Jackpot Junction expands entertainment opportunities

Photos courtesy Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel

Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel completed a $25 million expansion project in January. The project began in October 2007.

Tools

Jackpot Junction expands entertainment opportunities

By Maria Scandale, Today correspondent

Story Published: May 3, 2009

Story Updated: Apr 21, 2009

MORTON, Minn. – Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel recently completed a $25 million expansion project that brightens the entertainment horizon in southwestern Minnesota, where the Lower Sioux Indian Community is host.

Jackpot Junction has 440,000-square-feet of casino action on two floors, along with modern hotel and convention facilities, and outdoor recreation areas located 110 miles from Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The stellar new Dacotah Exposition Center and Amphitheater is a showplace for conventions and entertainment that replaced the previous domed building at the site. It seats 2,700 guests for sell-out concerts and theater-style events and 1,400 guests for banquets. A staging zone called Prairie Winds can accommodate 400 people.

“This expansion fits with our long-term goal of business development and economic diversification, to provide for the future of our community,”

 – Loren Johnsonpresident of the Lower Sioux Indian Community


Upgrading the gaming floor with the latest technology was a win-win situation. The 1,250 video slot machines range in denominations from 1 cent to $25. Players don’t have to be big spenders to be winners, but there’s plenty of high-stakes action for those who feel lucky. Blackjack and live poker, pull tabs and lottery are found in comfortable surroundings. Three different gaming floors are abuzz with their own unique atmosphere and distinct decor.

The bingo hall seats 375 players and has its own grill, whose tabletops are giant images of playing cards.

The re-designed Seasons Buffet is among four places to eat, and the casino floor plan is laid out with four full-service bars. The Classic Lounge, positioned near the Classic Casino floor, is the place for live regional entertainment Thursdays through Sundays. The chance to dance is in the middle of the lounge on the dance floor.

For those who want to stay, the renovation of the Lower Sioux Lodge adjacent to the casino added a new six-story hotel wing that increased the number of onsite rooms to 378. Some hotel rooms are next to a landscaped pool area with a whirlpool, sauna, kiddie pool and fountain. The lodge is a AAA three-diamond-rated hotel.

“We want to provide guests with an outstanding experience with a state-of-the-art entertainment complex and upgraded gaming floor,” said Mary Ketterling, general manager of Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel. “Along with our expanded hotel and convention space, full-serve RV park, and award-winning Dacotah Ridge Golf Club, Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel will become a true vacation destination.”
 
The 18-hole championship Dacotah Ridge Golf Club four miles east of the casino was part of the Jackpot Junction charm before the casino/hotel renovation project. Rees Jones, the nationally acclaimed architect, created the course amid the prairie’s natural wetlands and mature trees and along the winding beauty of Wabasha Creek and a 14-acre lake.

Under the construction of Miller Architects and Builders, the renovation project began in October 2007 and celebrated a soft opening about a year later, before a January 2009 grand opening. Jackpot Junction is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“This expansion fits with our long-term goal of business development and economic diversification, to provide for the future of our community,” said Loren Johnson, president of the Lower Sioux Indian Community. “With this major expansion, the Lower Sioux Indian Community continues to be a strong contributor to southwestern Minnesota’s economy.”

Members of the Lower Sioux Community are part of the Mdewakanton band of Dakota. Lower Sioux was the name given to the band after treaties with the United States in 1851. Today the community is one of the largest employers in southern Minnesota. About half of the 930 enrolled members live in the home community. Tribal officials say the jobs created by the casino, hotel and other community-owned businesses are bringing many members home.

To see a virtual tour of the casino hotel complex visit the Web site or for more information call (800) WIN-CASH. Hourly childcare is available for children six weeks to 12 years old. The casino is located at 39375 County Highway 24, Morton, Minn., not far from Route 71.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

By posting a comment, user agrees to all Terms Of Use. Comments may also appear in other website locations and in other Indian Country Today products, without notice and at the discretion of Indian Country Today.

Indian Country Today and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

On Demand