Choctaw Casino Resort

Choctaw Casino Resort
Address 4418 Highway 69/75
Durant, Oklahoma 74701
Opening date March 8, 2006
Number of rooms 431
Total gaming space 218,844 sq ft (20,331.3 m2)
Notable restaurants Butterfields Buffet
1832 Steakhouse
Tomatillo Mexican Grill
Jackpot Java
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que
Casino type Land-Based
Owner Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Renovated in 2008
Website Choctaw Casino Resort

The Choctaw Casino Resort is a casino and hotel complex located in Durant, Oklahoma. The complex has 218,844 sq ft (20,331.3 m2) of gaming floor, over 4,200 slot machines, a total of 776 hotel rooms, and is owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The resort has two casinos and two hotels within the complex. The South Casino was completed in 2006 with 108,844 sq ft (10,111.9 m2)[1] of floor space, and the North Casino was completed in 2010 with 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2)[2] more floor space. Choctaw Inn has 101 hotel rooms, and the newer Grand Tower has 204,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) of floor space, 330 rooms and suites, and is 12 floors tall. The $360 million resort is the flagship of the Choctaw Nation gaming industry.

History

Looking east towards the North Casino and Grand Tower.

The Choctaw Casino Resort sits on a 50-acre site, adjacent to the former Choctaw Casino Bingo. The Choctaw Casino Bingo was built in 1987 and was the first of the Choctaw gaming franchise. In 2006, the original $60 million resort (now known as the South Casino) was completed with the construction. Soon after completion, tribal officials determined they built too small for their clientele and went underway with an expansion. In February 2010, a larger casino was built adjacent to the existing resort and became known as the North Casino. The Grand Hotel Tower is built atop the North Casino. The Bingo Hall then closed in shortly after the opening of the expansion.

Tourists

The North Casino and Grand Tower at night.

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.[3] Marketing materials put emphasis on the casino's location as being "One Hour North of Dallas."

Facilities

The Choctaw Lodge and Choctaw Inn

In addition to the main Tower the Choctaw Lodge has 59 rooms and offers a free breakfast. The Choctaw Inn offers over 100 rooms and is built next to the Oasis and is linked to the Casino. Both of these properties were refurbished in December 2012 to a high standard.

The Choctaw Lodge is total non smoking and is pet friendly as it accepts bookings with guests travelling with pets (it is the only one of the three hotels on site to accept pets for a small cleaning fee)

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:

The District

Completed in September 2015, the District is a community entertainment center that is open to the general public. The District contains the following attractions:

The District is a non-smoking area.[4]

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

References

  1. ↑ H-Net Discussion Networks - FYI: News Items of Interest, 3/4/2006 (5 items)
  2. ↑ Choctaw Casino Durant expansion will add 1,000 new jobs
  3. ↑ Choctaw Casino plans to build destination resort | NewsOK.com
  4. ↑ Choctaw Casino Resort - The District

External links

Coordinates: 33°57′07″N 96°24′52″W / 33.95194°N 96.41444°W / 33.95194; -96.41444

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