Ground broken for casino’s landside move
Casino Queen Marquette representatives, led by general manager Robin Corbeil, were joined by officials from the city of Marquette and McGregor-Marquette and Prairie du Chien chambers of commerce for a ground breaking marking the casino’s landside move. (Photos courtesy of McGregor-Marquette Chamber of Commerce)
In addition to moving the 17,000-square-foot gambling floor landside, the property will also expand its footprint, adding 12,000 square feet to the current dockside building.
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
Casino Queen Marquette took one step closer to moving landside on Oct. 1, as it broke ground for a long-awaited expansion of the current dockside building.
Casino representatives, led by general manager Robin Corbeil, were joined by officials from the city of Marquette and McGregor-Marquette and Prairie du Chien chambers of commerce to recognize the event.
“We’re excited to embark on this new chapter for Casino Queen Marquette, and what it will bring to both our guests and the wider community,” said Corbeil. “Our ground breaking event marked a pivotal moment: after 30 years docked off the shores of Marquette, Casino Queen Marquette is one step closer to moving landside.”
In addition to moving the 17,000-square-foot gambling floor landside, the property will also expand its footprint, adding 12,000 square feet to the current dockside building.
“This will house a new, single-level gaming floor featuring the latest thrilling games, all easily accessible from the main entrance,” shared Corbeil. “When completed, we’ll introduce new dining options featuring local partners. One of my favorite features will be the new porte-cochere and direct access, eliminating the current 440-yard walk on the bridge and making it much easier for our guests to enjoy everything we have to offer.”
Pending weather, Corbeil said the project is expected to be complete by late summer 2025. During construction, no disruptions to casino operations are anticipated.
“Our goal is to ensure a seamless experience for our guests while we work toward unveiling these exciting changes,” she said.
According to Corbeil, plans for the current riverboat’s future are still to be determined. The iconic Pinky the Elephant will remain a beloved member of the Marquette community.
“We know how important Pinky is. The mayor even recently declared a Pinky the Elephant Day in its honor. Pinky’s a Marquette landmark and will probably be here much longer than any of us,” Corbeil said.
Marquette Mayor Brittany Hemmer called the ground breaking exciting.
“At the same time, it will be sad to see the boat leave,” she said. “But with change comes better things. This new addition will bring in revenue and more people.”
With the riverboat’s impending departure, Hemmer also said the skywalk will be removed. Ideas are already in the works on how the city could utilize it, as well as the space on the riverfront.
