Full House Resorts Announces Grand Opening of FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Full House Resorts (NYSE Amex US: FLL) announced that FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan opened its doors to the public this morning following three days of successful simulated operations. The casino is already hosting large numbers of guests who are enjoying all of its amenities.
"This is a historic day for Full House Resorts and its shareholders and we are thrilled to finally bring this wonderful facility to the public," said Andre Hilliou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Full House. "We are very proud of the management team that has been assembled and what they have accomplished in the short 15 months since construction commenced. Full House has high expectations for FireKeepers and we believe it will quickly become the preeminent destination in the south-central Michigan region. The facility will provide significant economic value for the community, the Huron Band as well as Full House Resorts. We want to congratulate and thank our tribal partners, who have worked tirelessly and diligently alongside us for nearly 15 years to make this day possible, and we would be remiss if we did not thank our shareholders for their patience and support."
FireKeepers Casino is located at Exit 104 directly off Interstate 94 in Battle Creek, Michigan and contains a 107,000 square foot gaming floor with 2,680 slot machines, 78 table games, a 120-seat poker room and a bingo hall. In addition, the property features five restaurants, including a fine dining signature restaurant, a 300-seat buffet and a 150-seat 24-hour restaurant, as well as an enclosed 2,080-space parking garage attached to the casino. In preparation for the opening the casino has signed up over 60,000 members in its Red Hot Rewards Club and mailed out over 50,000 players club cards in advance of the opening to ensure immediate patron participation.
Full House Resorts, through its joint venture Gaming Entertainment (Michigan) LLC ("GEM"), is the manager for the casino and supervised development and construction for the Tribe. GEM will now manage the operations of the casino for the FireKeepers Development Authority, an agency of the Huron Band. GEM will be paid a management fee equal to 26% of pre-management fee income over a seven-year period which commenced with today's opening.
About Full House Resorts, Inc.
Full House owns, develops and manages gaming facilities. Full House owns the Stockman's Casino in Fallon, Nevada which has 8,400 square feet of gaming space with approximately 260 gaming machines, four table games and a keno game. The casino has a bar, a fine dining restaurant and a coffee shop. Full House also receives a guaranteed fee from the operation of Harrington Raceway and Casino at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Delaware. Harrington Raceway and Casino has a total of approximately 2,100 gaming devices, a buffet, gourmet steakhouse, other food and beverage outlets and an entertainment lounge. Full House also has an agreement with the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians for the management of the recently opened FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan with 2,680 gaming devices, 78 table games and a 120-seat poker room. For further information, go to www.FireKeepersCasino.com. In addition, Full House has been working with the Northern Cheyenne Nation of Montana for the development and management of a gaming facility on tribal land. Further information about Full House Resorts can be viewed on its web site at www.fullhouseresorts.com.
Forward-looking Statements
Some of the statements made in this release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Full House's current expectations and projections about future events and generally relate to Full House's plans, objectives and expectations for Full House's business. Although Full House's management believes that the plans and objectives expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the outcome of such plans, objectives and expectations involve risks and uncertainties including without limitation, regulatory approvals, financing sources and terms, integration of acquisitions, competition and business conditions in the gaming industry. Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect Full House's financial condition and results of operations is included in the reports Full House files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, it's Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.
For the foregoing reasons, readers and investors are cautioned that there also can be no assurance that the outcomes expressed in Full House's forward-looking statements included in this release and otherwise will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in such forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation or warranty by Full House or any other person that Full House's objectives and plans will be achieved in any specified time frame, if at all. Full House does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to announce revisions to any forward-looking statements.
Source: Full House Resorts, Inc.
Released August 5, 2009