Virginia Lewis announces $23 million "Virginia's City Casino" in Black Hawk.BLACK HAWK Black Hawk (born 1767, Sauk Sautenuk, Va.—died Oct. 3, 1838, village on the Des Moines River, Iowa, U.S.) Sauk Indian leader. Long antagonistic to whites, Black Hawk was driven into Iowa from Illinois in 1831. , Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 1996--Virginia Lewis, a colorful pioneer in gaming (she built and opened the first gaming casino in Black Hawk and created the first gaming casino on an Indian reservation) today (Tuesday, May 28) announced a $23 million expansion of her Jazz Alley Casino on Black Hawk's Main Street. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. plans developed by Thalden Corp., architects, the expansion will extend south of Jazz Alley and recreate a virtual 19th century Black Hawk mining area. Jazz Alley will be incorporated into the new complex, which will be known as "Virginia's City Casino." There will be six separate linked structures comprising the expansion -- "Virginia's Boarding and Dining House," the former Jazz Alley renovated with a new facade; "Virginia's Mill and Feed Co.," a frame structure complete with working water wheel; a brick, awninged "Bank" building; a stone "Firehouse;" a wooden water tower and a five-story frame building -- "Virginia's Ore and Mining Co." -- which will act as a backdrop. Completion is scheduled for late 1997. Lewis said: "This is phase one of my expansion plans in Black Hawk. I was the first to open in Black Hawk -- The Gold Mine Casino in 1991 -- and opened Jazz Alley in 1992. I'm convinced that gaming is here to stay in Colorado and that Black Hawk is the lively, fun-filled center of gaming. My second-phase expansion plans call for a southward south·ward adv. & adj. Toward, to, or in the south. n. A southward direction, point, or region. south movement along Main Street and will include a comedy club, a music club, and an old fashioned n. 1. A cocktail consisting of whiskey, bitters, and sugar, garnished with with fruit slices and often a cherry. Noun 1. old fashioned - a cocktail made of whiskey and bitters and sugar with fruit slices mining beer hall offering over 127 varieties of beer and ale." The phase-one expansion will create a total of 53,000 square feet devoted to gaming and dining. There will be some 650 slot machines plus six blackjack blackjack, one of the world's most widely played gambling card games; also known as twenty-one or vingt-et-un. Despite contesting claims between the French and Italians, its origins are unknown. tables. "I intend to offer a number of new games to the public that the Colorado Gaming Commission has just approved," she said. Virginia's City Casino will be visually linked by a raised, railed western sidewalk A Microsoft service that was launched in 1997 to provide online arts and entertainment guides on the Web for major cities worldwide. In 1999, Microsoft sold Sidewalk to Ticketmaster, which continued to provide guides, ticketing and other information to the MSN network. . The complex will be entered through a three-story atrium atrium (ā`trēəm), term for an interior court in Roman domestic architecture and also for a type of entrance court in early Christian churches. The Roman atrium was an unroofed or partially roofed area with rooms opening from it. , which will include a reception facility for Virginia's Important Players Club, a club which offers a variety of services and bonuses to the most consistent players and a gift shop with a variety of Virginia's City Casino merchandise. A stone-walled room on the first floor, formerly the Black Hawk City Jail, will be devoted to rotating and historical exhibitions. There will be a luxurious lounge on the second floor known as Ginny Jack's Lounge, which will be separated from the gaming areas and offer special entertainment. The name "Ginny Jack's?" Ginny Jack was the semi-affectionate nickname give to Lewis by her mother. "It signifies a very stubborn girl," said Lewis. Also on the second floor will be a gourmet dining room furnished with Victorian antiques. It will be known as the "Locust Grove Locust Grove is the name of a number of places in the United States of America:
"The food won't be like Locust Grove. We'll be offering Cajun, Creole, continental specialties, as well as some Rocky Mountain favorites," said Lewis. The third floor of the complex will have a 180-seat buffet featuring a daily-changing array of affordable cold and hot dishes, plus salad and dessert. "I pioneered the low-cost buffet concept in Black Hawk, and this buffet is going to set a new standard in choice and value," she said. Lewis noted that the buffet area can be converted into a 250-person banquet room banquet room n. A large room, as in a restaurant, suitable for banquets. , and there will be a variety of other private-party and corporate entertainment facilities on the third floor. "Corporate entertaining has become an important part of our business, and with this expansion, we'll be able to handle all sorts of sales events Noun 1. sales event - an occasion (usually brief) for buying at specially reduced prices; "they held a sale to reduce their inventory"; "I got some great bargains at their annual sale" cut-rate sale, sale , retirement parties, etc." The fourth floor of Virginia's City Casino will contain corporate and business offices. Besides operating the Gold Mine Casino and the new Virginia's City Casino, Lewis acts as a consultant to gaming operators in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and abroad. The fifth floor of the complex will contain 12 hotel rooms. "This kind of hospitality facility is something we've long needed." The entire plan for expansion has received preliminary approval by the City of Black Hawk Historical Architectural Review The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine published in London since 1896. Articles cover the built environment which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism as well as theory of these subjects. Committee. "We tried to give our design a real old-time, small-town look. We didn't want any impersonal buildings, and the Review Committee has been very complimentary about our choices." Virginia Lewis is one of the nation's best-known small-stakes gaming operators. She's been featured in numerous national magazines, on television and in numerous newspapers throughout the country. A classic achiever, Virginia Lewis rose from the status of a battered bat·ter 1 v. bat·tered, bat·ter·ing, bat·ters v.tr. 1. To hit heavily and repeatedly with violent blows. 2. To subject to repeated beatings or physical abuse. 3. wife with two children to one of Colorado's most successful businesspersons. She has been a participant in important national and regional seminars dealing with the gaming industry. She is the founder of the Black Hawk Gaming Association and its former president. She was selected "1994 Businesswoman of the Year" by the Denver Women's Chamber of Commerce. She is on the board of the Red Rocks Institute and is active in numerous causes concerning battered women and learning-disadvantaged children. CONTACT: Gerry Freeman, 303/232-3870 |
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