SOUTH BEND — The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ Four Winds Casinos hosted a steel topping ceremony this week at the Four Winds Casino South Bend property.

The event was commemorated with remarks from Pokagon Tribal Elders, Tribal Council and members of the Four Winds executive team.

“With each stage of our construction timeline, there’s an element of symbolism,” said John P. Warren, chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. “Setting this final steel beam in place signifies the completion of a major phase of construction. We’re more than halfway through the process and are on pace to be ready to open in early 2018. It’s truly something to celebrate.”

Frank Freedman, chief operating officer of Four Winds Casinos, echoed this sentiment.

“Our construction team is exemplary,” Freedman said. “We’re looking forward to seeing it all come together in the second half of construction.”

Four Winds Casino South Bend will have 175,000 square feet and include 1,800 slot machines, five restaurants, three bars, a player’s lounge, a retail outlet, and approximately 4,500 parking spaces including an enclosed parking structure. The entertainment complex will employ approximately 1,200 people. So far, 300 jobs have been created during construction.

Partners supporting the Pokagon Band and its Four Winds Casinos in the construction of Four Winds South Bend include HBG Design from Memphis, Tennessee; Wightman and Associates from Benton Harbor, Michigan; F.A. Wilhelm from Indianapolis and Kramer Management Group from Lansing, Mich.

Hard-hat media tours will begin in August. Dates of the tours will be announced.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ sovereignty was reaffirmed under legislation signed into law by President Clinton in September of 1994. The Pokagon Band is dedicated to providing community development initiatives such as housing, education, family services, medical care and cultural preservation for its approximately 5,000 citizens. The Pokagon Band’s 10-county service area includes four counties in southwestern Michigan and six in northern Indiana. Its main administrative offices are located in Dowagiac, with a satellite office in South Bend.

In 2007, it opened Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, followed by Four Winds Hartford in 2011 and Four Winds Dowagiac in 2013. It owns and operates a variety of business via Mno-Bmadsen, the tribe’s non-gaming investment enterprise. It broke ground in December 2016 on Four Winds South Bend. More information is available at pokagonband-nsn.gov, fourwindscasino.com and mno-bmadsen.com.