Shawnee Tribe buys land in Oklahoma City for casino

By Richard Mize
Real Estate Editor

Landless since 1869, federally recognized just since 2000, the Shawnee Tribe has a contract to buy property in Oklahoma City and wants to build a casino, hotel and other attractions, including a new tribal headquarters — but the tribe does not have the support of the mayor. The restored tribe, now headquartered in Miami, OK, plans to develop 104 acres on the west side of Interstate 35 between Britton Road and Wilshire Boulevard as part of Oklahoma City’s Adventure District, said Greg Pitcher, chairman of Shawnee Development LLC, the tribe’s economic development arm.

Mayor Mick Cornett said he isn’t sure a casino is in Oklahoma City’s best interest.

Britton Road Development LLC, a group of Milwaukee-area investors, paid $4.5 million for the land, Pitcher said. The seller was Premier Assets. The tribe will ask the U.S. Department of the Interior to consider the land for trust status later this year or in early 2008, he said. The tribe has contracted to take title to the land if trust status is approved, he said. Such a contract is enough or the tribe to seek trust status, he said.

nice...

Remington Park might be pissed about this.

If we have a casino in OKC (besides RP), it better be a Harrah's or something similar downtown.

Exactly. If the Shawnee want to develop this land, it's time for the state legislature to just say "eff it." They need to just open the market for everyone. If the feds are going to create a situation where we are forced to have casinos in the middle of our city, let's force them to be the best damned casinos anywhere.

Las Vegas, look out.

This was just posted on NewsOK.com.

By The Associated Press
The Shawnee Tribe is planning to unveil its plans for a resort and casino in northeast Oklahoma City.

Officials with the Miami, Okla.-based tribe plan to detail their plans Wednesday during a news conference at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.


Tribal officials say they have a contract to buy and develop more than 100 acres on the west side of Interstate 35, between Britton Road and Wilshire Boulevard.

The tribe is currently seeking trust status for the land, which is required before they could build the casino.

Officials at nearby Remington Park Racing Casino say a new casino in that area would devastate their business, and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has said he opposes the plan.

A guy I was talking to said they were working on a Hard Rock Hotel deal. Doubt it will happen but that would be cool.

Chicago, Pattaya, Bali, Biloxi, Las Vegas, Hollywood Florida, New York, Orlando, Tampa, Oklahoma City

If I weren't coming to Oklahoma City already, why would I pick this Hard Rock Hotel location versus the others on the list? And if I were choosing a hot nightspot locale, why would I want to put it at I-35 and Britton - to feed off the synergy that is the Zoo, Frontier City and sundry warehouse operations?

I have no moral qualms with gambling as an infrequent form of entertainment but we have enough casinos to feed any reasonable needs for residents and visitors in our state. Casinos are only trouble in the long run - like prisons - I know they have to be built somewhere... but not in my backyard!

I would love to see Oklahoma raise its profile - and I don't think that yet another casino - be it Hard Rock or not - qualifies as good news in that department.

I understand how you feel bwana_bob. Though I dont agree, I understand. As for the Hard Rock thing, I don't see how or why HR would allow it. Other than dollars of course.

Although I like KOCO over the other stations, good old Maggie Carlo said this was going to be on I-35 between Britton and May. Um, excuse me Maggie but May does not run the same direction as Britton, nor does it intersect with I-35. Shows what reporting skills we have in tv journalism these days, all they know how to do is read the teleprompter.

Or it could have been a slip and it was too late to correct when she realized it?

Anyways...I don't care for the location much. I say along the river downtown would be a better place for a true resort type location. Especially if they bring in shows, additional unique restaurants, etc. If it is a Hard Rock location - then it would only make sense to have it next to the rest of the "entertainment" district.

The last thing this growing and improving city needs is a casino in OKC proper.

I'm by no means anti-casino, but I don't want one here and it won't be a tourist draw so it won't draw outside support (aside from the random road-trippers who see it on the freeway, I suppose).

