ONAMIA, Minn. – Since it first opened on the West shores of Lake Mille Lacs in the 1960’s, Eddy’s Resort has served guests looking to enjoy the lake, fish and get an “up north” experience. In the decades since it opened, not a lot had changed at Eddy’s – until now.

On Tuesday, May 5, Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (MLCV) unveiled the brand new Eddy’s Resort. After a multi-million dollar redevelopment, the new Eddy’s Resort combines familiar, quaint, fishing-village styling with modern amenities and a world-class restaurant and bar that make it the must-see vacation destination on the lake.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony at the resort, Joe Nayquonabe, Jr., Chairman of the Board and CEO of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures said the new Eddy’s Resort represents both an important investment in the local community as well as a strategic investment in MLCV’s effort to expand its hospitality business.

“Eddy’s Resort has long been an iconic part of Lake Mille Lacs and the local community, and the significant investments we’ve made will ensure that the resort is a vacation destination for families for many generations to come,” Nayquonabe said. “We have a deep commitment to this lake and the region, and our investment in Eddy’s demonstrates that commitment.”

The renovation of Eddy’s follows several other recent, high-profile investments by Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, including the purchase of three major-market hotels in the past 18 months, including the Crowne Plaza Riverfront and DoubleTree in St. Paul and the Embassy Suites in Oklahoma City.

The expansion of its hospitality holdings is the fulfillment of a vision laid out by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin.

“To strengthen our economic resources and maintain our self-reliance, we must make wise investments that expand our economic reach and leverage our strengths in hospitality,” Benjamin said. “But we must also maximize the value of those assets we already own, and I am excited to see how the investment in redeveloping Eddy’s will pay dividends for many generations.”

On hand to commemorate the occasion was U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn. “What a tribute this beautiful facility is – both to Eddy Silker, who started the operation way back in 1960 – and to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures for their vision in creating and restoring such an iconic piece of our culture and our way of life here on Lake Mille Lacs,” said Nolan.

In 2002, Grand Casino Mille Lacs purchased Eddy’s Resort to offer additional amenities to its casino guests. Realizing that a renewed investment was needed to ensure the future success of Eddy’s Resort, Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures engaged PCL Construction and the BKV Group to find a restorative solution that would capture the genuine spirit of Eddy’s Resort.

The completed resort features 64 rooms, one Parlor Suite, two- and three-room cabins, The Launch Bar & Grill and retail/bait shop.
Nayquonabe said the project represents one of the largest redevelopment projects in recent history on Lake Mille Lacs history.

“As Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures continues working on plans to redevelop its other properties, I’m pleased to be able to announce the grand opening of Eddy’s Resort. I welcome you all to come check it out and see for yourself why we think Eddy’s is the premier destination resort in Minnesota.”

For more information about Eddy’s Resort, visit www.eddysresort.com.

About Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures
Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (MLCV) manages all of the Mille Lacs Band’s businesses assets, including Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Grand Casino Hinckley, the Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront Hotel and the DoubleTree Hilton in St. Paul, Minn., Embassy Suites in Oklahoma City, and other Band-owned businesses such as a cinema, a grocery store, gas/convenience stores, a golf course, wastewater treatment plant and a print shop. It also oversees certain amount of the Band’s investments and considers new business opportunities to provide economic support for the Band’s future. MLCV has over 3,500 employees and its board of directors is comprised of five members, who guide the business and investment decisions for the Band.