Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Atmore is sporting a new look for the holidays. The property has been adorned in lights and decorations inside and out.
“We really go all out for Christmas. The lights, the environment is magical, it’s full of family and good times,” says Assistant Property Manager Terri Morris. “It’s really about family and just enjoying the season.”
The outside lights can be seen every night through New Year’s Eve and is a gift to the community from The Poarch Band of Creek Indians and Wind Creek Hospitality.
“This is really something that the tribe wants to give back to the community and the people who live here and also our players,” says Morris. “We are so thankful that we are blessed enough to be able to do this every year.”
The outdoor display is the largest one to date at Wind Creek Atmore, and the largest one that Sound Associates Inc. of Theodore, Ala., does anywhere in the area. A crew of 14 spent two and a half weeks working from 8 a.m. until dark to get every detail of the project just right.
“What makes this place special compared to others is there’s a heavy saturation of lights and bushes and trees and silhouettes that are close together and you can get close to it,” said Cole Johnson of Sound Associates. “You can walk right up to it and there’s a whole lot of it.”
The three-acre area on the grounds of the property is bedecked in three and a half million lights. The Christmas Village includes a Rockin’ Rudolph, marching toy soldiers, a nativity, Santa in Toyland, sparkling candy canes and over 100 twinkling, lighted trees. The centerpiece of the winter wonderland is a 30’ tall lighted tree.
“There are a lot of different things. We have dinosaurs here, we have a hippopotamus for Christmas, we have Santa Claus in a rock band, we have penguins sliding, we have gingerbread men,” Johnson said. “There’s a whole bunch of things that you may not see in other Christmas-only themed displays.”
Inside the facility there are a total of 18 Christmas trees – each with its own special theme brought to life by Kathy Lockwood and her crew from Atlanta Christmas Decorating.
“The trees here are fun and it’s really something that everyone in the family can participate with,” Lockwood said. “There’s something for the man of the house, there are beautiful elegant trees, there are lots of fun whimsical trees that the kids will enjoy. It’s just a lot of fun and a lot of color, and just an exciting place to come visit and have a good time.”
Kathy and her team of 10 worked for a week to decorate trees and to hang garland and wreaths throughout the Wind Creek Atmore interior.
“The thing that is nice about this is that you get to experience that wonder of Christmas, that inner child, and be able to see how fun something can be,” Lockwood said.