I know this forum is about OKC, but I thought you all would be interested to know what is happening in Tulsa. The Creek nation announced their expansion plans for their casino, or let me say their Billion dollar resort! Read the story!

http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?whichpage=1&id=79523

Very exciting for the Creek Nation.

It does make us look incredibly silly for saying that gambling is still illegal in our state. It's like saying "No! We do not want more money that we'd have to do nothing to get!"

That sounds like it might be a really great attraction for Tulsa! Let everybody on the Tulsa forum know we here in OKC only wish them the best.

That is great! Can't wait to come visit ... less than two hours away - :biggrin:

That is great! Can't wait to come visit ... less than two hours away - :biggrin:

I'll never go.

I don't like casinos. Too smokey and too loud.

I do think that the government should not regulate who can own them though.

Hopefully the Firelake Grand Casino Resort east of OKC in Shawnee will be as good.

It's not a billion dollar casino, it's $100 million, KOTV is wrong.

http://www.fox23.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=82DFD990-99B3-401F-B8C7-60A8B5931BFE
http://www.nevadagold.com/gaming/muscogee.html

The Creek casino still will be the largest casino project in the state to date. The Cherokee casino was a $80 million project.

The Chickasaw and Choctaws are building casinos around 200 mil closer to TX as we speak...and those casinos aren't going to be done after that. The Chickasaws had an analyst that told them that they are going to need around 1500 rooms to satisfy the market.

But that does seem more realistic that the casino will be 100 mil instead of 1 billion.

How many casinos are there in Oklahoma now? I don't know anything about gambling but won't the market eventually become saturated with mediocre casinos.

There are 80 known facilities across the state, but the major resorts planned will be anything but mediocre. These resorts are being built to cater to markets beyond Oklahoma, namely Texas, with 22 million residents. I doubt every tribe will build a major casino resort. However, the right locations for these casinos will prove to be a financial boon to Oklahoma.

As of this point, 5 such large casino resorts are planned, with one already completed. Casinos such as Lucky Star, at this point, are not so lucky. I doubt Thunderbird will get very far, with such a remote location, even though they've completed a few expansions. But casinos in prefabricated metal buildings are unattractive, and turn away those looking for good gaming entertainment. I personally am looking forward to the racino opening at Remington Park. Now that will be good gaming entertainment in a world class facility.

Without table games at Remington Park, I will see no need to go.

Currently, after visiting many casinos across the state, I'd have to say the nicest in the state at this time is Cherokee Casino, on the eastern edge of Tulsa. At this time, it's the only resort casino in the state. If you haven't visited it yet, I encourage you to do so. One can only hope that the Creek Nation Casino will be just as nice, if not better. I visited their current facility last fall, and it wasn't impressive. But, at the time, I was aware of the expansion plans, so I knew better gaming was on the way for the Creek Nation. I wish them all the best.

I'll also be excited to see what changes are made at Winstar, currently the state's largest casino, when expansion begins later this year. I would imagine that expansion plans at Winstar will resemble those at Creek Nation and Cherokee.

For once, it would be nice to see out-of-towners cross into Oklahoma for gaming.

Anyone been to Firelake Grand in Shawnee? It just recently opened.

From pictures, this seems to be even more "Vegas-like" than the Riverwind in Norman.

I have driven past it many times. For Oklahoma it is really nice. However, it is FAR from "Las Vegas style." In Las Vegas, it would be very, very small.

Anyone been to Firelake Grand in Shawnee? It just recently opened.

From pictures, this seems to be even more "Vegas-like" than the Riverwind in Norman.

Yes, my daughter and I went on Columbus Day and it was a nice surprise.

As a visitor to Vegas, Tunica, Laughlin, etc, I have not been impressed overall with Oklahoma casinos. I found Riverwind to be ok, but Firelake Grand was more "Vegas-like" than the norm. The two story layout made it seem less crowded and the decor was not garish. I also like the variety of slot machines - best I've seen in the state.

The buffet, billed as Oklahoma's largest, was a joke. The food selection was pitiful and the quality poor. I have heard, though, that the Sports Bar has great food.

Hi Lauri. We went to the Riverwind a couple weeks ago. We'll go back for a concert soon, there's just so many good ones to choose from there...

Blackjack is fun, but I don't even intend to spend over a hundred dollars gambling. What a waste of money...

I really like Riverwind.. believe it or not, the first few times we went we left with over $200 more than we started with - Wheel of Fortune and CrazyCatz .. last time, we were walking out the door and played the $1 slot machine just for kicks and won $50 on our last spin of the day.. it was really fun.. we'll be back in Nov to see Hootie and the Blowfish.. whoo hoo!

I can't wait to go to Firelake.

I usually don't like buffet food but the buffet at Remington on Friday nights was surprising good - all you can eat crab legs.. $10 with your card.

