CITIZEN PATRIOT ¥ DAVE WEATHERWAX
The new FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek opened to the public Wednesday. FireKeepers Casino
Battle Creek, Michigan
OWNER: Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
DESIGN ARCHITECT: Perez, APC
INTERIOR DESIGN: Perez, APC
CONSTRUCTION: Clark Construction Company, Lansing, Michigan
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $300 million
“Architecture could be said to be in motion at FireKeepers Casino,” says Joe Crowley, project manager at architecture firm Perez APC. “Specialty lighting adds to this apparent effect of movement throughout the space. Choreographed with sound, architectural elements, a front entry video wall of glass, steel and metal mesh, color changing lighting throughout and more, the lighting is truly a spectacle to be appreciated and viewed.”
The 250,000-square-foot FireKeepers Casino, owned by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi in southern Michigan, utilizes representations of the elements of fire, water, earth and air in its design. The name of the casino comes from the identity of the tribe itself, the “keepers of the fire.”
Situated just off the main interstate about halfway between Detroit and Chicago, the casino’s 107,000-square-foot gaming floor features 2,682 slot machines, 78 tables, a 12-table poker room and a VIP gaming lounge. A 4,000-square-foot multipurpose room features high-stakes bingo, and an assortment of restaurants and bars offer guests plenty of choices to relax and refresh in stylish surroundings.
Setting the standard is the Kabaret Lounge. Serving as a centerpiece in its prominent location within the casino, the play of light on the club’s red, translucent plastic panels presents the visitor with a sense of fire. The effect is carried through by the ceiling, the rolling form of which is meant to represent smoke. The fire is also found in the high energy of the Kabaret Lounge, where live bands, comedy acts and DJs set the stage for all-night partying.
Each of the elements finds its embodiment within its own section of the casino and inside specific non-gaming locations. “Water” is experienced in rippled glass walls, raindrop lighting fixtures and in the waterfall inside the signature restaurant, Nibi, where even the bar’s surface appears to be flowing. “Earth” is the message of the Aurora Lounge for VIPs, with its white stone entry, white cork walls and green onyx, hearth-to-ceiling fireplace. “Air” is seen in the casino, in the form of huge panel lights containing a translucent, honeycomb pattern. All the special lighting effects are the work of Creative Lighting Design and Engineering.
In all, the casino features five very different dining options: the 70-seat Nibi signature restaurant; a 150-seat, 24-hour coffee shop; a 300-seat buffet; a 110-seat quick service restaurant; and a “grab-and-go” outlet. Three bar areas include a sports bar, the 113-seat Kabaret Lounge and a bar within Nibi.
The casino was completed within 15 months of construction beginning on site.
