Potawatomi casino plans holiday party for small companies

With this week’s heat, the holidays might be the furthest thing from your mind.

Not so at Potawatomi Bingo Casino.

The Milwaukee facility is planning its first-ever “Mingle & Jingle,” a holiday party targeted at small businesses that are too small to hold their own elaborate parties.

The Dec. 20 event will include food, drinks and live music from the band Platinum in the Woodland Dreams Ballroom, according to Kim Mitschke, a spokeswoman for Potawatomi. The organization is just starting to advertise the event in its own publications.

“We get lots of calls every year from these small groups that want to have small holiday parties,” said Kaelyn Cervero, sales and catering operations manager. “We really don’t have a lot of small event spaces.”

Tickets for the party are $75 or $600 for a table of eight, including two drink tickets, $10 in casino play and food stations such as braised beef, carved pork loin and antipasti. Upgrades such as a champagne pour or wine service are available.

That’s less than a small company might pay on its own for a party of this caliber, Cervero said.

“By the time you rent a venue or meet a food and beverage minimum, pay for some decor, even if it’s centerpieces, get some entertainment involved — it’s a great value for them,” she said.

Potawatomi also is marketing the event to groups of friends who want to have a fun night out, Cervero said. The ballroom holds 500, but Potawatomi wants to keep the event to about 375.

Reported by:  The Greater Milwaukee Business Journal