Casino City’s Friday Five: Building and selling casinos

This week’s gambling news has a big story with the announcement that a major Las Vegas Strip casino resort will be sold. Before getting into those details, we have some other top stories to cover as well. We also have a new casino coming to Missouri, table games back at a Wisconsin property, Caesars sports betting live in Louisiana and a major jackpot win.

Let’s begin with a large payout:
5. $494,000 jackpot win at Michigan casino
A guest from Lawrence, Michigan won a $494,526.62 progressive jackpot on Monday, 25 October at Four Winds New Buffalo while playing a $2 wager.

The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, won the progressive jackpot on The Mask slot machine.

?????????? FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ??????????
You read that right… A Lawrence, MI resident just hit it big on “The Mask” slot machine for $494,527!!! Congratulations!!! pic.twitter.com/U4TItewSYf

— Four Winds Casino (@FourWindsCasino) October 26, 2021

4. Live table games back at Potawatomi Hotel and Casino
The excitement of live table games is back at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. On Monday, the casino brought back live blackjack and roulette tables for the first time since March 2020.

Other guest favorites, including baccarat, craps and Ultimate Hold’em, will return to the casino floor throughout the month of November.

The return of live table games kicked off with a charity game of blackjack featuring members of local media, with a total of $13,000 given to five charity organizations.

“This is one more milestone day at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino as we bring our business back stronger than ever. Our guests and team members have been looking forward to this for quite some time,” said Potawatomi Hotel & Casino CEO/General Manager Dominic Ortiz. “To celebrate this occasion by giving back to the community makes it that much more special.”

3. Caesars accepts in-person sports bets in Louisiana
Two casinos in Louisiana are now accepting in-person wagers on sports. Harrah's New Orleans Casino and Horseshoe Casino & Hotel - Bossier City made history on Sunday, 31 October, by accepting their first-ever in-person sports bets through the best-in-class Caesars Sportsbook.

In New Orleans, former New Orleans Saints quarterback and current media personality Bobby Hebert placed the ceremonial first bet to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.

At the same time, Mayor Tommy Chandler cut the ribbon to get wagering underway in Bossier City. Lines of sports fans eager to get in on the action built at both sportsbooks, led in Bossier City by a guest betting $55,000 on the Detroit Lions to cover +3.5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, which did not hit.

Harrah's and Horseshoe will each open a brand-new state-of-the-art retail sportsbook in 2022.

NOLA, let the bets begin! You can now be one of the first to place a sports bet in-person at our #CaesarsSportsbook (@CaesarsSports).

Win or lose, every wager gives you more with @CaesarsRewards. Redeem Reward Credits for free play, sports tickets, dining, and experiences. pic.twitter.com/DJKkSrKef9

— Harrah's New Orleans (@harrahsnola) October 31, 2021

2. Osage Nation announces new casino and hotel in Missouri
The Osage Nation announces plans to develop a new entertainment district at the Lake of the Ozarks including a new hotel complex that will feature a casino, restaurants, entertainment and more.

The project is expected to be completed in multiple phases with an estimated $60 million investment.

"I am happy the Osage Nation is exploring economic development opportunities in their ancestral homeland,” said State Senator Mike Bernskoetter (R- Jefferson City). “It sounds like a promising opportunity to bring jobs to Missouri and I am looking forward to working with the Osage Nation as this project develops."

1. MGM Resorts International to sell The Mirage
On Wednesday, MGM Resorts International made the announcement that it will plan on selling the operations of The Mirage located on the Las Vegas Strip.

The resort opened up back in November 1989 and has one of the more iconic attractions in the volcano show every night. With over 3,000 rooms and nearly 100,000 square feet of gaming space, The Mirage was one of the first major resort casinos to open on the Strip.

MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said in a letter, "The Mirage is a world-class, iconic property with unique attractions that is ripe for continued investment and development. It will be the crown jewel in another operator's portfolio, which is why we believe a sale makes strategic sense at this time."

A new buyer and operator has not been identified yet and the process of the sale is still in the beginning stages.