Four Winds Casino Mini Trip Report
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:33 pm
We visited my daughter, who lives in Chicago. One day, we ventured out to the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, MI.
** The property is much larger than expected. First impression: it was just as nice as any Vegas casino here at home.
**Having once lived in a casino hotel for a year, on Pueblo property, I had imagined Four Winds would be similar to the Native American-run casino where we resided (i.e. very poor V.P. paytables). Not so.
** They have a Players' Lounge for elite level guests, to which we had access. This was one of the two biggest surprises of the evening. They have a cafeteria-style "buffet". it was both hot and cold food selections, plus dessert. The food was remarkably fine, no complaints.
It was a surprise because Vegas hasn't yet reopened buffets, even if employees serve guests the food, like at Four Winds. As of today, Wicked Spoon opened this year, then closed, then reopened again recently. Meanwhile South Point still running buffet, served by employees.
Mind you, this wasn't a buffet at Four Winds, open to everyone, this was their Elite Player Lounge.
Contrast this with the M Resort Casino in Henderson. Since reopening last June, and now 10 months later, and M refuses to reopen their tiny Elite Players' Lounge. It was just free bottled water and free soda cans during the week, with a very tiny food selection on weekends only. Penn Gaming is incredibly cheap.
** Although it was once smoking allowed, now Four Winds is entirely non-smoking. According to my daughter, they haven't skipped a beat, the casino is as busy as ever. Meanwhile, virtually all Vegas casinos remain stubbornly smokers' paradise.
** There was an incident with a ghetto dude at the roulette table, near the VP machines where we sat, and it was painfully slow to resolve. I suppose security was placating the dude for as long as necessary until tribal police eventually showed up, but it sure did take tribal a LONG TIME to arrive and they needed five people to handcuff this one guy. They must not have this experience as often as in Vegas.
** We all won at VP. That was an unexpected surprise.
**Leaving the casino, it is a long winding road both in and off property. Some car entering nearly hit our car head on, driving madly at a high rate of speed and crossing the center line of the two lane road. Given the fact that there is apparently a lot of deer on site, it's surprising how fast he drove.
Overall, it was a nice diversion for just the one evening of our weeklong visit to Chicago.
** The property is much larger than expected. First impression: it was just as nice as any Vegas casino here at home.
**Having once lived in a casino hotel for a year, on Pueblo property, I had imagined Four Winds would be similar to the Native American-run casino where we resided (i.e. very poor V.P. paytables). Not so.
** They have a Players' Lounge for elite level guests, to which we had access. This was one of the two biggest surprises of the evening. They have a cafeteria-style "buffet". it was both hot and cold food selections, plus dessert. The food was remarkably fine, no complaints.
It was a surprise because Vegas hasn't yet reopened buffets, even if employees serve guests the food, like at Four Winds. As of today, Wicked Spoon opened this year, then closed, then reopened again recently. Meanwhile South Point still running buffet, served by employees.
Mind you, this wasn't a buffet at Four Winds, open to everyone, this was their Elite Player Lounge.
Contrast this with the M Resort Casino in Henderson. Since reopening last June, and now 10 months later, and M refuses to reopen their tiny Elite Players' Lounge. It was just free bottled water and free soda cans during the week, with a very tiny food selection on weekends only. Penn Gaming is incredibly cheap.
** Although it was once smoking allowed, now Four Winds is entirely non-smoking. According to my daughter, they haven't skipped a beat, the casino is as busy as ever. Meanwhile, virtually all Vegas casinos remain stubbornly smokers' paradise.
** There was an incident with a ghetto dude at the roulette table, near the VP machines where we sat, and it was painfully slow to resolve. I suppose security was placating the dude for as long as necessary until tribal police eventually showed up, but it sure did take tribal a LONG TIME to arrive and they needed five people to handcuff this one guy. They must not have this experience as often as in Vegas.
** We all won at VP. That was an unexpected surprise.
**Leaving the casino, it is a long winding road both in and off property. Some car entering nearly hit our car head on, driving madly at a high rate of speed and crossing the center line of the two lane road. Given the fact that there is apparently a lot of deer on site, it's surprising how fast he drove.
Overall, it was a nice diversion for just the one evening of our weeklong visit to Chicago.