New Casino From Chickasaw Nation Opens in Oklahoma

Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby highlighted the tribe's initiative to bolster local economies. (Image: Associated Press / Alamy)

Continuing its determined expansion across the state of Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Nation has officially opened its new Lakecrest Hotel and Casino property following over two years of planning and construction.

The federally-recognized tribe revealed its latest gambling-friendly development is situated on the outskirts of the small city of Ardmore, some 30 miles from Oklahoma’s border with Texas, and features a 70,000 sq ft casino hosting approximately 1,000 slots as well as eight gaming tables offering blackjack, poker, roulette, and craps entertainment.

Being run under the auspices of the Chickasaw Nation Office of the Gaming Commissioner, the Lakecrest Hotel and Casino is located near the 12,500-acre Lake Murray State Park and additionally encompasses a 58,000 sq ft hotel with 89 rooms, a resort-style pool, a business center, conference rooms and an RV park.

Economic Expansion

Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby told the Johnston County Sentinel that his tribe’s opening of the Lakecrest Hotel and Casino shows its commitment towards supporting the communities across its 13-county treaty territory. The 78-year-old also disclosed the fresh Carter County project is expected to employ more than 200 people and annually hand out some $3.7 million in wages.

“This project is expected to generate a great deal of jobs in the community and revenues that will be used to fund and expand programs and services for Chickasaw people and help meet our mission of enhancing the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people,” Anoatubby said.

Lasting Legacy

Dan Boren serves as the Chickasaw Nation’s Secretary of Commerce and he told the newspaper that studies conducted on his tribe’s behalf showed the new Lakecrest Hotel and Casino would benefit the regional economy to the tune of approximately $102.4 million in its first year alone. He went on to explain this figure included construction but is expected to have risen to something like $307.6 million by the end of 2029.

“We believe this project will become a destination location and economic engine for the region,” Boren said. “This project continues to leverage our experience in providing entertainment, retail, and hospitality while attracting visitors from Texas, Arkansas, and surrounding states.”

Expanding Enterprise

The Ardmoreite reported the debut of the Lakecrest Hotel and Casino comes just eleven months after the Chickasaw Nation opened its 40-room West Bay Casino and Resort development along the shores of nearby Lake Texoma. 

This three-story property was built on the site of the former Lake Texoma State Lodge, complete with a 40-room hotel, a 9,600 sq ft casino, meeting rooms, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a business center, while its premiere took the tribe’s total estate of casino locations and gaming centers up to 30.

This newspaper went on to estimate the Chickasaw Nation’s annual economic benefit to the state of Oklahoma at $5.5 billion, with its employee base of around 34,400 people annually taking home aggregated wages and benefits of about $1.8 billion. 

The tribe is said to have disclosed that a large proportion of its employees work at rural tourist attractions, which allows it to support these frequently overlooked communities by providing their populations with local economic opportunities.