Deadwood Sd Lone Star Casino
The Midnight Star shuttered in Deadwood, South Dakota this week. The casino was owned by Kevin Costner.
The Main Street casino became the latest casualty in the struggling Deadwood gaming market. Four Aces, Wild West, Miss Kitty’s Bourbon Street, and Union Palace are among the Deadwood casinos that folded in recent years.
Sep 11, 2017 Hotels near The Midnight Star: (0.32 mi) 1899 Inn (0.07 mi) Martin Mason Hotel (0.03 mi) The Hotel by Gold Dust (0.33 mi) Hampton Inn Deadwood at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort (0.18 mi) Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel, a Holiday Inn Resort; View all hotels near The Midnight Star on TripAdvisor. Oyster Bay Bar & Casino - 628 Main Street, Deadwood, South Dakota 57732 - Rated 4.3 based on 77 Reviews 'We arrived on Sept 4th and the place was.
Midnight Star was a small two-story casino. It spread slots and video poker games on the first floor. The second floor offered live blackjack and Three Card Poker. The minimum bet at these tables was $2 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. The maximum bet was $100.
Jakes was a high-end restaurant on the third floor of Midnight Star until it closed in March 2016. The casino offered a sandwich shop until its final days.
Deadwood Gaming Revenues Continue to Decline
Deadwood has seen a slow decline in gaming revenues in recent years. It is down 3.47 percent year-to-date. There have only been two positive months in the past year. There have been four months out of the last 12 that were down double digits, including a decline of 24 percent in December.
The city’s gaming operators hoped that craps and roulette would improve visitation. The games have not performed as expected. In July, craps and roulette accounted for just 0.4 percent of all gaming revenues, according to the South Dakota Gaming Commission. That number often does not break 1 percent in a month.
Operators blame several factors for the decline in Deadwood tourism. The region’s dependence on energy is the most recent negative event. The largest coal mine in the world is located across the state line in Wyoming. The lower demand for coal and the decline in oil prices have hurt the region’s economy.
Midnight Star Kicked Me Out Due to Old Knee Injury
Some locals had bad experiences there that made them feel unwelcome at Midnight Star. I had one of those.
I once lived outside of Deadwood. I frequented many casinos in town. Midnight Star made it very clear that it did not want my action during my only attempt to play there.
The decision had nothing to do with gambling. I went to Midnight Star with a group of friends to play blackjack on a Saturday afternoon. The tables were upstairs, which required going up an old staircase. It was steep with narrow stairs.
I have a knee injury that does not usually give me issues. However, it makes it difficult for me to go up steep stairs and hills.
I struggled a little to get to the top of the stairs at Midnight Star on my way to play blackjack. When I got to the top, a table game supervisor stopped me and told me that I was not welcome to play there. He said that I was too intoxicated. I was completely sober. He was mocking me for a permanent injury, whether he knew it or not.
Instead of making some attempt to see if I was intoxicated and not disabled when I got to the top of the stairs, he just assumed I was drunk and refused to let me explain anything. He got angry when I tried. Some of the friends I was with were drunk, but since they got up the staircase quickly, they were not questioned. They all left Midnight Star with me without playing.
Midnight Star kicked me out for having a bad knee that was aggravated by poor casino design. I never tried to play there again.
After this happened, I discovered that many other locals had poor interactions with employees at this casino. There was a widespread belief that Midnight Star did not like locals. Perhaps the opinion of locals made it difficult for the casino to survive when tourism declined.
Confusion Over When the Casino Opened
Kevin Costner released a statement related to the closure of Midnight Star to the Rapid City Journal. In the release, Costner says that the casino opened in 1989 when Deadwood legalized gambling. It actually opened in 1991, as the Rapid City Journal notes. The sign above the entrance also shows that it was established in 1991, as seen in the image to the right.
Gaming revenues in Deadwood have suffered in recent years. The industry peaked in 2012 when it generated $107.4 million. In 2016, revenues were down 8 percent from the peak, posting the lowest numbers since 2007.
The news is not entirely bad in Deadwood. Newer resorts outside of downtown seem to be performing well. This includes a recent renovation and expansion at Cadillac Jack’s.
The downtown area has been affected more by the decline in Deadwood tourism than newer properties have been. These properties tend to be older. Many were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s during the city’s mining boom. This seems to have created a buyer’s market as eight casinos in Deadwood are currently listed for sale.
Deadwood Gulch – $6.6 million
Deadwood Gulch is the largest gaming property for sale in Deadwood. It sits on 11.4 acres and includes a full-service restaurant. The casino hosts 131 machines. Unlike the other casinos for sale in Deadwood, Deadwood Gulch owns most of the gaming devices on its floor.
Deadwood Gulch once spread live blackjack. That is no longer the case. However, a new owner could easily bring live table games back. The listing notes that the property is already approved for an expansion that could nearly double the gaming space.
Midnight Star – $3 million
Midnight Star was Kevin Costner’s Deadwood casino. It is the only casino listed for sale in Deadwood, South Dakota that is currently shuttered.
Midnight Star closed at the end of August. It was on the market a few days later. The building has three levels and includes two restaurants. The listing notes that Costner’s memorabilia is not included in the sale. Costner sold 103 acres of undeveloped land in Deadwood last year.
Hickok’s – $5 million
Hickok’s is on Main Street. It offers 22 hotel rooms and a small casino that includes slots, video poker, and video table games. There is also an attached smoking lounge.
Hickok’s expanded into the former Cody’s space at one point but later abandoned the neighboring property. That storefront is not a part of this sale as it is now a Harley-Davidson store.
Hickok House/Best Western – $2.4 million
Hickok House is located a few blocks away from downtown near the city hospital. Its hotel is branded as Best Western. The listing for the property gives an incorrect address of 737 Charles St. The listing agent for the property confirmed this error. Hickok House includes a small casino, full-service restaurant and three-bedroom house on the property.
Bodega – $4.4 million
Bodega is a moderate-sized casino in the middle of Main Street. The sale includes a full-service restaurant. Its hotel partner is the Bullock Hotel, which is also on the market. Bodega was previously a sister property of Gulches of Fun, now known as Comfort Inn/Deadwood Mini-Golf.
Bullock Hotel – $4.4 Million
Bullock Hotel is located across from the Deadwood parking deck on Main Street. It hosts 28 remodeled hotel rooms and a full-service restaurant. There are also dozens of video poker and slot machines. Video blackjack is also spread in the casino.
Deadwood Dick’s – $2.77 million
Deadwood Dick’s is located across from the post office, two blocks off Main Street. The property includes a small casino, hotel, and restaurant.
Iron Horse Inn – $1.7 million
The Iron Horse Inn is the least expensive casino for sale in Deadwood. It is located downtown, just off Main Street. It includes a small hotel and restaurant, as well as a gaming floor that was recently merged with the Wooden Nickel casino.
Saloon No. 10 No Longer on Market
Saloon No. 10 may be the best-known casino in Deadwood. Its previous location is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot. The chair he was seated in is on display at the new location.
Deadwood Sd Casinos Discounts
Saloon No. 10 went on the market for $10.5 million in 2009. After many years on the market, no buyer was ever found. The listing was removed.
Loss of Other Downtown Deadwood Casinos
This decade has seen several casino closures in downtown Deadwood. The former Wild West gaming complex no longer has casinos.
Miss Kitty’s closed in 2013. Bourbon Street shuttered that same year. One of the three storefronts occupied by the shuttered Bourbon Street casino is currently for sale. The Cody’s property, once a casino, is now home to the expanded Deadwood Harley-Davidson store.
(Image credit: MLS #52303 – 677 Main Street)