Progress Report: Motor City Casino expansion, convention center and hotel

It's not really breaking news that permanent casinos and their accompanying hotels are being built in Detroit as we speak. But nevertheless, over the next several weeks, Model D will be bringing progress reports on each of them. This week, Motor City gets to be the Curtis Granderson of the series.

The first thing you notice about Motor City Casino's new hotel is that it is really, really tall — imagine spectacular views from its top floor. That is where Iridescence, Motor City's fine-dining restaurant, and Amnesia, its ultra-lounge, will find a home when the hotel opens in November.

The 17-story hotel will hold 400 guest rooms that are all about design. From the sleek chrome hair dryers to the distinctive desk lamp, every detail is carefully thought out. Amenities will include 300 thread-count-sheets, Molton Brown bath products, 37-inch flat-screen plasma TVs that rotate 180 degrees, fresh-cut bouquets daily, a private-number in-room phone that is usable around the entire complex, an iPod docking station, access to a pillow library, programmable room temperatures and automated room service and maid calls. Also, once a guest stays at Motor City, temperature and mini-bar preferences will be duly noted by staff in anticipation of a return visit.

The rooms will range in price from $300 for a basic 350-square foot suite up to $8,000 for one that is 5,500 square feet.

Construction is on-going at the casino's adjacent convention and banquet center, which has a theater that can seat 1,200. All four components of the complex — casino, parking garage, hotel and convention and banquet center, will be connected via walkways.

The casino's 60,000-square foot expansion debuted back in June, updating the former look with a sleeker one that will eventually be replicated through all gaming areas. There is a non-smoking poker room that has an old-school basement feeling to it, unique chandeliers and Chip Foose-designed LED ceiling light displays. As with the hotel rooms, there is a serious attention to design detail throughout.

Source: Jacci Woods, communications manager for Motor City
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.