NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY — From left to right, Starbucks employees Sophia Murillo, Aja Banda and Jackie Archambault pose for a photo inside the new location at the Meskwaki Bingo Casino and Hotel. It has been open for a few weeks and already exceeded expectations, according to Marketing Manager Amanda Hopkins.

MESKWAKI SETTLEMENT — The Meskwaki Bingo Casino and Hotel, located about four miles west of Tama-Toledo along Highway 30, remains one of the area’s biggest draws for gaming enthusiasts, music fans and anyone else looking to enjoy a night out away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. It continues to grow and evolve with the times thanks to bold decisions by leadership and adaptation to the wants and needs of its customer base.

Within the last few weeks, a full service Starbucks coffee shop opened up inside the casino, and the new and improved hotel lobby officially opened last August. Casino and Hotel Marketing Manager Amanda Hopkins recently spoke to the News Chronicle about the improvements as well as future plans for the facility.

The hotel now has 366 total rooms, with some of them converted into suites as part of a slight reduction in overall capacity, and a brand new Aristocrat Lounge slot area has been added on the casino floor. In March, they will install the first brand new Wheel of Fortune machine in the Midwest.

“We try to highlight not just the casino floor but all of our amenities here in the casino,” Hopkins said. “We’re still one of the very few casinos that still has the buffet open Thursday through Sunday, and we’re well known for our seafood buffet on Friday nights. We get a really good crowd for that.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the space that now houses the Starbucks was a steakhouse that eventually shut down before sitting empty for several years. Casino General Manager Scott Sirois had Starbucks locations at previous locations where he worked, and he felt it would be a great addition.

“It’s one of those iconic brand names that’s going to draw people to our property who may not necessarily gamble or be a gamer. You know, you use those amenities like a concert hall, drawing people in who may not necessarily visit the casino, but it gives them an opportunity to come here and see what all we have,” Hopkins said. “So with Starbucks, I’m telling you right now, it has already exceeded our expectations in the two weeks that it’s been open.”

So far, it’s been a soft opening for the coffee shop, but a formal grand opening and ribbon cutting with the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce is set for later this month. Hopkins said the Starbucks has drawn tribal members and their families as a gathering place, which is exactly what she wanted it to be.

As for the ongoing construction, Hopkins said the goal is to “open up” the area, which also includes Lucky’s Grill and Taproom and the gift shop, with the gift shop entrance relocated as of this week.

“We’re not just focused on the casino floor but the entire footprint of the property,” she said.

Looking forward, Hopkins said the leadership is working its way through phases of improvement and waiting to see what the future holds, especially as it pertains to the application for the construction of a new casino in Cedar Rapids, which officials at Meskwaki and other surrounding casinos strongly oppose.

Still, the overall outlook is overwhelmingly positive as Hopkins said Meskwaki is “holding its own” as a casino for locals during the week and a destination for visitors from the outlying areas on the weekends. And the casino continues to bring in high quality entertainment ranging from local bands and Elvis impersonators to chart toppers like John Anderson, Starship and Dionne Warwick, who will perform on Saturday, Feb. 15.

Hopkins, ever the promoter and a veteran in the gaming industry, would like to see a bigger marquee and continued efforts to show off one of central Iowa’s most beloved gathering places.

“I think (we’ll) just continue to keep up with the trends, mainly. We’d like to, obviously, refresh even the carpet and everything else. Last year, we did the convention center area, and all of our breakout rooms, we re-carpeted,” she said. “And we’re just looking forward to continuing to refresh the property.”