Foxwoods Resort Casino falls into the category of ‘Native American’ or ‘tribal’ gaming insofar as it is located on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation in Ledyard, Connecticut and is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Originally founded, as Mashantucket Pequot Bingo Hall, in 1986, Foxwoods has developed out of all recognition in the last three decades or so, but still retains its huge bingo hall, capable of accommodating up to 5,000 players at a time.
All in all, the Foxwoods complex covers 9,000,000 square feet, or nearly one-third of a square mile, 344,000 square feet of which is devoted to gaming floor space, in six individual casinos. Indeed, Foxwoods Resort Casino is the second largest casino in the United States, behind only the WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma, which covers 600,000 square feet. Collectively, the casinos include over 380 gaming tables, offering the usual selection of blackjack, craps, poker and roulette, plus over 6,300 slot machines.
Unsurprisingly, the Foxwoods Resort Casino has an authentic Native American theme, typified by bright colours in various patterns and geometric forms, although natural features, such as fully-grown, mature trees and waterfalls, also feature within its walls. Accommodation is provided in a total of 2,666 rooms, divided between two hotel towers; the original Grand Pequot Tower opened in 1997, followed by the MGM Grand, now known as the Fox Tower, 11 years later. The ‘wonder in the Connecticut woods’, as Foxwoods is known, also features a two-storey arcade for children and teenagers and several restaurants, including a Hard Rock Café.