If people want to blow their money, they just empty their gas tank too. Let them go to Norman or Shawnee or El Reno to gamble

Although I like KOCO over the other stations, good old Maggie Carlo said this was going to be on I-35 between Britton and May. Um, excuse me Maggie but May does not run the same direction as Britton, nor does it intersect with I-35. Shows what reporting skills we have in tv journalism these days, all they know how to do is read the teleprompter.

You are so right.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what our state or local government officials do. If the land is successfully granted trust status, it will be the sovereign soil of the tribe -- not subject to state and local regulation.

Of course, the city/state might have a trump card here... I don't know.. The city/state could refuse to supply water/power/gas to the tribe (maybe).

What is interesting to me here is that the Shawnee are a landless tribe attempting to deed land they bought commercially, in Oklahoma City into trust. I'm not sure what effect, if any that'll have on the trust process, but what I do know is that the outcome of that process is not something which OKC or Oklahoma can control.

The last thing this growing and improving city needs is a casino in OKC proper.


What do you call Remington Park?

Usually the local government is required to provide utilities to property owners at the owner expense. However, since this would not be considered US soil then I would say that they don't. What I would like to see tested is that a fence be put around the proprty and have people leaving the casino go through customs and need a passport to get back to the US. That would be funny.

On a related note, I went to the Seminole Indian casino in Tampa before it was a Hard Rock and there was so much cigarette smoke in the air I think I got cancer instantly. My second breath killed the just created cancer cells.

Usually the local government is required to provide utilities to property owners at the owner expense. However, since this would not be considered US soil then I would say that they don't. What I would like to see tested is that a fence be put around the proprty and have people leaving the casino go through customs and need a passport to get back to the US. That would be funny.

On a related note, I went to the Seminole Indian casino in Tampa before it was a Hard Rock and there was so much cigarette smoke in the air I think I got cancer instantly. My second breath killed the just created cancer cells.

You could probably make some money off that breath of yours.

I wouldnt mind seeing a large casino in okc, it will bring jobs, okay i know most people here on this board are thinking, but it will not be bring jobs tha pay well, but hey okc laid out the red carpet for all these call center jobs that pay 11.95 hr or less, so why dont we change it up a bit and have a large casino hotel in the city where people have more of a job selection, I think it would be great if it was planned right, I mean I dont want to see a riverwind remake, that casino is a joke, there is nothing to do but just gamble, If they builda resort in okc I think it sould have a large upscale promenade, entertainment for the family hotels, and themed restaurants for all. I love the vegas strip resorts because it offers so much more than gambling

I wouldnt mind seeing a large casino in okc, it will bring jobs, okay i know most people here on this board are thinking, but it will not be bring jobs tha pay well, but hey okc laid out the red carpet for all these call center jobs that pay 11.95 hr or less, so why dont we change it up a bit and have a large casino hotel in the city where people have more of a job selection

Hmmm... let's see...

Call centers - steady work with major companies that transitions work class from manufacturing jobs (i.e., Lucent, Bridgestone/Firestone, etc.) to white collar environment. Exposes companies to OKC as great place to grow. Helps land step-up Dell facility, etc. Workers have communication skills and experience with office productivity tools that translates to almost any industry. Job paths include supervisory positions. Work force mix includes at least 20% higher paying management and specialty skills positions (finance, HR, etc.).

Casinos - pays most people by the hour for "stepping stone" jobs such as craps dealer, bartender, cocktail waitress, cashier and security guard. Less than 5% of the work force mix includes higher paying management or specialty skill positions, even at the bigger resort-style casinos where you can now add housekeeper to the mix. Job paths include supervisory positions - but really - how many Fortune 500 businesses are going to hire the floor manager of a casino over the call center manager?

Not the same, not the same, not the same. Granted, a growth industry like gambling, with a basis in greed and human misery, has a great chance to be successful - but what does that say about our state? Is this how we want to define Oklahoma or Oklahoma City for that matter. There is already one Nevada - and along with casinos, they have the biggest nuclear waste dump in the country.

