Foxwoods Casino and Resort: Wonder in the Woods
by Jack Prophet | Aug 25 2011
One of the largest
casino complexes in the world is not in Macau or in Las Vegas. It is in fact located deep in the woods of Connecticut in the north-eastern United States. Owned by the Pequot First Nations tribe, Foxwoods Resort and Casino has grown to become the premier New England gambling hub and a world class travel destination.
Bodog offers the best in online casino games and action from blackjack to online slots. Join now to win!Pre Casino HistoryThe history of the Pequot is a complicated and tragic one. Long established in the area of Connecticut State, the Pequot were the dominant nation of the area for hundreds of years. At one point the tribe tallied over 16,000 members, but soon that number was reduced to less than 3,000 after a smallpox epidemic brought by white settlers struck. Further calamity occurred in a series of battles with the new European settlers that effectively wiped the Pequot out. At the turn of the century a census survey determined that there were less than 100 tribal members living. Fortunately the band has rebounded since then and is flourishing once more.
Casino Founding and Development Established in 1986, Foxwoods Casino and Resort started out as simple bingo hall. In time, the tribe added
blackjack,
roulette, and other table games while
slots machines soon followed. All of that changed however when the Pequot signed a deal with famed Malaysian gambling magnate Lim Goh Tong to develop a full casino and resort. Construction began in 1992 with significant additions occurring over the next nine years until completion in 2001. In total Foxwoods has 344,000 square feet of gaming space and no less than four hotels providing a total of just over 2200 rooms. It also has the largest number of slot machines in the world with nearly 7,500.
In addition to Foxwoods, a co- branded second casino and resort was added in partnership with the MGM casino group. The MGM Grand at Foxwoods began construction in 2005 and opened in 2008. The MGM Grand consists of 100,000 square feet of gaming space and offers almost 900 rooms. The gaming floor consists of 60 gaming tables and 1400 slot machines. The Grand is run as a separate casino but is co-owned by MGM and the Pequot.
Currently the Foxwoods complex caters to players from all the north-eastern states with the majority of out of state visitors coming from New York and Massachusetts. Foxwoods is also known as a poker destination and is a stop on the World Poker Tour with the WPT Foxwoods tournament each year. Additionally, the casino complex has a strong entertainment focus and routinely has top level acts performing at one of its two large theatres. It also features a museum dedicated to Pequot history along with other changing exhibits. Currently on display are a number of clothing items belonging to the late Princess Diana, including her famed wedding gown, with all proceeds going to her charity.
It has been a long journey for the Pequot people from near extinction to once again becoming a thriving nation. Along with them has thrived the Foxwoods Casino and Resort which continues to be one of the most unique gaming destinations on the planet.
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