Wind Creek Casino topping-out ceremony held

By Adrienne McKenzie
The Brewton Standard

ATMORE, Ala. — The sun came out in the nick of time Thursday as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and the city of Atmore rejoiced reaching the highest point of construction on the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel.

A team of construction workers hoisted a beam to the top of the structure at a Topping Out Celebration.

In Thursday's ceremony held at the Creek Casino, Tribal chairman Buford L. Rolin spoke positively about the impact of Wind Creek. The impact will not only benefit the city of Atmore, but also the state of Alabama, Rolin said. He then ordered placement of the final beam.

“This is the Tribe's most ambitious endeavor to date,” Rolin said. “As a tourist destination, Wind Creek will have an extremely positive economic impact on southwest Alabama and our entire state's economy through taxes, jobs and ancillary businesses that will be supported by a new growing tourist industry.”

Wind Creek will be responsible for providing more than 900 direct jobs for citizens of Alabama and areas.

Additional jobs will be created because of related services and industries including suppliers and vendors who will hire new individuals to help meet the needs of the new facility.

“We are committed to improving the standard of living for our Tribal members, the surrounding communities and the state of Alabama,” Rolin said. “The ripple effect from Wind Creek will be considerable.”

The Wind Creek Topping Out Celebration featured many knowledgeable facts about the new structure. Remarks were made by Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority president and CEO James T. Martin as well as CIE board chairman Ronnie Smith, PCI Gaming Authority president and CEO Jay Dorris and PCI Gaming Board chairman Keith Martin.

According to plan for the new facility, the first portion of the $250 million project is the completion of the casino, which is scheduled for opening during December.

The hotel is expected to open in spring of 2009.

Guests at the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel will enjoy:
• A 17-floor (with no 13th floor), 391,061 square-foot state of the art facility that will be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

• The casino will provide 1,600 electronic bingo games that will be accessible from both inside and outside the hotel.
• The hotel will offer 236 rooms, including four villas and 72 above-standard suites offering upgraded amenities.

• A state of the art entertainment area where live entertainment will be provided both inside and outside. The outdoor amphitheatre will have a capacity for more than 1,000 patrons.

• Meeting facilities, which will include a 8,000 square foot conference/ball room, as well as four breakout rooms.
The Topping Out Celebration not only showed what the new facility will have to offer, but people were also entertained by Megan Young and a youth cultural presentation by the Poarch Creek Pow-Wow Club.The evening was concluded with a guided tour of the facility.

Brown Chambless served as the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel project architect and Flintco/Martin served as project contractor.

Cagley & Tanner Design of Las Vegas, Nev., will handle interior design.