The three Wind Creek casinos in Alabama share an owner, a loyalty card, a phone number and the same kind of machine. What they do not share is a history, and the history explains almost every difference you will notice when you walk in. At Atmore, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians ran bingo for 24 years before guests could book a room. At Montgomery the wait was 14 years. At Wetumpka the casino and the hotel opened on the same day. Each property is shaped by when its first room arrived, and this guide lines them up so you can pick the right one for your trip.
The waiting time for a bed
| Atmore | Montgomery | Wetumpka | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming began | 13 April 1985 (Creek Bingo Palace) | 1 September 2001 (Tallapoosa Entertainment Center) | 17 December 2013 |
| Hotel opened | 6 January 2009 | December 2015 | 17 December 2013 |
| Gap | About 24 years | 14 years | None |
| Hotel | 236 rooms, 17 storeys, AAA Four Diamond | 123 rooms incl. 8 suites, 5 storeys | 283 rooms, 20 storeys, AAA Four Diamond |
| Gaming floor | 57,000 sq ft | 65,000 sq ft | 85,000 sq ft |
| Machines | About 1,700 | About 2,200 | 2,000+ (2,520 at opening) |
| Machines per room | About 7 | About 18 | About 7 to 9 |
| Google rating | 4.3, 7,000+ reviews | 4.2, 12,700+ reviews | 4.3, nearly 23,000 reviews |
| Setting | Beside I-65, Escambia County | Tallapoosa River, east Montgomery | Coosa River, Wetumpka |
The machines-per-room line is our own arithmetic from the venue figures, and it is the quickest way to see the difference in character. Montgomery has more than twice as many machines for every bedroom as either sister. It is a casino with rooms attached. Atmore and Wetumpka are resorts with a casino inside.
What you play is identical
All three floors run electronic bingo-style games rather than Vegas-style slots or table games. The cabinets look like slot machines, but there is no dealt card, roulette wheel or craps table at any of them. If table games are what you are after, no Wind Creek in Alabama will satisfy you. Every floor runs 24 hours, every one sets 21 as the gaming age with photo ID checked, and under-21s may use the hotels and restaurants.
Atmore: the original, built out
The tower rises out of a town of under 10,000 people at I-65 exit 57, roughly 50 miles north-east of Mobile. Because it had a quarter-century of bingo behind it before the resort arrived, the 2009 rebuild went big on everything that is not gaming: a 12,000-square-foot spa, a 16-lane bowling alley, a cinema and a 2,000-seat amphitheatre. Fire Steakhouse leads the dining, and the RV park takes 20 rigs on full hook-ups. Read the Atmore page.
Montgomery: the floor came first
The 2015 expansion cost 65 million dollars and recreated a stretch of Beale Street indoors. B.B. King's Blues Club has bands from early evening seven nights a week, Itta Bena is the fine-dining room and Lucille's Eatery serves around the clock. The surprise is Aroostook Golf Course, an 18-hole layout along the river. The floor has a high-limit room and a separate non-smoking room, which matters if smoke bothers you. Read the Montgomery page.
Wetumpka: built as a resort from day one
Opening the tower and the floor together meant the whole building could be designed around the view, and every one of the 283 rooms faces the Coosa. It is the largest floor in Alabama and the tallest hotel. The centrepiece is a 16,000-gallon saltwater tank at the main bar, stocked with hammerhead sharks and stingrays. FIRE Steakhouse, Riverside Marketplace and Spa Reserve round it out. The site also sits on Hickory Ground, the last capital of the historic Creek Nation, and that history is covered on the Wetumpka page.
Which one to pick
For a weekend with family: Atmore. The bowling, cinema and pool give under-21s plenty to do.
For one evening out: Montgomery. The music starts when you leave the floor, and the drive from the city is minutes.
For the biggest floor and the best room: Wetumpka, about 25 minutes from Montgomery. Ask for a high floor.
From Mobile or Pensacola: Atmore, since the other two are about two and a half hours north-east.
Wetumpka and Montgomery sit about 20 miles apart, so a two-stop trip is easy. Our statewide venue guide adds the two racetrack floors. And if you would rather stay home, our Alabama rankings cover sweepstakes casinos.
Frequently asked questions
Which Wind Creek in Alabama is the biggest?
Wetumpka, with an 85,000-square-foot floor and a 20-storey, 283-room hotel.
Do the Alabama Wind Creek casinos have table games?
No. All three run electronic bingo-style games only.
Can I use one rewards card at all three?
Yes. Wind Creek Rewards is a single program across Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka.
Which Wind Creek is oldest?
Atmore. Its first bingo hall opened on 13 April 1985.