How to improve the image of our work force:
Nevada Council on Problem Gambling (http://www.nevadacouncil.org/pg_workspace.php?bi=1200492680)

Since my stance on the morality of gambling will certainly be a consequence of my continuing negativity surrounding yet another casino in the state, I will reiterate that I am not against gambling as a form of entertainment. I am against further expansion of this industry in our state because it is a unique form of business that can have a devastating impact on the citizens of our state when not kept in check. I like going to Las Vegas every few years or so... but after four days, I'm ready to go home. I set a limit for myself and I have the discipline to avoid the temptation of going beyond my limit, using a casino ATM or cashing my paycheck at the front door. If you have ever seen the effects of compulsive gambling on an individual or a family, it would give you pause. I'm not suggesting that the state can protect everyone from themselves but let's face it... our state took a serious pro-expansion stance on gambling with statewide propositions a few years ago. We are banking on the lottery, racinos and even tribal casinos to keep our tax rates in check. That is a poor way to govern our state. We lack leadership with the backbone to cut spending and to make us pay directly for those programs we want and/or need. Better to hide increases in gas taxes, tobacco taxes and a take on the lottery because you can keep encouraging irresponsible spending. It takes people time to figure out that each of these taxes has a negative consequence, i.e., the price of gas has a direct relationship to our cost for all forms of food and merchandise... and the lottery shortfalls might mean less spending on education, not more... and the tobacco taxes are diverted away from funds that are supposed to offset the state's burden for increased health care costs due to smoking related diseases in uninsured or under insured citizens.

I am not opposed to casino per say and I do enjoy playing roulette. However, tibal casinos to my knowledge only allow video slots and bingo. Those types of games don't attract the kind of gambler that traditional tables games do. Maybe if the casino was allowed to be like one in Vegas then I might be in favor of it. I also don't like the fact that Indian casinos don't have to answer to any regulatory authority. Just ask the guy that won $1.5 million in New Mexico at an Indian casino and they refused to pay it.

Captain's Quarters (http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/015403.php)
newsrush: All bets off as casino refuses to pay jackpot (http://newsrush.blogspot.com/2006/12/all-bets-off-as-casino-refuses-to-pay.html)
Fresno Bee Opinion Talk: Jackpot Watch (http://www.fresnobeehive.com/opinion/2006/09/jackpot_watch.html)

I am not opposed to casino per say and I do enjoy playing roulette. However, tibal casinos to my knowledge only allow video slots and bingo. Those types of games don't attract the kind of gambler that traditional tables games do. Maybe if the casino was allowed to be like one in Vegas then I might be in favor of it. I also don't like the fact that Indian casinos don't have to answer to any regulatory authority. Just ask the guy that won $1.5 million in New Mexico at an Indian casino and they refused to pay it.

Captain's Quarters (http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/015403.php)
newsrush: All bets off as casino refuses to pay jackpot (http://newsrush.blogspot.com/2006/12/all-bets-off-as-casino-refuses-to-pay.html)
Fresno Bee Opinion Talk: Jackpot Watch (http://www.fresnobeehive.com/opinion/2006/09/jackpot_watch.html)

Actually, most of the tribal casinos around here have table games. That was approved in the sate question passed last year.

So you are saying I could drive up to the Hard Rock casino and play roulette the next time I am in town (after it is finished of course).

So you are saying I could drive up to the Hard Rock casino and play roulette the next time I am in town (after it is finished of course).

I'm not sure if they have roulette. I know they have card games.

Here is a story about it. It shows what they want to do with the area towards the end... Sounds very promising and I actually think that if they included everything that they stated that is would be a huge addition to Adventure District.


OKCBUSINESS

"Oklahoma City officials, Shawnee Tribal leaders share $400-million resort plans

Greg Pitcher, chairman of Shawnee Development, L.L.C., speaking about the proposed Shawnee Destination Entertainment Resort, during a press conference at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Photo/Mark Hancock



Pamela Grady
1/23/2008

Oklahoma City officials and members of the Miami, Okla.-based Shawnee Tribal leaders today announced they have filed a formal application with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to begin the process of putting 104 acres of northeast Oklahoma City land into federal trust for the development of a high-quality destination entertainment resort.

“This project is yet another example of investors responding to a very vibrant and growing economy here in Central Oklahoma,” Roy Williams, president and CEO of Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, said.

