Black Bear Casino Resort

Nation | Tribe: Fond du Lac Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa

BLACK BEAR CASINO RESORT

1785 Highway 210
Carlton, MN 55718-0777

(888) 771 - 0777
(218) 878 - 2327

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Black Bear Casino

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa opened their Black Bear Casino in July 2008. The property is a 355,000 sq-ft resort feturing a 57,00 sq-ft casino and a 12-story, 250-room hotel.

The Black Bear Casino Resort is located at the intersection of I-35 and Hwy 210 in Carlton, Minnesota, about 20 minutes south of Duluth and two hours north of the Twin Cities.

News Headlines

Black Bear Casino Cuts Ribbon on Event Center May 13, 2025 - The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa celebrated the opening of its new Event Center at Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton on Thursday. The $21 million ... Read more

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Features | Black Bear Casino

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2007 Black Bear Casino Commercial

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Casino Commercial - Courtesy of jooxie, Jun 14, 2007. Available from YouTube

News Articles

New Black Bear Casino opens

May 22, 2008

DULUTH, MN - The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa opened their new Black Bear Casino last Thursday beginning with a pipe ceremony to bless the facility. It was two months ahead of schedule.

"We just got lucky with weather and we weren't held up by deliveries or work schedules," said Rocky Wilkinson, casino resort marketing manager. "Our gaming floor and restaurants are ready to go. The size is equivalent to two football fields side by side. Come on out and enjoy it!"

CASINO
The gaming floor is 83,000 square feet and will feature 2,000 slot machines.

RESTAURANTS
Seven Fires Steakhouse
Buffet at the Bear
Sage Deli

NIGHTCLUB
The new Cobalt Nightclub and Cabaret will feature live entertainment every night and admission is free. The club is open to everyone age 21 years and older.

HOTEL
The hotel opened earlier this year and just before Valentine's Day. It offers 250 guest rooms and a 12-story hotel tower.

CONVENTION CENTER
The convention center will open in early July.

Black Bear Casino Opens Hotel

February 12, 2008

CARLTON, MN - The Fon Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has added a ten-story hotel tower at their Black Bear Casino. The new hotel features 250 guest rooms and two stories of lobby and office space. The casino will open a new gaming floor in May.

Hotel manager, Cory Van Guilder, said "We draw people from anywhere from Thunder Bay to Minneapolis within a 60 to 90 mile radius." He feels the quality of the hotel compares to the best in Minnesota. "We're 20 minutes from Duluth so we have Lake Superior and Jay Cooke State Park and snowmobile trails and cross country trails. Of course we have our golf course that is the best in the area."

Van Guilder continued, ""We are the largest employer in Carlton County and most of our employees live in this county also so it does help the economy."

The casino started as a bingo hall by the Fon Du Lac Band. As its business grew the casino has provided financial help for its band and its members.

Black Bear Casino expansion is ahead of schedule

January 25, 2008

DULUTH, MN - The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is expanding its Black Bear Casino-Hotel-Golf complex in Carlton, MN. The project includes a new, larger casino and a new hotel.

The grand opening for the new casino is scheduled for this summer during the July 4th weekend, however, Rocky Wilkinson, the marketing manager, said the project is about four weeks ahead of plans. The casino may open as early as mid-May. The new hotel will open sooner. It opening is is planned for February 11th.

SUMMARY

• $119.6 million expansion project
• Casino - doubled gaming floor, 2,000 new slot machines
• Bingo hall - 400 seats
• Hotel - 12-story building, 240-rooms
• Steakhouse restuarant
• 4-level parking structure
• Convention Center

When the project was proposed in 2004, the projected cost was $30 million. When plans were finalized and a loan was arranged in 2006, the cost had grown to $120 million. Now they find they under budgeted for fixtures, furniture and equipment. To keep the project on schedule, Tribal Chairwoman Karen Diver said the $13 million of new slot machines will be purchased on a lease program to spread their cost over one year. Cost-cutting in other areas will save an additional $5 million. Diver believes they will be able to cover the remaining start-up costs.

CASINO HISTORY
Black Bear Casino opened in June 1993 at a cost of $8 million.
The hotel opened in 1995.
The 18-hole Black Bear Golf Course opened in July 2003.

News Articles

Black Bear Casino Cuts Ribbon on Event Center

May 13, 2025

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa celebrated the opening of its new Event Center at Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton on Thursday. The $21 million project adds 20,000 square feet for conferences, meetings and special events, such as weddings.

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Black Bear Casino Resort Expansion Ribbon cutting - Courtesy of Northern News Now, May 8, 2025. Available from YouTube

"Our new Event Center is more than just a venue - it's a vibrant gathering place for the entire region. We want this to be more than a place where events happen; we envision it as a space where connections are built, memories are made, and community comes together. We are proud to welcome guests and organizations from across the Great Lakes Region to celebrate, connect, and create lasting memories with us."

- Bruce Savage, Tribal Chairman

"More than just a building, this event center represents something deeper in our community. Gatherings are sacred, bringing people together whether to celebrate, share stories or simply connect, it's part of who we are."

- Daniel LaPrairie, General Manager

The Black Bear Casino Resort is located about 20 minutes south of Duluth at the intersection in Carlton, Minnesota. It encompasses 355,000 sq-ft including a 57,00 sq-ft casino and a 12-story, 250-room hotel. Black Bear is the largest employer in Northeast Minnesota.

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