However, it was made entirely of wood, and after only two decades, was already showing its age. The city’s first stab at a casino was designed by the firm Donaldson & Meier, and offered Detroiters a place to rest, grab a bite to eat or seek shelter from nasty weather.
There was no gambling in this type of casino, which relies more on the traditional definition of the word, meaning a building used for meetings, entertainment, dancing and the like.
One of the first structures built on Belle Isle after it became a park was the first Belle Isle Casino, opening in June 1887.
