May 16–The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, flush with cash, is announcing plans to build a second tower with 119 rooms — just under three years after the 381-room hotel opened in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley.
The Forest County Potawatomi Community, which operates the hotel and casino, plans to begin developing the 19-story addition later this year — pending city approvals.
The project represents another $80 million investment, according to Tuesday's announcement by the tribe.
Along with more rooms and suites, the 180,000-square-foot addition will feature a spa and additional meeting space. It is expected to open in the spring of 2019.
The addition will provide an even mix of both standard rooms and suites.
The tribe expects to create 50 more hotel jobs through the expansion. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 W. Canal St., has nearly 2,700 workers.
The hotel has been popular with casino guests since opening in August 2014, according to a tribal statement.
"By adding nearly 60 suites to the property with this expansion, we're prioritizing our casino guests and their experience when visiting," Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Chief Operating Officer Rodney Ferguson said in a statement.
"The rooms, along with the spa, will bolster the property's reputation as an attractive destination for visitors in the region and beyond," Ferguson said.
The initial $97.5 million hotel was expected to expand the casino's customer draw from a 25-mile radius to a 100- to 150-mile radius, according to tribal officials.
Reports of a possible expansion surfaced in February, with hotel industry sources saying the hotel was performing very well.
Indeed, Milwaukee's downtown area, a submarket that includes the Potawatomi property, continues to see strong occupancy and room rate growth even as more properties are built.
Both the SpringHill Suites and Kimpton Journeyman hotels opened last summer, with the Westin to open in June and a Homewood Suites to open in August.
Tom Daykin can be reached at [email protected]
