A new era of gaming in central Florida began to take shape Thursday when the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Gaming broke ground for a new hotel-casino and entertainment complex. Located near Lake Okeechobee on the Brighton Seminole Reservation, the property is slated to open in late 2024 and will replace the existing 42-year-old Seminole Brighton Casino.
“Breaking ground for the new Seminole Casino Hotel Brighton represents a major economic step forward for the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the entire Lake Okeechobee region,” said Seminole Tribe Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. in a statement.
The new Seminole Casino Hotel Brighton will include a 38,000-square-foot casino with 623 slot machines and 18 tables for blackjack, baccarat, and other house-banked card games. The casino will also have a smoke-free area with 101 slot machines and a high-limit area with 42 slots and four tables.
Dining options for the new complex will include a 24-hour restaurant, steakhouse, and fast-service and carry-out café. An indoor event space with a snack bar can be configured to offer 400 seats for banquet events or bingo games and 900 seats as a performance hall.
A hotel with 100 rooms, the first to be built on the Brighton Seminole Reservation, also will be part of the new property.
Seminole Gaming, operator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, currently owns six casino complexes.
