- Choctaw Casino Resort
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Choctaw Casino Resort 
Address 4418 Highway 69/75
Durant, Oklahoma 74701Opening date March 8, 2006 No. of rooms 330 Total gaming space 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) Notable restaurants Butterfields Buffet
1832 Steakhouse
Tomatillo Mexican Grill
Jackpot Java
The Salt Lick Bar-B-QueCasino type Land-Based Owner Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Years renovated 2008 Website Choctaw Casino Resort The Choctaw Casino Resort is a luxury casino and hotel located in Durant, Oklahoma. The hotel tower has 12 floors and contains 330 rooms and suites, and a casino covering more than 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) with over 3,000 slot machines. The $300 million resort is the flagship of the Choctaw Nation gaming industry, and is a recently completed expansion of the original Choctaw Casino Resort.
Contents
History
The Choctaw Casino Resort sits on a site with two other casinos, the Choctaw Casino Bingo and the original Choctaw Casino Resort. The Choctaw Casino Bingo was built in 1987 and was the first of the Choctaw gaming franchise; it houses the bingo hall, which has over 800 seats, and also has over 700 slot machines. The Bingo Hall Closed in Feb. 2010. The original Resort was built in 2006 and has over 1,600 slot machines and a 101 room adjacent hotel.
Tourists
The Choctaw Casino Resort and Choctaw Casino Bingo complex is a major tourist destination for Durant, the State of Oklahoma, North Texas, including the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kansas. Some 5,000-6,000 people patronize the facility each week, about 300,000 annually. About 81 percent of the casino's customers are from Texas, and the casino is heavily marketed on television, radio, and the internet to people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.[1] Marketing materials put emphasis on the casino's location as being "One Hour North of Dallas."
Expansion
The new Choctaw Casino Resort hotel at night.
A few years after opening the original Resort, tribal officials determined that they built too small for their clientele and went underway with an expansion. The demolition of the Choctaw Coliseum in late January 2008 made way for the expansion at the resort. The new casino is about 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2)., and has over 3,000 slot machines. The hotel is 12 stories tall, and amasses over 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2)., and has 330 rooms. All projects were completed in late January 2010, and the grand opening was February 9, 2010. The new casino is among the largest in Oklahoma and the United States.
After the opening of the casino to the public, the current Choctaw Casino will be closed for remodeling to look more similar to the new casino.
In May 2008, US 69/75 and Choctaw Road were expanded by resurfacing, adding more lanes and turning lanes to accommodate increasing traffic.
Facilities
The Oasis
In addition to the casino's gaming floor, the Choctaw Casino & Resort features The Oasis swimming area where visitors will find multiple pool areas, water slides, Jacuzzis, cabanas, and dive-in movies being shown on an inflatable screen during the summer months.
Choctaw Wellness Center
Located within the resort is the Choctaw Wellness Center. It is located directly north of the Choctaw Inn. This facility offers a wide range of equipment and amenities for member use. It includes the following:
- Complete line of Paramount Selectorized Strength Training Machines
- Variety of Free Weight Equipment
- Six Treadmills
- Four Elliptical Trainers
- Three Recumbent Cycles
- Cardio Theater Wireless Transmitter System - connected to Big Screen Plasma Televisions
- An Aerobics Room
- Full Size Gymnasium (Basketball and Volleyball Equipment Available)
- Batting Machine and Cage
- Indoor Walking Track
- Classroom / Conference Room available
- Climate Controlled Setting
- Use of Dry Sauna, Steam Room, and Whirlpool Facility
- Shower and Locker Rooms
- Towel Service
- Healthy Snack Bar
Choctaw Nation Event Center
After the demolition of the Coliseum, the Choctaw Arena was remodeled and expanded into the Event Center, providing a new facility for concerts and other venues. The Event Center officially opened in June 2008.
Choctaw Nation
The Choctaw casinos in Oklahoma are owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, under the leadership of Gregory E. Pyle (Chief) and Gary Batton (Assistant Chief). Proceeds from the casino are used to fund many development programs benefiting local communities and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Sources
- Choctaw Casinos Oklahoma
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association
- National Indian Gaming Commission
References
External links
- Choctaw Casino & Resort on TravelOK.com including video Official Travel & Tourism website for the State of Oklahoma
Categories:- Choctaw
- Casinos in Oklahoma
- Buildings and structures in Bryan County, Oklahoma
- Native American casinos
- Visitor attractions in Bryan County, Oklahoma
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