But they knew that simply adding a hotel would not necessarily be a strong enough attraction for casino aficionados to boost Treasure Island's revenues. In terms of jumping to the front of the gaming pack, it would take nothing short of booking Wayne Newton. Not surprisingly, tribal council members and casino management are not shy in admitting their desire to become the casino of choice in the upper midwest. Currently, Mystic Lake is the second largest Native-owned casino in the nation, next to the Pequot tribe of Connecticut. The new theme-expansion is an attempt by the tribe to put Treasure Island in a class all its own.
Proximity is everything in the state's gaming industry.
The success of Mystic Lake is largely due to the reservation being the closest to the Twin Cities. Even in light traffic, Prairie Island can be over an hour's drive from the Twin Cities. While close enough to grab a share of the market with Mystic Lake and Grand Casino, the distance remains an obstacle between the tribe and greater profits-though the new hotel makes a overnight excursion more feasible and the travel time less daunting. To stay competitive, Treasure Island has had to aggressively market their island through Madison Avenue-style advertising. Considering the unpredictable future of gaming in Minnesota, it is interesting that Treasure Island is moving headlong into an expensive and aggressive marketing strategy.