The Forrest County Potawatomi Community has teamed up with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS to bring and expand the Rock & Brews brand to Wisconsin. Under the partnership, the Potawatomi Casino Hotel Carter is set to add the rock-inspired restaurant to its list of amenities, following a successful opening at Potawatomi Casino Hotel in Milwaukee earlier in the month.
The first Rock & Brews Restaurant in Wisconsin opened on August 1 at the Potawatomi Casino Hotel in Milwaukee. The 250-seat restaurant was “an integral aspect” of the property’s $190 million renovation, the tribe says.
Set in the heart of Milwaukee, the casino features six restaurants and more than 60,000 sq. feet of event space. A 500-room, 19-story hotel opened in 2014 with a second tower unveiled in 2019.
Following the first Rock & Brews Restaurant opening, the celebrations moved to Carter with an outdoor concert series and a pop-up beer garden featuring artists like Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts and Jefferson Starship.
On Friday, September 1, the Forrest County Potawatomi and Rock & Brews teams will further their partnership with a full day of programming, beginning with the groundbreaking for their restaurant within Potawatomi Casino Hotel Carter.
At 11:30 a.m. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will participate in the inaugural demolition of the 5,280-square-foot restaurant. Later that evening, the duo will join their bandmates to perform at Crandon International Raceway as part of KISS’ End of the Road Tour.
KISS frontmen Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley
“We are ecstatic to bring these rock ‘n’ roll legends, and their outstanding dining concept, to Wisconsin,” said Dominic Ortiz, CEO of Potawatomi Casinos and Hotels. “Their presence at our casino in Milwaukee has been electrifying and we know they will bring the same energy to Carter.”
The brainchild of KISS frontmen Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, as well as their business counterparts – CEO Adam Goldberg, restauranteur Michael Zislis and concert industry veterans Dell and Dave Furano – Rock & Brews is a national restaurant concept blending its rock ‘n roll roots with a menu of American food and a selection of craft and international beers.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with the Forrest County Potawatomi Community with a second Rock & Brews location in Wisconsin,” said Adam Goldberg, CEO and partner of Rock & Brews. “We enjoyed getting to know the Carter community through the summer events and can’t wait to welcome them into our restaurant early next year for the full Rock & Brews experience.”