestors fashioned copper found in this Great Lakes region into tools , adornments and weapons . Modern Pokagons value copper still , especially as vessels for life-giving water in ceremonies .
Two found “ float copper ” rocks from Michigan ’ s Northern Peninsula were installed at the entrance of the Copper Rock Steakhouse . Each is well over 11,000 years old , and the two weigh five tons combined . The largest , placed within a dedicated niche at the steakhouse entry façade , stands more than 10 feet high and 5 feet wide . The smaller rock was placed in the main dining room of Copper Rock Steakhouse . Roughly 3,500 pounds , this specimen is roughly 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide . — Patrick Roberts
OWNER : Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians ARCHITECT : HBG Design BUILDER : F . A . Wilhelm of Indianapolis FEATURES : 175,000 square feet of overall space , 1,800 Class II slot machines , four restaurants , three bars and 4,500 parking spaces
12 CASINO STYLE 2018