WAYLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — Families, friends and Lions fans flocked to Gun Lake Casino Wednesday evening for a well-earned night of holiday revelry as the countdown to the end of the year began.
Like bars and restaurants all over West Michigan, patrons were eager to enjoy a night with good company to get away from their daily hustle.
“It’s good. We need it,” Alonda Hamilton of Kalamazoo told News 8. “You can’t let time control you. Just like Detroit, you have to seize it. You have to take it.”
For the casino, their visitors’ seasonal reward for a hard year’s work adds up to busy nights through the entire holiday season.
“We will be busy tonight, but we’re busy during all the holidays,” Gun Lake Vice President of Marketing Carter Pavey said. “When people have time off, they like to get together with friends and family and we’re a great place to do that.”
This year, though, the holiday energy has been buzzing all fall with the rise of the Detroit Lions from Super Bowl longshots to the odds-on favorites.
“It’s the energy,” Pavee said. “It’s seeing the camaraderie of the fans coming together and rooting for that common cause. You’re always going to root for the home team no matter what, right? Well, when they are good — you just get more people rooting for them.”
For those long-suffering Lions fans, adjusting to the role of Super Bowl favorites was a bit of a process. Now, as big favorites over a divisional opponent on Thanksgiving, and a nine-game winning streak to defend, it’s starting to feel more real.
“Detroit has it,” Hamilton said. “They have it now, and we are about to get this one and take it all the way to the house!”
Detroit hosts the Chicago Bears for their traditional Thanksgiving Day Game on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.