Prairie Band Casino & Resort

Prairie Band Casino & Resort is an Native American casino in Mayetta, Kansas, owned by the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation. It was originally operated by Harrah's Entertainment under a management agreement with the tribe until July 1, 2007, when the tribe took over operations. The casino is open 24 hours daily and has a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) casino, with 1,090 slot machines, a bingo hall and 31 table games. The casino also has three restaurants and 297 guestrooms.[1]

Prairie Band Casino & Resort
Address 12305 150th Road
Mayetta, Kansas
Opening dateJanuary 1998
No. of rooms297
Total gaming space35,000 sq ft (3,300 m2)
Notable restaurantsLonghouse Buffet, Buffalo Grill, Three Fires Steakhouse
Casino typeNative American casino
OwnerPrairie Band of Potawatomi Nation
Previous namesHarrah's Prairie Band
Renovated in2008, 2018-
Coordinates39°18′55″N 95°45′04″W
WebsiteCasino & Resort Website

History

Under Harrah's management

The casino and resort originally opened in 1998, January.[2] In 2000, a billboard on U.S. Highway 75 traveling north from Topeka read "Harrah's Prairie Band Casino, 12 miles." At the time, after opening in January 1998, the 100-room hotel adjacent to the casino was "generally full" with reservations recommended. It was the only of the four casinos in Kansas at the time that had a hotel.[3]

Transition to new ownership

The transition from Harrah's to the tribe took place on July 1, 2007, with the casino renamed Prairie Band Casino and Resort.[4][5] Management for Harrah's Prairie Band Casino-Topeka transferred to the tribe on July 1, 2007, which was ahead of the scheduled termination date by nine months.[5] The Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board throughout 2008 reviewed proposals for a contract to develop and manage a state-owned casino in Kansas - in August 2008, the Prairie Band Potwatomi Nation sued Harrah's for submitting a bid, alleging that in doing so, Harrah's "violated a noncompete agreement with the tribe" related to Prairie Band Casino & Resort, which Harrah's denied.[5]

Remodel and coronavirus

In January 2018, the resort announced a "massive expansion" including a new hotel tower with 80 rooms, among them a pool, spa and fitness center, party rooms, and rooms. It also announced a 500-space parking garage to be connected to the event center. The casino announced the casino floor would be remodeled and expanded, with the lobby and Buffalo Grill also remodeled. It was said the renovations would take 2.5 years.[2] The initial casino remodel was finished in October 2018 after "years of planning and weeks of construction," with the tower and game room expansion still pending.[6] In July 2019, the casino announced it was moving into Phase 2 of construction, and would be breaking ground on new facilities. The plans had been changed to include 74 new guest rooms, pools both indoor and outdoor, a sauna and steam room, business meeting rooms, and a game room with "virtual Top Golf," as well as party rooms. At the time, the casino remained a "wholly owned subsidiary of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation." Plans for Phase 2 included a new lobby bar, a Kapi coffee bar, and the Embers Bar and Grille.[7]

Due to coronavirus, on March 17, 202,[8] the Potawatomi Tribal Council directed the casino to suspend operations until March 20, 2020. The casino continued to pay wages and benefits for part-time and full-time employees, it stated, with hotel reservations refunded.[9] After announcing the closure mandate on March 17, 2020, on March 27, the Kansas Lottery extended the suspension of state casino operations for Hollywood Casino, Kansas Crossing, Crossing, Kansas Star Casino, and Boot Hill Casino. That week, Prairie Band Casino & Resort extended its own closures through April 30, although not required to follow the mandate.[10] When the casino reopened in June 2020, it had a number of restrictions.[11]

Hotel and casino

The casino is open 24 hours daily and has a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) casino, with 1,090 slot machines, a bingo hall and 31 table games.[1] The casino also has three restaurants: Longhouse Buffet, Buffalo Grill, and 3 Fires Steakhouse. It also has 297 guestrooms.[1]

Entertainment

Country musician Gary Allan appeared at the resort to perform in 2021, after first performing in June 2019.[12] Musician Lee Greenwood performed in April 2022.[13] As of 2022, the upcoming March lineup included artists such as KC and the Sunshine Band and comedian George Lopez.[14]

See also

References
  1. Prairie Band Casino & Resort Profile
  2. "Prairie Band Casino Resort Getting New Hotel Tower". WIBW. Jan 21, 2018.
  3. "Hitting the big jackpot in Kansas Tribal casinos provide a window of entertainment". oklahoman.com. Oct 22, 2000.
  4. "Transition FAQ". Harrahs. 2007. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  5. "Harrah's wins Kansas casino contract". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Aug 23, 2008.
  6. "Prairie Band Casino unveils new remodel". WIBW. October 19, 2018.
  7. "Prairie Band Casino begins phase 2 in major expansion". KSNT 27 News. July 17, 2019.
  8. "Prairie Band Casino and Resort temporarily closes due to the coronavirus outbreak". KSNT. March 17, 2020.
  9. "Kansas suspends operations at four state-owned casinos". CJ Online. Mar 17, 2020.
  10. "Kansas Lottery, Prairie Band extend casino closures". CJ Online. March 27, 2020.
  11. "Prairie Band Casino & Resort to require masks, other safety precautions during reopening". KSNT. June 10, 2020.
  12. "Country Music star Gary Allan returns to Prairie Band Casino & Resort". KSNT. Jul 16, 2021.
  13. "Lee Greenwood to Perform at Prairie Band Casino". KSNT. Feb 28, 2022.
  14. "Entertainment". Prairie Band Casino & Resort. 2022.
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