W.A. Smith began improving the Park and Amusement Grounds in 1907 by constructing a 5,000 square foot modern roller skating rink known as the Casino. Built above water level on 8-foot piers, its foundation included boat houses, dressing rooms, shower baths, and an outdoor restaurant at lake level. The large building had 16-foot-high walls, maple flooring, and electric lighting. Beyond skating, it hosted high class vaudeville, theatre performances, dancing, silent pictures, wrestling matches, and the annual Horse Show Ball. Famous orchestras performed there for tens of thousands of visitors who came to Laurel Park from throughout the South each year. Each summer brought the latest entertainment until January 11, 1921, when hooligans broke in and started a fire on the maple floor to keep warm, destroying the structure. Its wide popularity was reflected in newspaper coverage across North Carolina and nearby states.