Editor
Two notable U.S. casinos announced significant renovation projects this month, promising guests upgraded hotel rooms, updated gaming floors, new dining options, and modernized technology.
MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit and Golden Nugget Atlantic City did not mention a poker room in their announcements, however, as neither property currently operates one.
The poker-playing public will notice the absence, as both properties once operated live card rooms. Golden Nugget Atlantic City shut its poker room in 2013. MotorCity, which had built itself into Detroit’s largest poker room with 37 tables, folded its operations in August 2024. By most accounts, operators converted the space to accommodate additional slot machines. This transition shows where modern casino gaming margins now sit.
What the Renovations Include
MotorCity’s $65 million project, branded “Elevate the Escape,” marks the property’s most significant investment since Marian Ilitch became the sole owner in 2005 and launched a $300 million expansion that the company completed in 2008.
The current work, already underway, targets the property’s 400 hotel guest rooms and suites. The project will add a new bar and gathering space on the casino floor, improve lighting, and upgrade the loyalty program. Teams have already completed some upgrades, including adding a two-story FanDuel Sportsbook with an exclusive area for high rollers, opening a new smoking slots section, and enhancing gaming areas for VIP players.
Golden Nugget’s Atlantic City renovation will introduce new gaming content and upgraded technology. The resort did not disclose how much it is investing in the work.
The project will feature a Lightning Link Lounge dedicated to Aristocrat’s popular slot machine franchise. There will be the addition of 17 new slots to the gaming floor, while technicians have upgraded every existing machine with new iView displays. These upgrades allow players to track their tier credits, comps, and card status more easily. Other work includes replacing seating, opening a new slots area in the Party Pit, and updating parts of the interior design.
Who Still Has Poker?
Poker players in both cities now ask which rooms still survive. In Detroit, MotorCity’s exit in August 2024 left the city with live poker rooms at just the MGM Grand Detroit and the Hollywood Casino at Greektown. MGM operates the more active room, with its 14 tables running around the clock.
The property also completed $20 million in renovations in 2025 after investing a separate $15 million the year prior for the casino’s 25th anniversary. None of that work specifically targeted the poker room, but management has continued to improve the overall property around it.
Greektown positions its poker offering as a value play and credits players $1 per hour at the table through its rewards program. The property attracts a loyal local following, although it operates on a smaller scale than MGM.
Atlantic City now features more competition, with poker rooms operating at Borgata, Harrah’s, and Tropicana. The Golden Nugget and Bally’s have kept their poker rooms closed since the pandemic. Borgata still dominates Atlantic City by a wide margin, as it runs the city’s largest and best-maintained poker room with 85 tables. Harrah’s Atlantic City resumed hosting World Series of Poker Circuit events in early 2025, marking the first return of a major tournament since the pandemic.
The Broader Pattern in Gambling is to Phase Out Poker
The announcements from MotorCity and Golden Nugget follow a familiar pattern in recent casino renovations: operators rarely direct significant capital investment toward poker rooms. Economics drive this trend, as slot machines generate far greater revenue and require minimal labor overhead.
Both properties framed their renovations as ways to improve the guest experience. However, guests who once chose these properties for poker can clearly see that operators are not bringing new investment back to that segment.
Image credit: Dwight Burdette/Wikimedia Commons (license)
