Belle Isle Casino.

**One Shot** · January-06-10, 02:57 PM

Is the building always open to the public? If so what hours?
What was the purpose of it. Was it ever really a gambling place or does casino mean something different in its case?

LodgeDodger · January-06-10, 02:59 PM

Casino on Belle Isle

Belle Isle just east of the James Scott Fountain toward the western end of the Island

This is not one of Detroit's gambling casinos.When Belle Isle was developed into one of the nation's most attractive urban parks, a Queen Anne-style casino building was erected in 1887. This appealing, gabled wood structure was designed by John Donaldson and Henry Meier. Similar to quite a few of the city's nineteenth century buildings, it was razed by fire.
Albert Kahn designed the Casino that replaced the previous one. He designed it to provide views of the Detroit River and Canada, and to be an eating-place where patrons would be cooled by breezes in the era long before air conditioning. The style likely reflects architectural ideas flowing from Kahn's trip to Italy since it is a Renaissance Revival Building constructed from brick with a terra cotta roof. Note the two-story arcaded veranda with its graceful and soothing arches. And then there are the two impressive and high decorated square towers that Kahn designed for the Detroit side of this Casino.

Architects: Van Leyen & Schilling
Date of Completion: 1908
Style: Renaissance Revival
Photo: Ren Farley; August, 2002

http://www.detroit1701.org/Casino_BelleIsle.htm

Retroit · January-06-10, 03:36 PM

It's only open if activities are taking place there, otherwise there would be no need to keep staff there for the occasional walk-in visitor. [[As far as I know.

)

The Casino provides space for meetings and various special events. Contact Belle Isle Special Events at 313-852-4075 to schedule your event at this facility. [[http://www.fobi.org/attractions.htm)

Word History: The history of the word casino reveals a transformation from a cottage to a gambling palace. The source of our word, Italian casino, is a diminutive of casa, "house." Central to the transformation is the development of the senses of casino in Italian. The word was first applied to a country house and then came to be used for a social gathering place, a room or building where one could dance, listen to music, and gamble. This last pastime seems to have gained precedence over the others, at least as far as the development of the word is concerned, and casino took on the meaning "gambling establishment." These senses of the Italian word have all been borrowed into English, the sense "social gathering place" being recorded first in the 18th century, the sense "gambling establishment" first in 1851. [[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/casino)

**Motown Madman** · January-06-10, 03:51 PM

Isn't the Belle Isle casino abandoned?

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-06-10, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Motown Madman

Isn't the Belle Isle casino abandoned?

Nope! It's quite nice inside.

**bigtreble** · January-06-10, 04:56 PM

Looked clean two years ago:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fractalgfx/2289140150/

**DanFromDetroit** · January-06-10, 05:13 PM

My sister considered this for her wedding reception about 10yrs ago, unfortunately the Ritz in Dearborn won out. The in-laws were afraid to go into "Bad Areas" haha. It was really quite beautiful inside but who knows what 10yrs of Kwame-nomics has done to it.

**ggcanfield** · January-06-10, 07:22 PM

The Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium facebook page and The Friends of the Detroit River have both posted that the annual "Shiver on the River' event is Feb. 6th [[the Aquarium will be open for visitors that day!). The Casino is the center of activities for "Shiver"....would be a great day for those who haven't seen it to check it out.

**Single Malt** · January-06-10, 07:41 PM

My wife and I took all of our engagement pictures on Belle Isle an some on, at, and in the Casino.

**DetroitZack** · January-06-10, 09:01 PM

I always wondered about this building too. Just this past summer I was taking pictures of it.

**Detroitej72** · January-06-10, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by DanFromDetroit

It was really quite beautiful inside but who knows what 10yrs of Kwame-nomics has done to it.

Breaking newsflash....Kwame was in office for less than 8 years.... now back to the thread...

**DanFromDetroit** · January-07-10, 05:09 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

Breaking newsflash....Kwame was in office for less than 8 years.... now back to the thread...

Breaking Newsflash - Sometimes politicians policies outlive their terms in office. Don't let that stop you from correcting me though.

**Hamtragedy** · January-07-10, 10:21 PM

The casino received extensive renovations about 15 years ago [[which included the new windows) and for a while still was used as a "senior" rec center. That may have ceased when the buses stopped running to the island. It is quite nice inside & the marble is in beautiful shape.

The restrooms on the either side of the building [[stainless steel toilet bowls) are usually open daily.

As for the Kwame comment, the worst thing he did was get rid of the grass that used to be in front of the Casino so Detroit could host another grand prix. Don't know how much was spent but it looks horrible, and only ONE grand prix took place there. I love concrete instead of grass!

**EastsideAl** · January-08-10, 01:34 AM

I know I'm like a broken record here, but all that concrete on the western end of Belle Isle is a hideous abomination. Since we're not going to have any more auto races there I really wish that Roger Penske would come and take it back and get it the hell out of our park.

I remember as a child in eating in one of the airy dining rooms in the upper floor corners of the Casino, which was lovely. It would be really nice if someone could operate the upper floor as a decent restaurant again, and restore the lower floor to a coffee shop, snack bar, or some other real public use.

**ronaldj** · January-08-10, 04:26 AM

Do not remember how old I was but my Father and Mother took us to lunch at the Casino one Sunday afternoon. For some reason I ordered the liver and onions.

On bad nights I can still taste it.

**bibs** · January-08-10, 11:43 AM

Why doesn't someone come up with an idea to use this expansive piece of concrete? How about remote control car races with some minature cones? Flea market. Chaulk drawing competitions. Paint crop circles on it so the UFOs know where to land! Something!

**slick** · January-08-10, 12:56 PM

lunch at the Casino one Sunday afternoon

I remember the cafeteria they had at the casino. Don't remember much of the menu but seemed decent. this had to be late 50's early 60's. Yes the seniors hung out there for many years.

**EastsideAl** · January-08-10, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by bibs

Why doesn't someone come up with an idea to use this expansive piece of concrete? How about remote control car races with some minature cones? Flea market. Chaulk drawing competitions. Paint crop circles on it so the UFOs know where to land! Something!

The SCCA Detroit Region [[disclosure: of which I was once a member) has run some autocrosses on it, which is the only thing I know of that its ever been really fully used for after the races were cancelled. Nice and fun event, but not nearly enough IMO to justify the extreme uglification of what used to be one of the most scenic places in the City of Detroit.