DMF Design Awards 2025, 3rd Place – Potawatomi Casino
A premier entertainment destination in the Midwest, Potawatomi Casino Hotel is a casino and hotel in Wisconsin that blends world-class gaming, exceptional dining, vibrant nightlife, and luxe event spaces with modern accommodations.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Products: M Series Cylinder & M Series Commercial
MEP Engineer: Ring & DuChateau
Lighting Design: Teresa Haas from Ring & DuChateau
Developer: Gilbane Building Company
Electrical Contractor: Pieper Electric
Contractor: I-5 Design Build
Photography Credit: Zack Benson
The 125,000 sq. ft. renovation required a sophisticated, multi-layered lighting solution within a tight timeline. With various spaces needing distinct lighting applications, maintaining a cohesive aesthetic was essential. DMF Lighting’s M Series Commercial Downlights provided the necessary versatility, offering multiple beam spreads, lumen packages, and finishes to create a seamless design throughout gaming areas, VIP lounges, dining spaces and corridors.
DMF’s lighting solutions enhanced the casino’s atmosphere, from accent lighting for architectural features to wide beam distribution for ambient illumination. The fixtures balanced performance-driven lighting for security with warm, inviting tones in VIP, retail and restaurant areas.
M Series Cylinder
Utilizing a suite of customizable features with our high-performing LED modules, the M Series Cylinder provides brilliant illumination and a beautiful design versatile enough for whatever your project needs. With trim options, uplight capability, and housings for indoor, outdoor, and wet locations, the M Series Cylinder offers a vast array of features that also include a variety of mounting styles such as a wall, surface, stem, and cord mount.
M Series Residential
The M Series Residential family is part of DMF’s most versatile, M Series product offering. Centered around a compact, four-inch, plug-and-play LED module with an embedded driver the M Series delivers the optimal balance of form and function. Paired with one of the award-winning M Series Housings, you can achieve fire, sound, wet location, and other ratings required for the most demanding projects. The M Series, true to all DMF offerings, provides outstanding illumination and color consistency while being simple to specify, install, and maintain.
About Ring & DuChateau
Ring & DuChateau is a full-service MEP engineering firm with a dedicated Architectural Lighting Design department. Ring & DuChateau provides building systems design solutions that meet owner needs for safety, efficiency, sustainability, and through lighting design, beauty. Established in 1961, in the past 60 years Ring & DuChateau has grown to a team of 100 in two offices. Service offerings have grown as well to include mechanical, electrical power, low voltage, utility, plumbing, fire protection, and specialty gas systems design plus commissioning in addition to lighting design. Combined, these services ensure that buildings function to owner and occupant satisfaction with minimized environmental impact.
About Teresa Haas from Ring & DuChateau
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane is one of the largest privately held, family-owned construction and real estate development firms globally, offering a comprehensive range of services including construction, facilities management, real estate development, property management, and consulting. With over 150 years in business, Gilbane operates across more than 20 countries, delivering award-winning, transformative projects in sectors such as healthcare, education, commercial, and public infrastructure. The firm is committed to providing innovative, client-focused solutions, with a strong emphasis on community impact and sustainability. Through a collaborative approach, Gilbane brings expertise, integrity, and passion to every project, ensuring positive outcomes and lasting value for clients and communities worldwide.
About Pieper Electric
Pieper Electric is a full-service electrical, mechanical, and automation contractor with over 75 years of excellence. Based in the United States, the company is driven by its people-first approach, empowering employees to grow, perform, and succeed both professionally and personally. With a focus on safety, innovation, and customer satisfaction, Pieper Electric serves a wide range of industries, including healthcare, education, hospitality, and more. Through specialized brands such as Pieper Automation and Ideal Mechanical, the company provides diverse services, from design/build to energy solutions. Pieper Electric is dedicated to delivering high-quality projects while fostering a culture of servant leadership, teamwork, and community engagement.
About I-5 Design Build
I-5 Design Build is a dynamic design and construction firm specializing in high-impact gaming, restaurant, bar, and entertainment environments. Based in the United States, the company focuses on delivering transformative spaces that captivate guests and elevate experiences. With expertise in both design and construction, I-5 Design Build offers turnkey services, managing all aspects of the project from concept to completion. The firm is known for its innovative and collaborative approach, which allows it to work efficiently within tight timeframes and produce visually stunning and functional results. I-5 Design Build has a strong portfolio of projects across the casino, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, consistently creating signature environments that become key destinations.
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