Dominic Ortiz was not shy about announcing Potawatomi Sportsbook’s presence at its grand opening in Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee on Friday morning.
“Bonjour, and welcome to the grand opening of what is now the number one state-of-the-art retail sportsbook in the country,” the casino’s CEO and General Manager said with a flourish in launching the celebratory activities, which included an Honor Song by tribal of the Forest County Potawatomi Nation.
The Potawatomi Tribe was the second to offer retail sports betting in Wisconsin, with the Oneida Tribe first in November 2021. Potawatomi Casino took its first wagers in April 2023 and had several kiosks stationed throughout the two-floor venue.
The Potawatomi Sportsbook is the centerpiece of a $190 million renovation project that included a new 14-table poker room steps away.
“We knew that we had to bring a retail sportsbook that wasn’t just built for the past of what you’ve seen for 20 years, which was retail only,” said Ortiz, who had helped build Soaring Eagle Casino’s sportsbook in Michigan. “You need to provide a venue that is first-class, start-of-the-art, that is an experience in itself that is beyond just coming in and placing your bet.”
Taking cues from Las Vegas 26b6e
The first thing bettors see upon entering either side of the sportsbook is the 2,000 square-foot LED video wall that runs the length of the venue and is capable of showing up to 30 sporting events simultaneously.
The Potawatomi Sportsbook has a seating capacity of more than 200, while maximum capacity is 419 — a number it will likely hit on NFL Sundays given Wisconsin’s rabid following of the Green Bay Packers.
The overall space spans two floors and 6,500 square feet. On the second floor, there is a professional level broadcast booth with three cameras all having 4K quality. The local ESPN was broadcasting from there Friday as part of the opening ceremonies.
The studio was a key part of Ortiz’s vision of making the sportsbook a destination for sports fans considering Miller Park (home of the Milwaukee Brewers) is practically next door and Fiserv Forum (home of the Milwaukee Bucks) a short drive to downtown.
“You see where mobile sports betting goes and they’re crossing with entertainment and actors and engagement and social content, so for us as we push the limits in the future of the sportsbook: Why not build a first-class sportsbook studio in this venue?”
“I think the sky’s the limit on that studio,” he added. “You can broadcast live and do your podcasts and interviews … and sports figures are going to be up there placing their sports bets and leading their way to the choices of the week. That’s the excitement about it.”
For placing bets, there are two ticket-writer booths with 12 total counters. There were also more than 35 sportsbook kiosks located on the second floor near the main casino gaming area. The odds platform is provided by Kambi, and bettors can use QR codes to bring to a ticket counter.
They also have access to Kambi’s mobile sports betting apps are available.
There is dining available through The Kitchen at the Sportsbook, which includes an all-day brunch and desserts made on-site. The bar includes 48 beers on top and 14 specialty cocktails, some with nods to high-profile sporting events, including Wimbledon and the Indianapolis 500.
Trusting a man and his vision 2l6u35
It’s one thing to have a vision for a sportsbook, but sometimes you need a second person to explain why you need that sportsbook. That is where James A. Crawford, Chairman of Forest County Potawatomi Community Tribal Council, entered the picture.
Crawford lauded Ortiz’s ability to assemble the team needed turn around this project that began last June. The phrases “260 days” and “2,000 hours” were said constantly by both in describing the process, something Crawford recalled by describing walking through the space when there were only studs.
“What (the public) don’t see is all the planning that goes behind it, all the teamwork,” Crawford said. “We had a vision as a tribe, as a council of what we wanted to happen here. … So that began with finding the right leader. When we hired (Dominic), we told him our vision, but we didn’t now how to get there.
“He did. And then what does it take after that? Well, you have to put a team together. And that’s really what Dominic has done for us too.”
Ortiz talked beyond regional competition, which at the moment comes primarily from The Temporary in Waukegan and Rivers Casino in Des Plaines — both over the state line in Circa and owner Derek Stevens.
“We see what everybody else is doing but we’ve got our vision,” Ortiz said. “We’ve got our own targets and we look to what Vegas is doing, what are the top 10 sportsbooks in the country doing?
“I’ve been a part of [sports betting] for seven years. So I’m not coming from a place with no experience. I knew how we launched and what we needed to do to put together a facility and a product with the tech stack that would deliver the guest experience and bring it all together with food, entertainment, and sports.”
All photos by Chris Altruda