Chairman of Shawnee Development LLC Greg Pitcher said the resort will create thousands of jobs for Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County and will complement the nearby Adventure District and give neighboring businesses an economic boost.

Initial analyses by experts including Applied Economics, a national economic consulting firm working closely with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, show the destination resort would draw approximately 2.4 million visitors a year.

“Initial economic numbers show that the resort will have a significant economic impact at $354 million per year and it will create 2,000 local good paying jobs with benefits,” Pitcher said. “What we propose is much more than a casino, it’s a major-league project that will bring major-league economic benefits to Oklahoma City.”

Pitcher added, as part of an agreement to be signed with leaders of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County, the Tribe would make multimillion-dollar payment to local government. The agreement would also ensure the Shawnee facility complies with all local, state and federal laws and regulations regarding operations, traffic and environmental standards.

The Shawnee Tribe arranged for the purchase of 104 acres west of Interstate 35 between Britton Road and Wilshire Boulevard in November. The Tribe is in discussions with potential partners for the resort project including well-know development firms and a number of highly-respected brands.

“One of the things about this project is that it will take what is already good and make it even better,” Pitcher said. “When we get to the point when we’re ready to open the doors to this destination entertainment resort, people will know about, they will be excited about it and they will want to be a part of it.”

Conceptual drawings of the $400-million Shawnee Destination Entertainment Resort project detail an 18-story, 400-room upscale hotel, five-name-brand restaurants, a casino, a 10,000-square-foot spa facility, a 70,000-square-foot retail promenade, a 2,400-seat performance hall, a 15-screen cinema and a 72-lane bowling center.

Further, the entertainment resort will hold 3,500 slot machines, 100 table games, two casino bars, a high limit gaming area, poker room and night club. A 3,000-seat meeting and exhibit hall will be located on site as well."

NewsOK: Tribe plans casino, hotel in OKC (http://newsok.com/article/3196102/1201111881)

Wed January 23, 2008
Tribe plans casino, hotel in OKC
By Tony Thornton
Staff Writer

An Oklahoma tribe announced plans today to build a $400 million casino and conference center in northeast Oklahoma City.

The tribal casino would be the first for Oklahoma City if the Shawnee Tribe can overcome land issues and opposition from Remington Park.

The pari-mutuel horse track and casino is three miles south of the 104 acres the tribe recently bought along Interstate 35 between Britton and Wilshire.

At a news conference this morning, the tribe announced these aspects of the $400 million project:

An 18-story, 400-room hotel, featuring a spa and salon, fitness center and banquet rooms.
A casino with 2,000 slot machines and 75 table games.
A 16-screen movie theater.
A 72-lane bowling alley.
A 2,400-seat performance hall.
A 70,000-square-foot retail shopping area.
Parking for 3,500 vehicles.
The Shawnee Tribe is based in Miami, OK, roughly 185 miles from the casino site.

Roy Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, spoke at the tribe's news conference, calling the project "a significant endeavor."

In an interview later, Williams said the chamber isn't necessarily endorsing the plan, but rather is in a fact-finding stage.

He conceded the chamber may have to juggle its loyalty to Remington Park against the 1,900 new jobs the tribe promises.

Greg Pitcher, who is overseeing the project for the tribe, said it "must be good for Oklahoma City to be good for the Shawnee Tribe."

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett previously has said he doesn't support the casino. Remington Park General Manager Scott Wells has said it would "entirely devastate" his casino.

Pitcher said the tribe plans to negotiate with both the track and the city. A revenue-sharing agreement is possible, he said.

Tuesday, the tribe submitted a trust land application the size of three Oklahoma City-area phone books to the federal government, Pitcher said.

He said he hopes to receive Bureau of Indian Affairs approval within 18 months.

Getting approval for that application will be more complex since the tribe has announced its plans in advance, Pitcher said.

Placing Indian land in trust for a casino requires an environmental study and consent from state and local governments. Normal trust land applications aren't as demanding.

©2008 Produced by NewsOK.com

Wow. Where does a landless tribe find $400 million in financing?!

Given the location, I do think this will be huge for Frontier City and tourism for OKC in general.

I must admit I was skeptical at first, but this is sounding better. I wonder if something like this will have any negative impact on a NBA relocation proposal.

