Meeting planners are discovering that Minnesota casinos deal up much more than ways to gamble—they’re also ideal venues for memorable, all-in-one corporate and association meetings and events. Casinos and racetracks serve as venues for everything from corporate retreats and team-building events to incentive trips, association conferences, and trade shows. From the North Shore to the Twin Cities, and the many locations in between, the North Star State’s casinos combine scenic settings, flexible meeting space, and top-notch hospitality.
Because casinos are destination venues, events held at them encourage longer stays and attract “bleisure” guests who want to combine their work trip with a bit of fun and relaxation. They also contain the perk of having embedded entertainment. Some attendees might be drawn to the slots and tables, often open 24 hours a day, while others prefer live music, comedy shows, headliner performances, and on-site restaurants and bars. And for those who would like to get away from the hustle and bustle of the casino, these larger venues often offer golf courses, spas, or fitness centers.
From a planner’s perspective, casinos are all-in-one hosts that allow you to plan everything in one place, which can eliminate many planning and operational headaches. They’re also often staffed with a dedicated events point person who can help with meeting space, hotel rooms, meals, entertainment, on-site parking, and casino-based events. Such staff often has everyday experience working with gatherings of all sizes—from small meetings to major conferences. You will find them well equipped to assess and achieve your big-picture goals and provide the attention to detail needed for setting up ballrooms, breakout rooms, and exhibition halls, as well as handling top-quality audiovisual, Wi-Fi support, and other technology solutions.
Minnesota’s many casinos and racetracks are in urban, suburban, and rural areas, and they often offer not-too-distant access to airports, highways, and scenic destinations, as well as easy transfers to shopping centers and recreational spaces. Built to combine business and downtime, Minnesota’s casino and racetrack venues deliver results for you—and a memorable event for your attendees.
Attendee Approved
Rebecca Kleis is marketing manager at CHS Inc., a Fortune 100 global agribusiness based in Inver Grove Heights. She recently held a 500-person corporate event at Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Welch, about 45 minutes southeast of St. Paul. “It was one of the best decisions I made throughout the event-planning process,” she says. “From start to finish, the staff was always quick to communicate with me, and they went above and beyond in every sense imaginable. No matter what challenges or roadblocks were thrown our way, they had a solution-oriented mindset to keep me at ease. I have never received more positive comments about an event, and I fully attribute this to the amazing staff at Treasure Island Resort & Casino.”
Another planner who had a successful casino meeting experience was Ranel Smith, an event planner with the Minnesota Credit Union Network of St. Paul. For the past two years, she has held an annual board event at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, which is about 25 minutes from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The property has a 130,000-square-foot meeting center with 30 flexible meeting rooms. It’s also a full-service resort, with 766 guest rooms, a championship golf course, spa, fitness center, and live entertainment.
“The property is lovely, large, and very open, with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows,” Smith says. She notes her group wanted to avoid a casino venue with many indoor smoking areas, and Mystic Lake checked that box nicely. (The casino bans smoking inside the main casino area or hotel, but there is a designated smoking room and smoking is allowed outdoors.) Another must-have on Smith’s checklist was a separate entrance to the meeting area that was away from the casino space. “We didn’t want attendees to have to go to the casino level unless they wanted to,” she says. For Smith, it was a winning experience all around. “Our credit union executives and boards were open to this location, and we received compliments on choosing this property. [Mystic Lake] helped us put on a terrific event.”
Bright & Beautiful
Smith mentioned smoke-free air and natural light as important items on her planning checklist. Another location that provides a clean, light-filled atmosphere is Canterbury Park in Shakopee, a half hour southwest of downtown Minneapolis. While it has long been a popular destination for horse racing, the site also is known as a top location for poker, casino games, and live events. Canterbury Park’s Natalie Derby (who acknowledges how perfect her name is for her job) is the director of catering, sales, and operations.
“We do quite a few business meetings here, especially because we’re one of the larger spaces in the state,” Derby says. “Our meetings range from 20 to 2,000-plus attendees, who can spread out over our three floors in the main building using the ballroom, mezzanine, and lounge spaces for meetings and breakouts. Corporate clients really enjoy our club level, which can hold 1,000 people in a classroom setup. There are television monitors at every table, so a live speaker on stage can deliver content directly to the monitors.” Derby says Canterbury Park’s 24,000-square-foot event center has a private lobby and entrance for attendees, as well as large garage doors along one wall, so automobile and heavy equipment manufacturers can bring vehicles inside. The ample parking space allows them to conduct ride-and-drives with new models and competitive vehicles.
