A crowd of eager players arrived at Foxwoods on the morning of Aug. 29 for the opening of the new 50,000-square-foot Pequot Woodlands Casino.
When the security staff unhooked the barriers, the casino instantly came to life with the early birds making beelines for slot machines they picked out ahead of time, eager to be the very first to hit a jackpot on machines activated just that morning. Others flocked to the table games, where dealers and croupiers stood ready so guests could test their luck while a few drifted over to the bars flanking the space for inaugural drinks.
“We’ve been working on this for about three years,” said Jason Guyot, president and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino, shortly before the opening. He emphasized how the space was shaped to create an upscale atmosphere.
“We wanted to make sure that this casino was going to be accretive to all the other casinos we have here on property. A lot of thought and research went into what we needed in a new high limit area, so it’s larger than ever,” Guyot said. “We have about 40 more games than in our previous high limit area and we took a look at the placement of our table games and put those right along the concourse to kind of create some action and opportunity right out in the main area of the resort.”
“Foxwoods is very special in general,” Guyot added, “but I would say this specific casino is unique from a design perspective, we spent a lot of time really incorporating some of the Native American and Pequot symbols into the entire design. It’s the ‘Pequot Woodlands Casino’so we have two picture windows overlooking the Mashantucket Pequot tribal lands.”
Windows are an unusual feature for casinos, which often emphasize a feeling of escape and seclusion from the rest of the world. Instead, Guyot pointed out that this new facility not only displays the picturesque countryside surrounding Foxwoods but attempts to pull elements of that natural world inside.
“The pillars are representative of the trees in the forest, and the light shining through those trees is refracting onto the ground creating geometric patterns on the carpet which also have Pequot symbols,” Guyot explained. “All of the chandeliers are custom with a Pequot bar design and the ‘clouds’above those trees have a three-band motif that actually represents the underwater world, the Earth, and the sky world. There’s been a lot of thought that has gone into this and we’re very excited to open up the doors and welcome our guests.”
For those more interested in games of chance than careful design, the casino features 430 slot machines and 24 table games including poker, blackjack, roulette and craps. The slot machines are all the latest models , 80% had never been played while a few recent acquisitions were relocated from elsewhere. Several were set up for extended play, including not only a comfortable chair but also a small television , some tuned to news, others carrying coverage of horse races.
Guyot said that Foxwoods hired 150 people to work the Pequot Woodlands on opening day, and that the new facility is expected to draw new customers on top of the more than 11 million people who visit annually.
The new facility is also adjacent to new dining options. Gordon Ramsey’s latest Hell’s Kitchen location, complete with flaming logo out front, opened in July. A stone’s throw away the newest Wahlburgers location seated its first guests as the gambling began at the casino, with celebrity owner Paul Wahlberg in attendance.
The Pequot Woodlands Casino continues Foxwoods’ ongoing expansion efforts. Last year, the venue opened a new High Stakes Bingo Hall and a new 80,000 square foot expo center, and a recent deal with Great Wolf Lodge will result in a 549-room resort with a 91,000 square-foot indoor water park and a 61,000 square foot family entertainment center located on 13-acres adjacent to the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
