Travel America: Fortune Bay - resort and casino in Minnesota

Resort & Casino

Gaming enthusiasts and fans of the great outdoors find a winning combination in northeastern Minnesota

Amid the pine forests and sky-blue waters of the Iron Range's untamed wilderness, the strains of music and tinging of slot machines signal a special breed of wild life, a type of revelry that appeals to the party animal as well as the nature lover.

Just south of the nationally famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Lake Vermilion offers 1,200 miles of shoreline, numerous bays, and 365 islands. Of the more than two dozen resorts rimming its shores, the most luxurious is Fortune Bay Resort & Casino, owned and operated by the native Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, who welcome guests to "Sah-Gah-Ea-Gum-Wah-Ma-Mah-Nee" (Lake of the Sunset Glow).

Located in the Pines and Mines tourism region of northeastern Minnesota, Lake Vermilion lies in an area rich in iron mining history. It lures anglers with walleye, bass, northern pike, muskie, crappie, and panfish. One TV outdoorsman called Vermilion the No. 1 walleye lake in the state. In the 1940s the National Geographic Society ranked it one of the nation's 10 most scenic lakes.

Fortune Bay, near the town of Tower, has a full-service marina with 52 docking slips that accommodate everything from fishing boats to houseboats. Rentals range from canoes and paddleboats to 16-foot outboards and 24-foot pontoons. Permits for Boundary Waters Canoe Area and fishing licenses are available at the resort.

Away from the water, Fortune Bay offers interpretive nature trails for hiking, biking, and bird-watching. Some trails lead to gold mine and fur trading sites dating back to the 1800s. The resort is connected to the state's extensive system of groomed snowmobile trails.

Wildlife here in Superior National Forest includes black bear, whitetail deer, bald eagles, otter, and timber wolves. You might even spot a moose.

Fortune Bay's RV park has 34 campsites, with access to the resort's glass-enclosed indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, and exercise center. The resort's 115 guest rooms feature 27" color TVs, hair-dryers, and coffeemakers. Whirlpool and fireplace suites afford breathtaking views of Lake Vermilion.

The 24-hour casino action on two gaming floors includes blackjack, high stakes bingo, and more than 500 of the hottest new slot and video keno machines. Jackpots reach over $1 million. Bingo sessions ($18 to $41) offer the chance to win thousands, with nightly progressives making it possible to cart away $25,000.

Other entertainment at this northwoods nest might include special theme parties, game shows, comedians, bands, and amateur boxing. The 2001 Concert Series features country music legend Don Williams, May 19; Little River Band, June 7; 5th annual Bluesberry Jam, July 28; Fab Four (a Beatles tribute), September 7-8; and country singer John Anderson, October 13.

In the North Star Bar guests play pool and darts or catch games on giant TVs. The resort's childcare center and video arcade keep younger guests entertained.

Opening in June is the Bois Forte Cultural Museum and Heritage Center, which celebrates Native Americans and more recent settlers and explorers. Today the Bois Forte Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (also known as Ojibwe) counts about 2,600 members. Nearly 500 live on reservations at Vermilion and Nett lakes.

On Nett Lake, members of the tribe hand-harvest wild rice, which is sold as a gourmet item in the resort's gift shop. The rice is picked by two people in a canoe. No motors, machines or fertilizers are allowed on the lake, the world's largest producer of natural wild rice.

Guests at Fortune Bay's Tamarack Dining Room can try the Nett Lake wild rice soup. Or they dig into house specialties like brandy apple pork medallions on wild rice, baby beef liver with bacon and onions, and Black & Blue Steak seasoned with Cajun spices and blue cheese. Fish fans opt for the walleye fillet (broiled or deep-fried) or the steak & walleye combo. Also popular are the fettucine dishes.

For day excursions, resort guests have a choice of many area attractions. Iron-world Discovery Center in Chisholm features a museum, trolley ride, a miner's homestead, and open-pit mine. Hard-hat tours at the Soudan Underground Mine in Soudan include a train ride. Car buffs enjoy the Classic Cars Museum in Chisholm, while hockey fans stop in Eveleth to visit the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

At Giants Ridge near Biwabik, there are 24 downhill ski runs and world-class cross-country trails. Woods and lakes rim the new Giants Ridge golf course. In Ely, 27 miles from Fortune Bay, the International Wolf Center promotes the survival of wolves.

Whether you come to North Country to see the sights, commune with nature, tempt Lady Luck, or indulge in resort amenities, good fortune is sure to smile on your Minnesota vacation.

FAST FACTS

Name: Fortune Bay Resort & Casino

Owner/Operator: Bols Forte Band of Chippewa

Location: On Lake Vermilion in northeastern Minnesota, four hours north of the Twin Cities and 90 minutes from Duluth. Air access from Duluth, Hibbing, or Ely.

Facilities: Casino, gift shop, marina, nature and snowmobile trails, Tamarack Dining Room, Bay Street Deli, indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, fitness center, video arcade, childcare center.

Accommodations: 115 rooms and suites in six types, from a Deluxe Standard Room (two double beds or one queen) to a Deluxe Extended Stay Suite with king bed, sofa sleeper and fireplace in the living room, and kitchenette.

Room rates: $57 to $141 per night Sunday through Thursday, $63 to $151 weekends. Children 12 and under are free. Non-peak rates apply in November and March through June.

RV Park: Facilities include showers, laundry, waste station, and pay telephones. Rates: $14 for drive-through spaces with water and electric hookups, $9 for back-in spaces with no hookups.

Contact: Fortune Bay Resort & Casino (TravelAmerica Magazine), 1430 Bois Forte Rd., Tower, MN 55790; (800) 5551714; www.fortunebay.com.