Cedar Lakes Casino, Cass Lake, MN

The new casino needed a state-of-the-art sign to showcase the $45 million project, which opened in August 2019. The massive monument sign features a stacked stone base and wood surround, along with a 21-foot-long color digital message center, to reflect the bright, modern finishes of the new casino.

The sign was designed by LSE Architects of Minneapolis and SignArt Company, Mendota Heights, Minn., which specified Watchfire Signs for the digital portion. “It was important to easily advertise events, concerts and promotions at the new facility, and a digital message center was the perfect vehicle for this,” said Kevin Snyder, vice president at SignArt Company.

Billy Krotzer, with Leech Lake Gaming, is responsible for creating and programming all the content that runs on the Cedar Lakes Casino sign. He said that the Watchfire digital message center is the best visual way to entice guests to visit the facility.

“People today are very familiar with digital media, and our Watchfire sign allows us to use video and animated graphics to grab their attention and communicate with them in the way they are accustomed,” said Krotzer. “Static images simply don’t work as well.”

Krotzer programs messages to change every eight seconds or so, allowing passersby to see at least two messages. He includes a mix of video clips of entertainers, animated graphics of weekly and daily promotions, and reminders about upcoming events. “The Watchfire sign gets noticed because it’s robust, bright and looks great,” said Krotzer, who notes that he frequently gets requests from managers in the casino to run content.

SignArt specified Watchfire because of the company’s long history of providing excellent tech support. “I’ve had a relationship with Watchfire for 30 years, and they are a preferred partner because they stand behind their products. Technical and sales support are always available on site when I need them,” said Snyder.