Its not that close to the adventure district. Its kinda in the middle of nothing...No houses nothing. But I think itd be better if there werent houses right next to it anyways. But anyways, Yeah its kinda far from the adventure district.... Maybe they can extend to to all the blank land next to where the casino would go if its approved.

I'm not super keen on expanding gambling, but this would definitely help that area grow. It kind of a hole in metro development.

I'm not real big on these Oklahoma Indian casinos, mainly becuase the gaming sucks and it's not regulated in any way to protect the gamer. However, this looks like what I'd want if Oklahoma City was to get a casino. It's more like a resort that has a casino than a casino that has some rooms attached to it. In the end, it's probably the only way you're going to see such a luxury resort built in Oklahoma City. As planned there'd be lots to do other than gaming. In fact, the gaming would probably the the least attractive entertainment option for me, but the out of town gamers would basically make it so Oklahoma City would have a luxury hotel with spa, restaurants, theater entertainment, etc. Not bad really.

And I like the fact that it would fill in some of our rural land within the city, instead of being downtown. I hope that downtown becomes more urban neighborhood and business oriented and I'm not sure if a casino would really be all that great for the emerging neighborhoods down there.

Also, I'm not really sure why I should feel sorry for Remington Park. Can they not build a resort? If they could, that'd be an even better idea. I'm not sure what they are not allowed to do, but this whining when they've blown plety of opportunities doesn't really move me, while a $400 million resort in Oklahoma City really doesn't sound that bad, even if it happens to have a casino with crappy gaming attached to it. As long as it's done like they've drawn it up, it could be a great thing for the city... and it'll be kind of tucked off to the side. :)

Of course Remington Park opposes the idea, they don't want the competition! I'm not really a supporter of gaming, but I do support competition among those who want to earn their revenue. When businesses compete, the product tends to get better. In this case, although we may end up with casinos, at least we'll have nice resorts and casinos instead of the crap that's currently saturating Oklahoma. I just hope the tribe follows through what they're advertising if they were allowed to build such a place.

If Remington Park is afraid of losing their clientele because of this, they need to figure out a way to compete. Are any laws holding back Remington Park in what gaming they can perform?

landless tribes gaining reserved land like this for casinos have had a hard time lately, place the odds of it happening here at less than 10%

landless tribes gaining reserved land like this for casinos have had a hard time lately, place the odds of it happening here at less than 10%

... which is probably why the tribe has proposed this pie in the sky plan. If they can get local government support, they could actually get trust status for the land. Then, they could build an outhouse with a single slot machine if they wanted to.

I'm still wondering how a landless tribe gets $400 million in financing.

I'm kind of back and forth on this issue. I am completely opposed to a trashy indian casino--even something on the level of Riverwind. It sounds like this could be something much more, which should be a prerequisite to it even being considered.

While I don't really have any strong desire to support this plan, I don't see why the city should be so protective of Remington. Sure, it is a unique place because of live horse racing, but other than that, the place feels like a 20-year old bowling alley with a spiffy area with digital poker. It doesn't seem like it is a huge revenue-generating establishment for the local economy, so....I don't know. Just seems ridiculous that a worn-out race track should get preference over a brand new $400 million resort.

Reading some comments by Remington Park management it appears that RP is restricted on the number of slots they can have. They should lift the restrictions and allow RP to build a hotel and similar conference facilites.

Conceptual drawings of the $400-million Shawnee Destination Entertainment Resort project detail an 18-story, 400-room upscale hotel, five-name-brand restaurants, a casino, a 10,000-square-foot spa facility, a 70,000-square-foot retail promenade, a 2,400-seat performance hall, a 15-screen cinema and a 72-lane bowling center.

if all this is going to be planned , i say build it build it now, i hate that vegas get all that money and tunica, 15 years ago was the poorest county in mississppi now its one of the richest in that state. I will definetly stay at home (spend money in the okc area), if we get those type of entertainment casinos

Reading some comments by Remington Park management it appears that RP is restricted on the number of slots they can have. They should lift the restrictions and allow RP to build a hotel and similar conference facilites.

