Wind Creek Hospitality (WCH), the gaming arm of the Alabama-based Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI), opened its first gaming facility, Creek Bingo Palace, in Atmore, Alabama on April 13, 1985.
The tribe is not only celebrating its 35th anniversary in gaming, but its status as an international gaming and hospitality operator.
PCI became Alabama’s first and only federally recognized Indian tribe in August 1984, according to the Atmore Advance. Federal recognition acknowledged tribe’s right to self-governance, and PCI, like many sovereign tribes, looked to gaming as a smart investment for its future.
Eight months after receiving federal recognition, the Creek Bingo Palace opened, and built a business on paper bingo. By 2003, PCI was operating electronic bingo gaming at three locations in Alabama. That was the foundation for remarkable growth. WCH now provides nearly 6,900 direct jobs. Today, the tribal entity owns and operates 10 resort properties around the world, in markets such as Nevada, Pennsylvania, Aruba and Curacao, and has plans to win a commercial gaming license in Illinois.