The buffet at Riverwind was not very good for lunch. Hopefully, they are working out the kinks. The Mexican food restaurant is pretty good - Tex/Mex - good fajitas..

Did anyone here catch food poisoning at the Riverwind?

Never had an issue with food poisoning at Riverwind. LOL

Though the buffet really needs to get more Vegas-like. What the hell is the deal with the chicken wings? Go to Wal Mart, but some meat and cook away. It's not that hard.

We happened to be unlucky enough to go to Riverwind after their "incident" in the kitchen. Some cleaning products were mixed and the casino had to be closed for 2 days due to concerns about fumes. the day we went, the casino was just opening back up, but no food places were open. With no food and no liquor license, that left my non-gambling S.O. with nothing to do but follow me around asking me if I was ready to go!:fighting2

I was smarter at Firelake Grand and took my daughter. We'll probably try Riverwind together as soon as the Army lets her have a weekend off.

I have to say - at both places, the employees were wonderful! I did play blackjack at Riverwind, but the 50 cent rake really messed with my plan!

I doubt I'll go more than 3-4 times a year. I have better things to do with my entertainment money.

Why don't these casinos have liquor? I find that shocking.

Most of them do, however, Riverwind lost their liquor license the first day they were open. One of the employees told me that the laws weren't clear on where liquor could be served.

Firelake Grand has a well stocked sports bar with excellent burgers!

Laws aren't clear?

Hire legal advice.

Riverwind Casino is in McClain County, where liquor by the drink is not allowed. How did they even get a liquor license? Was there some confusion as to where the casino was located? It's very close to the Cleveland County line, where liquor by the drink is served, but still within McClain County.

Riverwind Casino is in McClain County, where liquor by the drink is not allowed. How did they even get a liquor license?

I'd guess they would get away with it because they (Chickasaws) are a sovereign nation. :confused:

That's where it gets confusing. But I do know that the entities that be in McClain Co., especially the towns (Goldsby in particular) are embracing the new business the casino will bring, and the growth it could bring for them. Goldsby has a handful of hotels under construction, so it's fitting that they would be at the beck'n call as far as making liquor by the drink work for them.

RiverWind is nothing more than a large box on a huge piece of land. I don't see why all the excitement. Show me a real Las Vegas casino with hotel and all and maybe we'll talk.

I thought gambling was a sin.

I thought gambling was a sin.

No, I never said that.

RiverWind is nothing more than a large box on a huge piece of land. I don't see why all the excitement. Show me a real Las Vegas casino with hotel and all and maybe we'll talk.

RiverWind will have a hotel, parking garage, etc.

Firelake Grand already has their parking garage up with a hotel to come.

Baby steps... :tiphat:

I know Remington has a bar but I haven't seen any free cocktails. That's the only thing to get me through Vegas - the free drinks when I'm losing! ha,ha...

Of course, I always lose in Vegas.. I think they have to pay for the new casinos so the machines are tight.. I don't gamble very much and usually play nickels and quarters Slot machines.. I have won in Tahoe and Reno and on cruise ships and surprisingly here at Riverwind .. but never, ever in Vegas.. I still love it there though.

I know Remington has a bar but I haven't seen any free cocktails. That's the only thing to get me through Vegas - the free drinks when I'm losing! ha,ha...

Remington has free soft drinks and coffee like the other casinos, but no free alcoholic drinks, from what I understand. I didn't realize other casinos offered free cocktails.

Firelake has free soft serve ice cream, too!

Vegas and Tahoe/Reno are the only places I've been to that offer free cocktails.. but of course, you more than pay for them through gambling.. I diid a paper once about how manipulative casinos are in getting people to stay and gamble longer than they had planned. When you order a drink it takes forever for the waitress to come back....hmmm, what to do while I wait? ah ha! I'll put in a few more dollars! lol

It's all so contrived. I'm sure most of you know that there are no clocks on the walls, the lights are always on very bright - night and day, the machines are constantly making noise ( subliminal - making you think other people are always winning) and even the layout of the hotel casinos are all designed to have you walk through the gaming floor .. the carpet is multi colored leading you to the machines.. pretty amazing.

karrie...A little closer to home Tunica and Shreveport also offer free drinks....I always enjoy the free coronas while I gamble away several hundred dollars :fighting3

Enjoy? I have to drink to forget!

Ha,ha.. just kidding.. I'm really a wimpy gambler.. I just can't part with it that easily! I'm happy on nickels, an occasional quarter and if I'm feeling especially daring, I'll drop a dollar ( usually after I'm drunk - see it works!! ) ha,ha, again just teasing!

Million Dollar Elm casinos in Tulsa and Sand Springs have had dollar drinks in the past when I was there.

Cherokee Casino's drinks are expensive, but they are so busy being really the only "nice" casino I have seen in the state that they can charge whatever they want. That would also be why they are adding a second hotel tower, structured parking and more convention space.

Kansas City's casinos have also had dollar dinks when I have been there.