Then again, if the horse track closes, we can get dolphins back at the zoo again.

I'd rather have dolphins than horses.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Shawnee Tribe wants to build a casino and resort in northeast Oklahoma City, but will face a long road if the project is to come to fruition. A number of obstacles stand in the way of a project that, if completed, would cost about $400 million.

It would include an entertainment resort on 104 acres, and could have an economic impact of $354 million annually on the city and county. It would employ about 1,900 people.

Preliminary plans call for an 18-story, 400-room hotel with restaurants, a casino, 2,400-seat performance hall and a 70,000-square-foot shopping center. One of the key issues will be placing the land into a federal land trust. The land sits between Interstate 35, Bryant Avenue, Britton Road and NE 82nd Street.

The Shawnee Tribe was originally in the eastern United States and forced west, ending up in Kansas and Oklahoma. In 1869 the tribe joined the Cherokee Nation, where it remained until 2000. In the 1980s the Shawnees made a push for federal recognition and in 2000 were granted status for a government-to-government relationship between the tribe and the United States through a special bill.

Since 2000, the tribe has been headquartered in Miami, Okla. The initiative is led by Greg Pitcher, chairman of Shawnee Development LLC.“At that time we became a landless restored tribe,” Pitcher said. “The language in that bill said we could not relocate ourselves within the historic boundaries of any other tribes in Oklahoma. Therefore, the only option for us is to go to an area that’s unassigned.”A map of Oklahoma shows the only unassigned lands are in the central part of the state and the panhandle.

On Tuesday, the tribe filed with the U.S. Department of the Interior to place the Oklahoma City land into trust for gaming purposes. Michael McBride, an Indian law and gaming attorney with Crowe & Dunlevy, said one section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, passed by Congress in 1988, says that a tribe cannot place land acquired after Oct. 17, 1988, into trust for gaming purposes unless it complies with certain provisions.

If the land is placed into trust, the U.S. government will accept the land on behalf of the tribe. It becomes U.S. government land for the benefit of the tribe and held in trust. McBride said the tribe must consult with local and state officials and nearby Indian tribes to convince the assistant secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior that it will benefit the tribe and its members and not be detrimental to surrounding community.

The site presents a further complication by being off the Shawnee reservation. Miami is about 200 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, which would make it hard for tribal members in Miami to seek work at the resort.“Those are factors that the secretary would take a pretty hard look at,” McBride said. “There’s a strong preference for providing employment for tribal members.”Opposition could also come from the Oklahoma horse industry, which expressed concern that the tribe had not contacted them, or nearby Remington Park, which has horse racing and a casino.

Scott Wells, general manager at Remington Park, said the tribe had not contacted them at all. Wells declined to comment further. Debbie Schauf, executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, said the horse industry in Oklahoma contributes $1.2 billion to the state’s economy each year and provides 50,000 full-time jobs.

“Oklahoma voters, with their vote of support for the horse racing industry and Oklahoma school children, approved a very restrictive expansion of gaming in 2004, and we believe that support was based in part on the public’s understanding of where gaming would and would not be permitted,” she said.

“Additional casinos in the Oklahoma City market or any other location in the state that was not previously designated as tribal lands were neither permitted nor contemplated at the time the state question was approved by voters.”Schauf said efforts to expand gaming, especially the Shawnee project, would in all probability create a financial disaster for Remington Park and the horse racing and breeding industry in the state.

Pitcher acknowledged that the tribe has not had discussions yet with Remington Park. He said this is simply the beginning of what will likely be a lengthy process if the resort is to be built. “Today is the first step in this process,” he said. “We anticipate working with the federal, the local and the state government during this long process.”

Pitcher said the focus will be working with several entities to benefit all parties.“For it to be good for the Shawnee it has to be good for Oklahoma City,” he said. “One of the ways that we can do this is to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County.”If an intergovernmental agreement is formed between the Shawnees, the city and the county, the tribe would make multimillion-dollar payments annually to the local governments.

