South Dakota: Historic Deadwood building reopens as Landmark Casino after three-year renovation

The Landmark Casino in Deadwood, located on Sherman Street, is inching closer to fully opening its doors. The first floor of the casino is scheduled to start welcoming guests today, Wednesday, marking a new beginning for a historical property that was formerly known as the Adams Block Building.

Originally a wholesale commercial establishment, the Adams Block Building underwent years of degradation before being subjected to an extensive renovation process for safety reasons. This revitalization project, which started three years ago, aims to transform the historic building into an entertainment center.

Gerard Keating, a managing partner at the casino, described the details of the investment to KOTA: “It’s three years in the making and $20 million investment. Today level one opens, which includes our beautiful gaming floor of 115 slot machines and a beautiful bar."

The strategy of opening the first floor of the Landmark Casino is a way to involve the local community in the project's progress. Visitors can now witness the transformation firsthand while enjoying some of the casino's gaming offerings.

On the soon-to-be-opened second floor, the building promises to offer a variety of traditional and electronic table games, as well as a sportsbook. The expansion plan also includes the addition of about 20 hotel rooms distributed between the third and fourth floors. The Landmark Casino is expected to be finished next summer.

According to Keating, what sets the Landmark Casino apart from other such establishments in the region is the rich history of the building that houses it. “It’s the first casino to be built based around history and boy is it special. This building was built in nine phases between 1894 and 1951, eight of those by W. E. Adams,” he told KOTA. Adams was a community leader and mayor of Deadwood.