Isle Vista Casino gets upgraded

RED CLIFF — If you feel like Lady Luck is on your side, don’t miss all the opportunities to win big, enjoy live music, and indulge in dining specials at the Isla Vista Casino’s Grand Re-Opening on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The casino and newly renovated Sports Bar and Grill will open at 10 a.m. The re-opening events kick off with a pool tournament starting at noon. Happy Hour will be extended to 9 p.m. with live music by “Melody Best” starting at 9:30 p.m.

Bingo $25 packs start at 6 p.m., a poker tournament at 4 p.m., and if you prefer slot machines you’re in luck. There is a Triple Win from 4:30-9:30 p.m. and High Low from 10-12:30.

The highlight of the re-opening is the new table games room. For card playing aficionados, the good news is: Black Jack is back after a two-year absence. There are two six deck shoes and one two deck pitch. Three new Black Jack tables are now open; a poker table for Texas Holdem, and new slot machines.

Isle Vista Casino, Buffalo Bay Marina and Campground are currently under new management. Jeff Gordon is the new general manager and Eryk Rosiere the new marketing manager. Together, they have undertaken renovations at the casino that include the table games room which used to be the dining room and a remodeling of the lounge and new dining room. Three air filtration units have been installed in the dining room and Bar and Grill  and there are three new 47-inch high resolution, wall-mounted flat screen TVs in addition to two 25-inch TVs for sports fans. Gordon said there are also plans to build an outdoor screened-in patio with lake views for dining, scheduled to open this summer.

Local Ojibwe artist Rita Vanderventer was commissioned to paint a wall mural in the table games room that depicts the ice caves in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on the mainland, 15 miles north of Red Cliff. Vanderventer also painted the beautiful wall mural in the slot machine area that portrays the culture of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Gordon said, “The essence of the renovations is to provide an entertainment venue that encompasses all aspects of gambling: slots, tables, and Bingo, as well as a place to get a delicious and fast meal in between gambling.”

Isle Vista’s Bar and Grill serves “good food and good times;” lunch between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. including appetizers, burgers and hot dogs from the grill, pizzas and beverages every day. Dinner is served Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 4-9 p.m. Breakfast is served Saturday and Sunday from 7-11 a.m. Friday Fish Fry offers fresh whitefish or all-you-can-eat Pollack. Saturday night is prime rib special. There are eight other dinner menu selections such as jumbo shrimp, sirloin steak and pasta. Wednesday night is “Chef’s Choice.”

Gordon and Rosiere have recognized the true value of the Isle Vista Casino, marina and campground complex: it’s location on Lake Superior.

“Grand Portage Casino is the only other casino located on Lake Superior,” Gordon said. “Our location is our greatest asset.”

At the center of the new marketing plan for the complex is marketing Isle Vista as a destination casino that includes a campground and Lake Superior marina. The new catch phrase is “The only casino with a view of the Apostle Islands.”

Although Isle Vista is one of the smallest casinos in Wisconsin, Gordon sees size being an asset, not a deterrent, to attracting customers.

“In my opinion, small is better. It’s a good thing for the consumer. There are 215 slot machines with much more play per machine. That means more frequent winnings for the consumer,” Gordon said. He said casinos are sized by the number of slot machines. A small casino has 500 slots or less; a mid size casino has 500-2,000; and 3,000 slots or more is considered a mega casino.

In addition to the exceptional location on Lake Superior, Gordon said the second best asset he identified was the team of employees. He tapped into the many talents of the staff to complete the renovation.

“What we’ve done in the last three months is pretty remarkable. There was a chance to improve our business without debt by using our own employee’s skill sets. All the work from carpentry to painting was done by our staff,” he said.

Rosiere is in charge of ramping up all aspects of marketing including direct marketing to get the word out about ongoing gaming packages and specials and new partner packaging with other local businesses such as the recent winter promotion, “Stay and Play Getaway” packages. The casino partners with the Bayfield Inn, Pier Plaza, and Winfield Inn for lodging and with Mt. Ashwabay Ski Area. During summer promotions, the Apostle Highlands Golf Course will collaborate with the casino. Rosiere is a Web site designer. Updating the Web site for user-friendly access is another direct marketing “plus” for letting the patrons know of all the super specials, general information, and hours of play. Rosiere encourages patrons to use the Web site and  sign up for the mailing list for brochures and complimentary coupons.

Bingo is also back on board two nights a week with a progressive Bingo. The rest of the week the Bingo Hall is open for community events.

Another big push in marketing is promoting the 50-slip marina and 50 campsites, Gordon and Rosiere said. “The marina is already starting to fill up for the season,” Gordon said.

Shuttle service is going to be expanded as well, Gordon said. They are in the process of increasing the number of local shuttles for both residents and visitors and charter bus service. They currently have shuttles to Superior, Phillips, Ashland and the Hayward/ Trego area.

For information about Isle Vista Casino, BuffaloBay Marina and Campground, call 800-226-8478 or visit the Web site at www.redcliffcasino.com