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The Group Travel Leader Going on Faith Select Traveler

Work and Play at Southern Casinos

Southeastern gaming destinations are a sure bet for meetings success.

Meeting groups seeking to host events in prime gaming destinations should look no further than these five locations that feature world class horse racing, abundant casino games, and plenty of outdoor activities, history and entertainment to keep them coming back for more.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs, Arkansas, is best known for its historic bathhouses and Hot Springs National Park, but it is also a premiere gaming destination. Oaklawn, which is known for its Thoroughbred racetrack, also has a casino and sports betting.

For more than 100 years, Oaklawn Racing has hosted some of the biggest names in Thoroughbred racing, including Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh and 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Since its founding, Oaklawn has rebranded to Oaklawn Hot Springs, an expanded destination with a boutique 200-room hotel, gaming, dining and entertainment.

The hotel, which overlooks the racetrack, features the Astral Spa, which was given four stars by Forbes magazine in 2024, as well as a fitness center and an outdoor pool. It also has two restaurants, The Bugler and OAK.

Groups wanting to host events at Oaklawn have their pick of 18,000 square feet of flexible event space. The ballroom has 6,700 square feet of pre-function space and 14,519 square feet of meeting space that can host nearly 1,000 for a banquet and 1,750 for a reception. The space can be broken out into three separate rooms. There are also four smaller meeting rooms and a small boardroom.

The casino at Oaklawn is unique in that the majority of it is smoke-free. It is also close to Hot Springs’ major attractions and the 360,000-square foot Hot Springs Convention Center. Three lakes border the city, making it a fun destination for water sports, and the whole city is surrounded by the natural beauty of the national park and national forest.

hotsprings.org

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Lake Charles is a premiere gaming destination in Louisiana with Golden Nugget Lake Charles and L’Auberge Casino Resort situated side-by-side on the Calcasieu River. Both feature state-of-the-art meeting facilities alongside entertainment options, a pool and spa, shopping and gaming, an 18-hole golf course and many dining options. The two properties are connected by a boardwalk.

Golden Nugget features 1,100 guest rooms and more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including its 18,000-square-foot Grand Event Center, which can accommodate almost any event, no matter the size. In-house catering, Wi-Fi and state-of-the-art A/V equipment are available. The casino features 1,600 slots, 87 table games, seven live-action poker tables and a brand new DraftKings Sportsbook coming soon.

L’Auberge Casino Resort offers 995 guest rooms and more than 26,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 14,140-square-foot ballroom that can host 1,200 guests for a banquet. The room can also be divided into six separate event spaces. The Terrace, which sits off the ballroom, can host up to 400 guests for outdoor setups. The casino has 1,400 slot machines and video poker games, as well as 82 table games featuring a high-stakes style of blackjack, craps and Pai Gow poker.

Lake Charles is also known for its cuisine, including Southern, Cajun and Creole, and its authentic Cajun/Zydeco musical heritage. The Creole Nature Trail gives visitors a chance to view sunbathing alligators and more than 400 species of migratory birds. There are also numerous golf courses, hiking trails, wildlife refuges, and kayaking and boating opportunities.

visitlakecharles.org

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Groups that want to include gaming in their events will find many opportunities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which features 12 casinos stretching from Waveland to Pascagoula — many of which have meeting or event spaces.

Biloxi has eight casinos, including the three largest facilities on the coast with meeting space. Beau Rivage Resort and Casino is the largest in the area with 1,740 rooms and over 50,000 square feet of meeting space. It also offers a full-service spa and salon, entertainment, and several restaurants and bars to choose from, including a buffet, a coffee shop and a steakhouse.

IP Casino Resort Spa has 1,100 guest rooms and more than 65,000 square feet of meeting space. Studio A showcases headliner entertainment, from famous musicians to comedians. Golden Nugget Biloxi has 745 rooms and 22,000 square feet of function space. All three are on the waterfront and close to several world-class golf courses and plenty of water activities.

There are two casino resorts in Bay St. Louis, the Silver Slipper Casino Hotel and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast.

The Gulf Coast is known for its amazing seafood, wildlife, watersports and beautiful beaches. Gulf Islands National Seashore spans 160 miles in Florida and Mississippi. Of the six barrier islands of Coastal Mississippi, four are included in the national seashore, offering bayous and marshes that are home to alligators and birds, white sand beaches for relaxing and swimming, and many ways to get out on the water for sightseeing and fishing.

coastalmississippi.com

Cherokee, North Carolina

Cherokee, North Carolina, is not only a gaming destination but also a place known for the tranquility of nature, outdoor adventures and the cultural richness of the Cherokee people. Right next door to the Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee is a gateway to hiking, mountain biking, fishing, swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, kayaking, tubing, golf and wildlife viewing.

The Museum of the Cherokee People gives visitors a chance to learn more about the culture, art and heritage of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Oconaluftee Indian Village highlights the traditions, culture and stories of the Cherokee through live demonstrations, music and storytelling.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is the prime gaming destination in Cherokee, with 3,000 slot machines, more than 160 table games and a 90-foot sportsbook screen. With 1,833 guest rooms, the resort can accommodate groups of all sizes. It offers two swimming pools, a spa and salon, a fitness center and 12 restaurants and venues. It features 132,000 square feet of conference and event space and can host groups from 10 to 3,000. The convention center’s first floor houses the 32,745-square-foot Cherokee Exhibit Hall, which can host groups up to 3,531 theater-style. It includes 9,766 square feet of pre-function space. The Cherokee Convention Center has 32,092 square feet of space that can host 1,920 guests for a banquet or more than 3,700 theater-style. The center also has 14 smaller meeting spaces, pre-function space and a small boardroom.

visitcherokee.com

Charles Town, West Virginia

Only 10 minutes from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, Charles Town is tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was named after Charles Washington, the brother of George Washington, and is full of historical homes and locations with ties to the Washington family, including Charles Washington’s home, Happy Retreat, which is open to the public several times a year.

Charles Town is also a desirable gaming destination, featuring Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races on the city’s main street. The racetrack was known as Shenandoah Downs before the hotel and casino were built. The Inn at Charles Town has 153 rooms and is adjacent to the racetrack and offers a free shuttle between the two.

The casino property gives off classic movie vibes and features 1,900 slot machines and more than 70 table games. It has a live poker room and a sportsbook, which is about to rebrand as the ESPN Sportsbook, with over 30 TVs and one jumbotron.

The property has a live entertainment venue that can hold 1,200 seated. The Hollywood Ballroom on the third floor of the casino, which can host 350 for a banquet, offers views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the racetrack. The Shenandoah Room inside the Inn at Charles Town can be divided into two separate rooms with an outside patio and can accommodate up to 70 guests. The Final Cut Steakhouse is perfect for smaller groups of 25 or fewer.

hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com