Bigfoot Casino Opening Delayed: Months of Work Ahead for Black Hawk’s Newest Gaming Venue

# Bigfoot Casino Opening Delayed: Months of Work Ahead for Black Hawk's Newest Gaming Venue **Meta Title:** Bigfoot Casino Opening Delayed by Months in Black Hawk | Register-Call **Meta Description:** Ed Smith's Bigfoot Casino won't open for months as technical challenges with slot machines and rebranding work continue. Exclusive interview with the casino owner. **Slug:** bigfoot-casino-black-hawk-opening-delayed-ed-smith **Keywords:** Bigfoot Casino Black Hawk, Ed Smith casino, Z Casino purchase, Maverick Gaming bankruptcy, Black Hawk casinos, Sasquatch Casino, Gregory Street gaming **Author:** Don Ireland, Senior Reporter **Date:** January 1, 2026 **Category:** Gaming News, Black Hawk, Business **Featured Image Alt Text:** Ed Smith standing in front of "Harry" statue at Sasquatch Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado --- ## Technical Challenges Push Back Bigfoot Casino Launch Anxiously waiting for the new Bigfoot Casino to open in the existing Z Casino building at 101 Gregory Street in downtown Black Hawk? So is Ed Smith, the new casino's owner. Just as someone hiding in the woods hopes to catch a photo of a Sasquatch, it's going to take time and require a lot of patience. The new casino isn't likely to open for several months, 35 years after Colorado voters approved limited-stakes casino gaming in the former mountain gold-mining communities of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. ### Exclusive Interview: The Challenges Ahead In an exclusive interview with the Weekly Register-Call, Smith said he and his staff have plenty of work to complete before the first Bigfoot Casino patrons can play at the new establishment. "We've just got a lot of stuff to do before that," Smith explained, detailing the complex technical and logistical challenges facing the $25 million acquisition. ### The Slot Machine Computer System Challenge One of the key tasks concerns the slot machines currently at the Z Casino, which was owned by Maverick Gaming (also known as RunItOneTime LLC). Maverick filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a federal court in Texas in July 2024. The bankruptcy proceedings included several Maverick gaming properties in Colorado and other states. According to court documents, Z Casino has 313 slot machines across its three floors. The machines are part of a Maverick computer network that also connects to the company's gaming devices at the Grand Z Casino and Hotel and the Dragon Tiger Casinos in neighboring Central City. #### The Network Dilemma "They put all of the slot monitoring and surveillance systems [from the three casinos] into one big computer network up at Grand Z," Smith explained. "In order for us to get going, we have to order [computer] servers from China. Then we've got to get them programmed. It could take a long time to get the stuff from China." ### Machine Replacement and Updates Once the computer infrastructure is completed, slot machine manufacturers—such as Aristocrat, IGT, Oasis, Konami, Light and Wonder—will come to the Bigfoot Casino to update any machines Smith decides to keep. "There are over 300 machines in there now. We're not going to replace all of them. We might get some new machines because some of them in there now are pretty old," Smith noted. ### Signage and Rebranding In addition to technical challenges, Smith will need to order new indoor and outdoor signage for the building as it rebrands from the Z to the Bigfoot Casino. The signage will require approval from Black Hawk's Community Development Department. Smith said he doesn't expect any issues with the new signs. "We've got a sophisticated welding shop over in Idaho Springs that most sign people don't have." ### Liquor License Requirements Smith's Bigfoot Casino will also need to obtain a liquor license from the City of Black Hawk—a process that takes a few months and includes: - Public hearing - Approval by the city's Board of Aldermen ### Physical Connection to Sasquatch Casino Another item on Smith's checklist is creating a doorway connecting the Bigfoot and Sasquatch casinos, allowing patrons to freely walk between them. "I'd like to get a set of stairs built like Bullwhackers had [to connect the casinos]. Bullwhackers had a set of stairs, and I'd like to get them put back in," said Smith. ### What the Purchase Includes The businessman's $25 million purchase of the Z Casino included: - **Parking lot**: Something the Sasquatch Casino lacks - **Gray metal building**: Across the back driveway from the casino, including office space, a conference room, and a maintenance shop Smith doesn't yet know how he will use the metal building, though he joked that he plans to remove any "No Sasquatch Parking" signs he finds on the Z Casino property. "I have a little John Deere tractor. I was thinking of going over there and making a video of us crushing that sign," he mused. ### Maverick Gaming's Continued Operations For the time being, Maverick Gaming continues to operate the Z, Grand Z, and Dragon Tiger casinos until Smith takes over the Z Casino and Marnell Companies announces its plans to take over the two Central City Maverick casinos it acquired through the bankruptcy proceedings. ### Timeline Uncertainty Decisions about staffing, hours, and operations will also face the new owner. Does Smith have a date for when he will receive the keys to the Z Casino? "No, I don't at this point," he commented. "We've just got a lot of stuff to do before that, such as upgrading the computer system." ### A Veteran Casino Owner's Perspective On the opening day for casinos in October 1991, Smith was throwing dollar bills from the roof of his Sasquatch Casino at 125 Gregory St., hoping to attract new patrons to the casino he and his late wife, Shirley, had just opened. The couple later opened their second casino, the Wild Card, a few doors away at 120 Main Street. Now, 35 years later, Smith is embarking on another casino venture with the same patience and determination that made him successful the first time around. ### Editor's Note on Marnell Companies Marnell Companies didn't respond to the Weekly Register-Call's request for an interview or information about its plans for the Grand Z or Dragon Tiger casinos in Central City, which were acquired as part of the Maverick Gaming bankruptcy case. --- ## Z Casino: A Brief History The Z Casino building has a rich gaming history: - Previously called **Bullwhackers Casino** during the early years of gaming in Black Hawk - Purchased by Maverick Gaming and rebranded as Z Casino - Features 313 slot machines across three floors - Located at prime Gregory Street location (101 Gregory Street) ## About Ed Smith Ed Smith is a Black Hawk gaming pioneer who: - Opened Sasquatch Casino with his late wife Shirley in October 1991 - Operated Wild Card Casino at 120 Main Street - Known for innovative marketing (threw dollar bills from roof on opening day) - Purchased Z Casino for $25 million from Maverick Gaming bankruptcy estate --- **Related Stories:** - [Maverick Gaming Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy](#) - [Black Hawk Casino History: 35 Years of Gaming](#) - [Marnell Companies Acquires Central City Casinos](#) **Contact Information:** - Weekly Register-Call Newsroom: news@weeklyregistercall.com | 303-906-9902 - For advertising: 303-773-8313 --- *This story was originally published in the Weekly Register-Call print edition, January 1, 2026. Don Ireland is the Senior Reporter and Drone Photographer for the Weekly Register-Call, Colorado's oldest newspaper, established 1862.*

Bigfoot Casino Opening Delayed: Months of Work Ahead for Black Hawk’s Newest Gaming Venue

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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