The recently opened Landmark Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota, seamlessly blends modern luxury with the town’s historic charm. Located in an 1890s-era structure known as the Adams Block building, the casino brings life back to a vacant space that was nearly demolished.
The Landmark Casino’s historic facade evokes the region’s frontier past, while its updated interior features contemporary elements such as sleek glass surfaces and dynamic lighting to complement the gaming floor’s 100-plus slot machines and six gaming tables. Cuningham provided interior design services for the project, which includes a split floor layout: a casino floor and slot machines on the ground level, a sportsbook and table games on the second floor, and two bars (one on each level).
Due to its location within a historic district, the Landmark Casino could not use flashy signs or bright screens on the building’s exterior to attract patrons. To create intrigue for passersby, Cuningham designers added a striking, statement art piece strategically positioned in a prominent corner of the building and allowed the large glass windows at the street level to show off the flurry of activity inside.
The art piece—appropriately titled “It’s Raining Gold At The Landmark”—is a meticulously crafted 26-foot-tall chain sculpture that evokes the vibrant hues synonymous with Black Hills Gold. It was a collaborative effort between Cuningham and Kriskadecor in Montblanc, Spain. Not only does the piece establish a visual cohesion between the two levels, it effortlessly marries contemporary aesthetics with an homage to Deadwood’s regional context.
The existing space had seen multiple tenants and several haphazard additions throughout the years, leaving designers to contend with a piecemeal layout contrary to the large, open-space gaming floors typical of most modern casinos. Cuningham’s designers navigated these spatial eccentricities by adding creative solutions for flow and wayfinding within the interior. Swooping lines on the ceilings and floors create a sense of movement and guide users throughout the space, while elements like trim and lighting are carefully designed to serve both aesthetic and functional purposes, doubling as wayfinding cues.
Cuningham’s design leaves the original brick exposed and integrates its red clay color throughout the interior material palette. Imperfections from time and wear are highlighted, rather than concealed, creating a visible connection to Deadwood’s history as a frontier town. By pairing this approach with sleek, modern design elements, Cuningham creates a casino that thoughtfully balances tradition and innovation, establishing it as a standout destination in the vibrant gaming landscape.
OWNER-OPERATOR: The Landmark casino
INTERIOR DESIGN: Cuningham