Roy Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said he was impressed with the initial plans and congratulated the tribe for its vision, but stopped short of an endorsement.“What we’ve been asked to do is to be a part of hearing about the project, learning about the project and commenting about the project,” Williams said. “What we’re interested in is growing the pie here in terms of the economy. To the extent that this does that, that’s what we’re all about.”Williams said in the early stages of the project there will still be much to learn about the actual project and the dealings with the federal government that will be required to even get the project started.“This is really our first opportunity to see a lot of those details,” he said. “Up until this point it was them telling us what their process was because this is so different from a normal development project because of the tribal presence and the approval process going through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. We’re on the learning curve as are a lot of other people.”In the meantime the tribe will continue forward with the federal application process.

Pitcher said while many, including Mayor Mick Cornett, have reservations, the tribe hopes to continue working with local entities to sell them on the ultimate merits of the project and the economic impact it could have for central Oklahoma.“We appreciate the fact that the mayor, although he is not convinced yet, says he is willing to talk with us,” Pitcher said.



http://www.journalrecord.com/_images/articles/labsShawneeResortEntry%20copy.jpg
The Shawnee Tribe wants to build a casino and resort in northeast Oklahoma City, but will face a long road if the project is to come to fruition. A number of obstacles stand in the way of a project that, if completed, would cost about $400 million. It would include an entertainment resort on 104 acres, and could have an economic impact of $354 million annually on the city and county. It would employ about 1,900 people. Preliminary plans call for an 18-story, 400-room hotel with restaurants, a casino, 2,400-seat performance hall and a 70,000-square-foot shopping center.

Then again, if the horse track closes, we can get dolphins back at the zoo again.

I'd rather have dolphins than horses.

The dolphins will be at the new downtown Aquaticus facility built as part of MAPS 3 as a joint venture with OKC Zoo and using money supplied by the casino (pipe dream)

Also, I'm not really sure why I should feel sorry for Remington Park. Can they not build a resort? If they could, that'd be an even better idea. I'm not sure what they are not allowed to do, but this whining when they've blown plety of opportunities doesn't really move me,

I agree. Even if they are limited on the number of slots, I'm not aware of anything that's holding them back from creating a resort of some sort with a hotel and spa and retail and such.


The only thing about the Shawnee proposal that is a little (!!) is the 15-screen movie theatre. ANOTHER theatre? Tinseltown is like 2 miles away. This would certainly be the doom of Tinseltown.

More than 2 years ago, the Ioway Casino was announced for Chandler. 1500 slot machines, 50 tables and 250 rooms - plus a master plan boasting additional rooms, golf course, an entertainment and event center, and 'other' casino resort amenities. The project, slated for completion in early 2007 is now at the status of "preparing an environmental assessment (kill the spotted owls before anyone sees them), seeking NIGC approval and preparing architectural plans. The opening is now listed as "estimated early 2009."

At the time of the announcement, posters to this website said:

"Viva Oklahoma! Well, it's better than having to fly or drive to Vegas or Atlantic City to visit decent casinos."

"Great News! I'm all for new updated casinos."

Does anyone know if this thing is really going to be built? It seems like everyone associated with the Ioway would put their plans on hold until they see if the Shawnee Tribe can get their land placed into the trust.

I've been around this site for a while and I don't remember anything about a casino in Chandler.

Talk about an ODD location. It's not even on an interstate.

Ok. Let me make sure everything is crystal clear. Gambling is illegal in Oklahoma...except on tribal land. Where nothing is regulated and the state makes zero money off of it. But we can all play the lottery where the money is regulated and schools are making money and our teachers are getting paid as much as the surrounding states for the first time in history. Oh and wait - you can gamble at Remington because they already have horses you can bet on. But you can't play card games. That's gambling and illegal. We won't allow a casino to be built within the okc metro area - unless one of the indian nations builds it. So we can give less money to the one and only casino that is state regulated and go give it to the tribe because they let you play cards and pretend to let you win.

Am I missing anything???????? Cause I really don't understand who in the heck is making all of these rules up!! It sounds an awful lot like the version of Monopoly my son and I play when he is losing. He tends to create more rules to benefit his plays. But in this case it sounds like the more rules that are being made, the more the state gets screwed.

Here is one thing you are missing...

