Although Dane County voters rejected a referendum to allow the expansion of Dejope Bingo in 2004, the operation has continued its development. The venue will reopen next month after being updated and renovated.

The remodeling started last July, paper-card bingo games and callers were replaced with new computerized bingo machines. Tracy Littlejohn, a public relations officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation, said the change would be beneficial.

“Not everybody’s schedule allows them to make it to a [bingo] session, and I think a lot of younger people may not find it that appealing to sit down at a table and wait for the numbers to be called off,” Littlejohn explained. “With these new machines, people can come and go as they please.”

Dejope Bingo aims to provide an alternate option for people aged 18-20 years old who are not allowed in casinos but are looking for similar experiences.