The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma announced Wednesday that it has selected a management partner for a new casino resort located “off Interstate 44,” somewhere on the Turner Turnpike between Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
The tribe said it has selected Caesars Entertainment Inc. as its management partner for the Harrah’s-branded facility.
“Caesars Entertainment is the largest gaming company in North America,” Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Chairman Perri Ahhaitty said in a written statement. “They have a strong track record of partnering with Native American Tribes across the country, making them an easy choice to help us develop a world-class, full-service resort experience.”
The statement indicates that the resort will be built in phases with a casino and several dining options available when the property opens, with a hotel coming later.
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No details were announced regarding when construction will launch or where the facility will be located.
However, tribal boundary maps maintained by the state of Oklahoma indicate that only a small portion of I-44 is within the Iowa Tribe’s historic reservation boundaries.
Lincoln County Assessor’s Office records indicate that the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma owns a vacant 65-acre tract of land immediately south of I-44 about five miles west of Chandler.
The land is immediately north of the Iowa Tribe’s existing Ioway Casino, located off Oklahoma 66. The 900-plus member tribe also operates the Cimarron Casino in Perkins.
A spokesperson for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said the tribe had approached the state agency “a few years ago” regarding building a new Turner Turnpike interchange east of Wellston — which is about a dozen miles west of Chandler.
There has been no recent communication on the topic, though, spokesman T.J. Gerlach said.
The toll road has entrance and exit ramps at Wellston and at Chandler.
Robert Livingston, senior vice president of development for Caesars Entertainment, said his company is “honored to be selected by the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma to help them achieve their goals, and we’re looking forward to bringing Harrah’s to a new market.”
“With properties throughout the Midwest, Harrah’s is the perfect brand fit for Oklahoma,” he continued.
A representative for the tribe designated on the news release as the media contact could not be reached for comment.
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curtis.killman@tulsaworld.com