Oct 25, 2010 How is the slot payout at Winstar or Choctaw Casino? Are they fair? I would like to know how people feel about Winstar and Choctaw casinos. Favorite Answer. I think winstar is way better. Login to reply the answers Post; james. 276 reviews of Choctaw Casino Resort - Durant 'Last minute. Decided to stay and rate was the best. Thought about Winstar and no disrepect. But due to traffic from Dallas to OK went with Choctaw. Loved the dining options and drinks were.
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The tribe will dismantle its new coliseum to make room for 3,000 more electronic gambling machines.
Atop the expanded casino, the tribe plans a 10-story, 350-room hotel as the first phase in creating a destination resort.
'We built too small,” the tribe's gaming director, Janie Dillard, said of a renovation completed in January 2006.
'Nobody dreamed we'd need more machines when we built this facility. ... But on weekends, they (gamblers) are lined up three or four deep at the machines,” Dillard said.
Construction on the first phase will begin in January and is expected to be done in 2010.
Winstar Vs Choctaw Ok
The first phase also features a large pool area to include a lazy river, a swim-up soda bar and a water slide.
A 780-space parking garage will come later, Dillard said.
She wouldn't disclose the project's cost or the casino's annual revenue.
'We did very well this year. We exceeded everybody's expectations,” Dillard said.
One glance in the casino's parking lot or gift shop shows whose money the tribe is after.Texas license plates far outnumber Oklahoma tags, and Texas Longhorns memorabilia dwarfs Oklahoma Sooners apparel in the gift shop.
A recent market survey showed 81 percent of the Choctaw Casino's customers are from Texas.
That fact creates ambivalence for Dillard.
On one hand, it makes her proud that the Choctaw Nation was a major backer of State Question 712, which allowed for Las Vegas-style gambling at tribal casinos.
The 2004 proposal also promised the state a cut of casino profits.
Since the law took effect in 2005, the Choctaw Nation has paid the state $19.1 million, according to the Office of State Finance.
However, Dillard realizes that as the exodus of Texas gamblers grows, the impetus builds to legalize commercial gambling in that state.
Several previous efforts to legalize casinos have died at the Texas Capitol.
Dillard said those efforts weren't considered in the Choctaw Nation's current expansion plans.
'It's always in our mind. But you have to have a vision. Our market demands that we expand,” she said.
The expansion will be done in four or five phases through 2015, allowing the tribe to alter its plans if Texas approves casino gambling, Dillard said.
Two miles north of the Texas line on Interstate 35, the Chickasaw Nation plans a similar project: an 11-story, 400-room hotel, a convention center and enough WinStar gaming floor space to house 6,000 machines.
The existing amenities include a motel and a golf course.
Dillard said the WinStar expansion has no bearing on the Choctaws' plans and insisted the two tribes aren't in an arms race.
The reason: The two tribes split the metroplex market.
Those from Fort Worth and the west Dallas area head to WinStar, while gamblers living east of I-35 prefer the Choctaw Casino, Dillard said.
David Qualls, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, agrees with Dillard.
'I'd say they probably only share about one-third of their market. The other two-thirds are completely diverse from each other, and that one-third they share is an awfully big pool to draw from,” Qualls said.
Dillard is quick to note that the WinStar is a temporary, Sprung building while her tribe's casino is a permanent fixture.
'A tourist mecca — that's what we're after,” she said.
The big loser from both tribes' projects figures to be Shreveport, La., whose commercial casinos steadily have lost business to Oklahoma since WinStar opened in 2003.
'I'm sure we will hurt them,” Dillard said of both tribes' expansion plans.
Durant's growth the past decade is tied closely to the growth of the Choctaw Nation and its various casinos.The tribe accounts for 10 percent of Durant's work force, said Tommy Kramer, the city's economic development director.
He said a partnership between the two entities has evolved since Greg Pyle became Choctaw chief in 1997.
