Potawatomi Hotel & Casino has its sights set on the end of 2023 to unveil a permanent sportsbook, the first of its kind in Milwaukee.
“We’re on the cutting edge of being where a lot of states have already gone and it’s our opportunity to shine and bring that kind of accolades to the city of Milwaukee,” CEO Dominic Ortiz told the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Ortiz took over the position of CEO and general manager in July 2021. He came from Soaring Eagle Gaming Properties and Corporate Services in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, where he served as CFO. He took Soaring Eagle to the same position, launching retail and mobile sports.
“Then to come over here and say here we go, clean slate, let’s start all over again and let’s analyze the business case and make sure what we see is right for Milwaukee, Potawatomi, who they are and what we need to do for the city,” Ortiz said.
Potawatomi signed a letter of intent with Malta-based Kambi, a business-to-business sports betting platform, to bolster the back-end of operations.
In total, this is a three-phase project, Ortiz said.
By the next six weeks, Potawatomi will open a temporary sportsbook where patrons can place a bet via kiosks.
Within four to six months of that, the casino will unveil a mobile application, so long as it’s on Potawatomi land.
Phase 3 will be the permanent sportsbook, with a 120-foot TV screen as a focal point along with smaller TVs, and a full bar.
“We continue to make sure that we position this sportsbook and say this is what it takes to do a sportsbook right, to get the technology, to get the brand, to get the customer engagement,” Ortiz said. “It provides more engagement for our base, bringing more people to the city and engaging in the games and building up that demographic and making it fun and exciting.”
