Clearwater Casino Resort

he reception was completely different. The planner was largely absent, and several staff members seemed inconvenienced whenever we asked questions. They were short and dismissive, which was disappointing considering how much we spent. About an hour into the reception, my mother wasn’t feeling well after eating and put her head down. A staff member told us they would shut down the bar if she continued. I explained that she wasn’t feeling well but felt rudely dismissed. I understand a venue’s responsibility when serving alcohol. My issue was how quickly shutting down the entire bar was threatened and how we were treated when I asked why. Later, we again heard they wanted to close the bar early. Tables weren’t being properly cleared, and some guests ended up clearing them themselves. The worst part happened around 9 p.m. Our event was scheduled until approximately 11 p.m., yet staff began dismantling our reception roughly TWO HOURS EARLY. Tables and chairs were removed while our wedding was still happening, leaving essentially only the dance floor. They even removed seating being used by my approximately 80-year-old grandmother, who walks with a cane. Other older guests were left without places to sit and ended up leaving early. When I asked why everything was being taken away before our event was over, I couldn’t get a clear answer and at one point was ignored. My wife and I refused to let it ruin our night, so we continued dancing until 11 with what remained. Afterward, when we raised our concerns with our event planner, we were told Clearwater believed we should potentially be charged for additional security because I, the groom, was allegedly “aggressive.” I strongly dispute that characterization. I was frustrated because our wedding was being dismantled two hours early without an explanation, but I never threatened anyone, became violent, or got into anyone’s face. I was asking why an event we paid for was being shut down early. We were told there was video supporting this allegation. When we asked to see it, it was not provided, and we were told providing it could create an issue with management. If this allegation was being used to justify additional security or charges, I believe asking to see the evidence was reasonable. The food was also mediocre in our experience, with some items, including the chicken, being dry, but the food was secondary to how we were treated. This wasn’t one bad interaction. It was dismissive staff, repeated attempts to close the bar, poor service, dismantling our reception two hours early, removing seating from elderly guests, no clear explanation, and then labeling me “aggressive” for questioning what was happening. We trusted Clearwater with one of the most important days of our lives and spent significant money doing so. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend Clearwater Casino Resort as a wedding venue. If you’re considering having your wedding here, get EVERYTHING in writing — especially event hours, teardown time, bar and security policies, and how long tables and chairs will remain available. You only get one wedding day. I wish we had known beforehand how ours would be handled.