Within the park’s bright and smoke-free space (smoking is prohibited inside, but a heated outdoor smoking location is next to the venue), there also are opportunities to get close to the thoroughbreds and quarter horses who are the heart and soul of Canterbury Park. “We offer a ‘Breakfast on the Rail’ event during which attendees can enjoy breakfast at the Finish Line Cabanas while watching horses train,” Derby says.
Planners’ Secret Weapon
Treasure Island Resort & Casino also has large-scale capacity, with 16 distinct meeting rooms and more than 50,000 square feet of event space. It has plenty of room to accommodate large groups, and its nearly 800 guest rooms make it the second-largest hotel in the state. “Our experienced team works alongside at least 500 event planners each year and is always happy to meet their needs, whatever they might be,” says Tom Seaberg, the property’s hotel and convention sales manager. “We have met an incredibly wide range of requests here at Treasure Island, including hosting meals for 1,000 guests; preparing tractor and large machinery displays for Krone America, a farm equipment supplier; and hosting the annual Miss Minnesota pageant.”
Seaberg is proud of the way his staff understands and anticipates the needs of meeting planners. “It starts with our excellent event team, which works with you to ensure needs are met and exceeded,” he says. “That event team is supported by facilities that make Treasure Island the perfect one-stop shop for any corporate event. It’s quick and easy to get around the resort property, which offers free parking and complimentary on-site shuttles. Whether it’s unpacking or packing up, our loading dock right next to the event center provides ease of access. And our experienced banquet team offers any culinary options you might need, including the ability to create custom menus.”
For many meeting planners, amenities often seal the deal when selecting a venue, and that’s where Treasure Island delivers. It’s the only casino in Minnesota with a dedicated water park, a 40,000-square-foot indoor space called The Lagoon that features an adults-only section with Minnesota’s only swim-up bar. There also is an on-site cruise ship, a golf course, and bowling alley. “Whether you want to plan a company golf outing, host a bowling tournament, or take a cruise down the Mississippi—or all of the above—we can make it happen at Treasure Island,” Seaberg says.
Worth a Second Look
About 30 minutes north of the Twin Cities in Columbus, Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack offers live harness racing and a Las Vegas-style card room, but it also has many nongambling opportunities for your group, including the “Trout Air Fishing Experience,” where guests can catch trout from the property’s ponds and have the fish prepared at the on-site restaurant. Parking is available for 1,200-plus attendees, and its Trackside Area hosts up to 2,000.
If you have visited Running Aces in the past, you might notice the property has undergone some big changes. “We just completed a huge renovation,” says Olivia Roebken, senior marketing and events manager at the casino. “The bar and restaurant have been completely redone, and they’re absolutely beautiful.” The bar features a 53-foot TV wall that can display 10 different screens at once, which is often appreciated by sports-loving attendees. And the dining options are open late, adds Roebken. “Both food and drinks are available daily until 2 a.m., which you don’t find anywhere else in the area.”
The venue’s staff has deep experience in helping pull off incredible events, says Harley Anderson, sales manager at Running Aces, noting many meeting planners book recurring annual events with the property. “The majority of the corporate meetings contain anywhere from 10 attendees to 50 attendees, even though our space can handle over double that,” he adds. “We find corporate events tend to be more personal and one-on-one than our larger race-night gatherings.”
North Shore & Rural Options
Black Bear Casino Resort is a short drive from Duluth in Carlton. This large resort casino offers a wide range of amenities, including a hotel, multiple restaurants, a golf course, and concert venue. Its Otter Creek Event Center has 17,650 square feet of multipurpose space for conferences, trade shows, and gala events. It has 250 guest rooms and amenities that include an indoor pool, a whirlpool tub, and an 18-hole championship golf course. blackbearcasinoresort.com
Fond-du-Luth Casino is in the heart of Duluth’s downtown, close to hotels, restaurants, theaters, and the skywalk system. While it doesn’t feature dedicated meeting rooms or lodging, its 20,000-square-foot gaming floor offers a dynamic backdrop for hosting networking receptions, client meet-ups, or team social hours before or after your main sessions at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center or elsewhere. fondduluthcasino.com
Grand Portage Lodge & Casino is an excellent choice that caters to attendees who might appreciate the opportunity to gamble but also want a taste of the great outdoors. Located 140 miles northwest of Duluth, it provides a serene group getaway, offering reconfigurable banquet and meeting rooms capable of hosting up to 300 attendees. Nearby are Grand Portage National Monument, High Falls State Park, and ferries to Isle Royale National Park on Lake Superior. grandportage.com