Excerpted from the Tulsa World, Nov. 11, 2007:

While Indian gaming has proved to have staying power, it continues to evolve. Oklahoma voters chimed in with the passage of Question 712 in November 2004. It ushered in a new era of Indian gaming with electronic devices akin to Vegas-style slot machines and card games. It also approved compact agreements between the state and tribes for a share of casino revenues.

To date, about 31 tribes have signed gaming compacts with the state. These tribes have made total "payments in lieu of taxes" of about $75.6 million, state finance figures show.

Although I would probably never set foot in it, someone I know commented that casinos are very popular with convention goers. I suppose if it's really attractive and has lots of entertainment options it could be another attraction for Oklahoma City. We need things for conventioneers to do when they're not sitting in boring meetings. If they can't shop downtown, I suppose they could go to a casino. So I would reluctantly be in favor of it, if it were a destination style development.

The casino planned by the Shawnee Tribe looks a lot like the Cherokee Casino and Resort in Tulsa, which has a high rise hotel attached, a golf course, and other amenities. If we're going to do casinos, I think high class casino resorts, where the high rise hotel is attached to the casino is the way we need to go.

Too many tribal casinos are like Winstar, where the casino building is separated from a "mo"tel.

I'd be for the Shawnee tribe's proposal, if they build all they have planned.

A 400 Mil dollar project that will create jobs during the construction phase. After completion the project will employ 1,900 workers, possibly help attract conventions, and spur economic growth to an area of our City. Yet, our Mayor opposes it. Seems our Mayor is sending mixed messages.

He opposes it for religious reasons, of course.

There is no going back on casinos in Oklahoma. The cat is out of the bag. Oklahoma should just go ahead and lift the dumb regulations on gaming (i.e. getting rid of the ante for blackjack!) and just let them be legit full-fledged casinos with craps and roulette and the like. The state should draw up a new compact where they get 10-15 percent of the profits so the casino industry in Oklahoma is not a joke in the world of gaming.

There is no going back on casinos in Oklahoma. The cat is out of the bag. Oklahoma should just go ahead and lift the dumb regulations on gaming (i.e. getting rid of the ante for blackjack!) and just let them be legit full-fledged casinos with craps and roulette and the like. The state should draw up a new compact where they get 10-15 percent of the profits so the casino industry in Oklahoma is not a joke in the world of gaming.I agree, and while we are at it lets allow for the operation of a sports book, so we can bet on the Sonics.

The casino planned by the Shawnee Tribe looks a lot like the Cherokee Casino and Resort in Tulsa, which has a high rise hotel attached, a golf course, and other amenities. If we're going to do casinos, I think high class casino resorts, where the high rise hotel is attached to the casino is the way we need to go.

Too many tribal casinos are like Winstar, where the casino building is separated from a "mo"tel.

I'd be for the Shawnee tribe's proposal, if they build all they have planned.

I agree completely, and also with what Betts said about a convention draw.

For so long, Oklahoma has been looked on as "oh, that place where you have cowboys" or "OKC - the bombing city". I travel frequently and when someone asks me where I'm from, those two responses are the most typical.

We need to be a destination known for more than Joads, cowboys or Ryder trucks. Although I'm not an NBA fan, having an NBA team would be a draw. On the same note - having a first-class resort casino, with multiple activities, would help our image improve in the eyes of the nation.

As a centrally located state, we could draw conventions and meetings from companies and other organizations who have attendees from coast-to-coast. I'm tired of Dallas getting all the business!

Casinos are not casinos in Oklahoma. Until they offer all the table games a Vegas casino offers they will not be the draw that they could be. For example the craps tables here are are ridiculous you don't even get to throw dice you call out 2 letters and you have to ante with each "roll". Remove the ludicrous laws that prevent them from actually being a casino and then build the Shawnee proposal and it will be a true draw.

What is the correlation with the horses and dolphins???

What is the correlation with the horses and dolphins???

There is a bacteria in horse waste that is toxic to dolphins. Wind from the stables at RP carried the bacteria to the dolphin tanks at the zoo and killed the dolphins. This is why horses and dolphins are mortal enemies in the animal kingdom. I just made that last part up.