Tribe officials helped obtain grants for Durant's new 1.5 million-gallon water tower, and the tribe is paying the $850,000 construction cost for a fire station to be staffed by city firefighters.
That fire station will be near the casino, not far from two four-story hotels being built mainly to accommodate Texas gamblers.
'We wouldn't need either of them without the Choctaw Nation. You can't find a room here on the weekends because of the casino,” Kramer said.
Which Casino Is Better Winstar Or Choctaw
The highway averages 19,200 vehicles a day at that location. By comparison, I-35 near the WinStar Casino handles 24,000 per day.
One major difference: U.S. 69 has a stoplight in front of the casino, which leads to bottlenecks for concerts and other major events.
State Transportation officials say their eight-year construction plan includes $55 million in road improvements in the Durant area, but no aspects of the plan are tied to the casino's recent or planned growth.
State Transportation Director Gary Ridley said he plans to meet with Pyle and visit the expansion site to see what highway changes will be needed — and whether the tribe will help pay for them.
'They understand the traffic they are creating and how it is affecting the smooth flow. It doesn't help their area to have congestion or an area where people feel unsafe,” Ridley said.
Casino — Will add 300,000 square feet and 3,000 electronic machines, two restaurants and a buffet, two lounges and retail outlets.Hotel — 350 rooms and 177,000 square feet, to be built atop the casino. An existing hotel north of the casino will remain.
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Coliseum — Will be destroyed to make room for the casino expansion. Concerts, rodeos and other events will move to a nearby arena, which will be remodeled.
Event center — Will replace a rodeo arena north of the casino.
Oasis Pool — Will include a wading pool, swim-up soda bar, lazy river, water slide and whirlpools.
| Choctaw Casinos & Resorts | |
|---|---|
| Opening date | March 8, 2006 (Durant location) |
| No. of rooms | various |
| Total gaming space | 218,844 sq ft (20,331.3 m2) (Durant location) |
| Notable restaurants | Butterfields Buffet 1832 Steakhouse Tomatillo Mexican Grill Jackpot Java The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que |
| Casino type | Indian |
| Owner | Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma |
| Renovated in | 2008 |
| Website | Choctaw Casino Resort |
Choctaw Casinos & Resorts is a chain of eight Indian casinos and hotels located in Oklahoma, owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
The original location in Durant has 218,844 sq ft (20,331.3 m2) of gaming floor, over 4,200 slot machines, and 776 hotel rooms. 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.
- 3Durant
- 3.2Facilities
Locations[edit]
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- Choctaw Casino – Broken Bow
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- Choctaw Casino Hotel – Pocola
- Choctaw Casino Resort – Durant
- Choctaw Casino Resort – Grant
History[edit]
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, shortly after the opening of the expansion.
Durant[edit]
Tourism[edit]
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[edit]
The Choctaw Lodge and Choctaw Inn[edit]
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. The Choctaw Lodge is non-smoking and pet-friendly.
The Oasis[edit]
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[edit]
The Choctaw Wellness Center has amenities including a full gymnasium, batting cage, and an indoor walking track.
The District[edit]
Completed in September 2015, the District is an entertainment center with attractions including a video arcade, movie theater, bowling alley, and laser tag arena. The District is a non-smoking area.[4]
Choctaw Nation[edit]
The Choctaw casinos in Oklahoma are owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Proceeds from the casino are used to fund many development programs benefiting local communities and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Sources[edit]
References[edit]
Which Is A Better Casino Winstar Or Choctaw
- ^H-Net Discussion Networks - FYI: News Items of Interest, 3/4/2006 (5 items)
- ^Choctaw Casino Durant expansion will add 1,000 new jobs
- ^Choctaw Casino plans to build destination resort | NewsOK.com
- ^Choctaw Casino Resort - The District
Choctaw Casino Entertainment
External links[edit]
Coordinates: 33°57′07″N96°24′52″W / 33.95194°N 96.41444°W