There probably aren’t many architects running large casino operations. But for almost two decades, the Poarch Creek Indians have put their trust in a friend of the Tribe who has become an icon in the industry. Before Wind Creek Atmore was even built, the leaders of Creek Indian Economic Development Authority reached out to Jay Dorris for advice. Years earlier, he had helped the Mississippi Choctaw Tribe turn a fledgling casino into a destination resort. They were hoping he could bring insight to their own plans.

Prior to his time with Poarch, Jay spent a lot of time meeting other Tribal leaders around the country and contributing to organizations like USET, an inter-Tribal organization serving 33 federally recognized Tribal Nations. Over the years, he has become an authority on the challenges Tribes face as they grow gaming operations to secure financial stability.

He brought more than insight. He brought vision, leadership and a long-term commitment to a people who needed a leg up. It was 2006 and he was working for St. Joe Company, a publicly traded land development company in Florida. The Tribe was considering building its first casino and resort near the Reservation in Atmore, Alabama. They had been in talks with a large casino operator to finance the project. But the pace of those talks was slow-moving and filled with uncertainty.

After a lot of discussion and planning, the Tribe decided to go out on its own to develop two casino resorts, one in Atmore and one in Wetumpka. Dorris helped line up financing for the construction project. As we all remember, there was a recession looming that none of us could anticipate. In fact, as the team were in New York finalizing the details of the deal, news of the market crash hit. The financial markets seized up, leaving the deal in instant jeopardy. While he wouldn’t say he was unphased, they quickly pivoted and structured a deal that allowed them to finish Wind Creek Atmore. The success of that project provided a means for all that followed.

This leap of faith paid off. By 2009, the doors of Wind Creek Atmore were open, and Jay Dorris was part of the team who would make it successful. In less than two years, the Tribe would recoup its investment and start expanding its operations. They reinvested to develop Wind Creek Wetumpka in 2013 and Wind Creek Montgomery in 2016. Their efforts guided these properties to profitability and they continued to expand.

Ten years ago, the Tribal Council held a long-range planning session with Dorris and his team. They set out some lofty goals for growth and challenged Wind Creek Hospitality to become a leader in the industry. Today, Wind Creek is one of the fastest-growing resort brands in the nation and has become a model operation for Tribes around the country. They have exceeded their growth goals and continue to expand.

This growth has not come without challenges. One of these challenges has been running a fast-growing operation that faces legislative and regulatory hurdles. Wind Creek Hospitality has grown exponentially despite those limitations. While Alabama remains in limbo on any legislation that would expand gambling in the state, Wind Creek has acquired properties outside of the state and internationally, including locations in Pennsylvania, Miami, Aruba, and Curaçao.
Wind Creek Chicago Southlands joins the fold in late 2024.

Another challenge Wind Creek faced, along with all of us, was the pandemic. In exemplary fashion, the leadership took care of their employees and their community. Even though the casino had to temporarily shut down all operations, employees remained on payroll without interruption. Without any revenue coming in, Wind Creek continued its support of community organizations, with a focus on groups helping people affected by the pandemic, like the Alabama Food Bank. In a way, this support was business as usual. Since its founding, Wind Creek Hospitality has donated tens of millions of dollars to organizations that help people.

According to Jay Dorris, this commitment to giving back and supporting employees is critical to the organization’s success. As he puts it, “We just do things the right way. We’re a principle-driven organization that develops team members and gives people opportunity to grow with the organization.” It turns out the secret to success isn’t a secret at all. You treat people right, make solid business decisions, give back to your community, and success takes care of itself.