by Steve Bourie  Learn more about the author read more »

Located in Mashantucket, Connecticut and owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, Foxwoods Resort Casino is the  largest casino in the U.S. It is also the second largest casino in the world being bested only by the Sands Macao casino and Hotel in Macau.

Believe it or not, Foxwoods was actually founded in 1986 as a bingo hall. Now spanning over 4,700,000 square feet  and made up of six casinos, this enormous Native American-themed resort has come a very long way.


A glimpse of Foxwoods and MGM Grand in Mashantucket, Connecticut
(photo courtesy of Foxwoods)

In 2008, in partnership with the Vegas-Based MGM/Mirage Corporation, Foxwoods opened the MGM Grand at Foxwoods.  Foxwoods now offers more than 2,200 guest rooms in four hotels and 340,000 square feet of gaming, as well as many restaurants, two spa/salons, an arcade and more.

Spread out through its four hotels, Foxwoods has 2,241 guest rooms and 322 suites. All guest rooms feature Flat Screen TVs with on demand and high speed Internet. The rooms at both the Grand Pequot and the MGM Grand were recipients of the AAA 4-Diamond award. Suites include features such as Jacuzzi-style tubs, wet bars and vanity areas. Prices for rooms range from $109-$585 and suites range from $275-$1,500.


A standard room in the Cedar Hotel at Foxwoods
(photo courtesy of Foxwoods)

Guests of the hotel can enjoy a wide array of amenities. For those who want to relax and be pampered, check out The Norwich Spa at Foxwoods or the G Spa and Salon. Both offer a wide array of spa services such as facials and body treatments as well as nail, hair and waxing services.

Guests can also spend some time strolling and shopping in the retail concourse. The shops at Foxwoods feature over 25 high-end boutiques as well as specialty shops like Indian Nations and Rain Dance.

Finally, for the sporting type, Foxwoods offers special golf packages for the Lake of Isles Luxury Golf Resort. This Reese Jones designed champion golf course offers 36 unique holes as well as a Golf Academy.

Between MGM and Foxwoods, there are a total of 38 restaurants to choose from. This obviously leaves a huge array of dining options for all kinds of cuisine at any time of day.

Foxwoods has four fine dining restaurants: Cedars, Paragon, and David Burke Prime.

Cedars and David Burke Prime are both Steakhouses, serving up all types of American-style meats and sides, while Paragon offers seasonal menus and daily market offerings. Paragon was given the Connecticut Magazine Readers Choice Award for Best French Cuisine.

There are also three fine dining restaurants located in the MGM Grand – Shrine, CraftSteak, and Alta Strada. Shrine offers various types of Pan-Asian cuisine, CraftSteak is a Brazillian Steak House, and Alta Strada serves  all types of Italian cuisine.

And finally, there are several casual-style restaurants, including Hard Rock Café, Fuddruckers, California Pizza Kitchen, and Panera Bread.

There is also the Festival Buffet, which serves all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Festival Buffet  offers all types of cuisine and serves crab legs and steak during the weekend dinner buffet. Prices for the buffet are: $11.99 for breakfast, $17.99 for lunch and $19.99 for dinner during the week with a $21.99 dinner Friday through Sunday. Children under 5  are free and Players Club members get $1 off.


The Festival Buffet located inside Foxwoods
(photo courtesy of Foxwoods)

As with most things at Foxwoods, there is certainly no shortage of entertainment. The resort has seven nightclubs/bars, two entertainment venues featuring various acts throughout the year, and Comix, a comedy club. Nightlife hotspots include Atrium, Center Bar, Halo Bar, Paragon, Scorpion Bar, and Shrine. Many of these places are restaurants by day, but at night transform into unique clubs with music, drinks and more.

For more family oriented fun, the Tree House arcade has hundreds of the newest arcade games as well as air hockey, pinball, driving simulators and more. Also be sure to check out the High Rollers Luxury Lanes and Lounge.  This  35,000 square-foot facility is no ordinary bowling alley. With 20 lanes, 6 VIP lanes, billiard tables, full-service  bars and food service, this retro-chic haven offers a very unique bowling experience.

If you’re looking to experience the great outdoors, follow the fox prints from the Great Cedar Casino Lobby and you will find the Pequot Trails. These trails go throughout the woods surrounding Foxwoods and offer stunning views and amazing sights.

Foxwoods has a total of five casinos as well as one in the MGM Grand, making up a total of 340,000 square feet of gaming. The MGM Grand has over 1,100 slot machines as well as table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps, Spanish 21, three card poker, mini-baccarat, Texas Hold’em and crazy four poker.


Some of the action inside one of Foxwoods’ five casinos
(photo courtesy of Foxwoods)

Table games offered in Foxwoods include blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette, Caribbean stud poker, casino war, let it ride, money wheel, pai gow poker, pai gow tiles, mini and midi baccarat, sic bo, Spanish 21, Texas Hold’Em Poker  and three card poker as well as a 97-table WPT World Poker Room. Foxwoods also has over 5,000 slot machines, racebook, and one of the largest bingo halls in the world.

Be sure to sign up for the Dream Card, Foxwood’s players’ club. This card will allow you to collect points by  playing table games and slots, which can later be redeemed for promotions, discounts, food and drinks and more (card is valid at both the MGM Grand at Foxwoods and Foxwoods Resort Casino). New members can sign  up online or at the Players’ Club desk.

Foxwoods Resort Casino is located at 350 Trolley Line Boulevard Mashantucket, CT 06338-3777. Reservations and more  information can be found at www.foxwoods.com. Foxwoods also has an application for the iPhone which shows property  maps, teaches how to play table games and more. This app can also be downloaded for free from the website.