Casino news from http://www.countywidenews.com/
Updated: Thursday, October 26, 2006
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation cut the ribbon Monday afternoon on its newest venture - FireLake Grand Casino. With a traditional Potawatomi blessing by Chairman John Barrett and thanks to contractors, designers, suppliers, and employees, the event kicked off a week-long Grand Opening for The Grand.
“We have built a beautiful box in which to put our slot machines and our games,” Barrett said. “But, (success) is really all about how welcome we make people feel.”
Linda Capps, CPN vice chairman, said the Grand will give the tribe the ability to provide more and better services to tribal members and be an even better neighbor and corporate citizen. “(There are) some real needs in this community,” Capps said. “We have some concerns over at Dale schools. They need water badly, and we hope that we can provide those services.”
Barrett noted that the tribe was very conservative financially in borrowing to build FireLake Grand. “One thing that we did (is that) we never - and never will - incur more debt than we have assets,” he said. The existing revenue from the CPN's casino at Hardesty Road and Gordon Cooper Drive is adequate to pay the FireLake Grand note, Barrett said.
Capps credited Barrett's vision as the driving force for making FireLake Grand a reality. “We purchased this land in 1999,” she said. “At that time, little did we know that, one of these days, it would be the showplace of Pottawatomie County.”
The new casino features 125,000 square feet of gaming space; more than 1,800 of the newest Class 3, Vegas-style compacted gaming machines; a variety of table games including Blackjack, Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, Three Card Poker, Craps, Spinnette (roulette), War, and Red Dog; a multi-level Hot Rewards Players Club where players can earn rewards and comps for casino play; multiple kiosks for cashing out slot tickets, exchanging bills, and redeeming points; check-cashing and credit/debit services; a 1,700-seat event center for concerts, sporting events, entertainers, and major casino contests, such as the World Poker Tour; upscale and casual dining options including the Embers Steakhouse and Lounge, the GrandStand Sports Grille, the Roasted Bean Café, and Oklahoma's largest buffet, the Grand Buffet; and Fire and Ice Lounge on the casino's second floor.
FireLake Grand Casino was designed by Yates-Silverman Inc., a Las Vegas-based casino interior design firm with 40 years of experience in the gaming industry. The casino's interior features a dramatic two-story tall glass and light sculpture representing fire.
The opening of FireLake Grand Casino completes the first of three phases of the FireLake enterprises project. Phase 2 is already underway and will include the construction of the FireLake Grand Casino Hotel. Slated to be seven stories tall with 30 suites on each level, the hotel will be accessed through the southwest side of the casino. Phase 3 will be the creation of the 100,000-square foot FireLake Grand Coliseum, a for events and concerts. This structure will replace the existing events center, which will subsequently be converted into a retail shopping outlet.
FireLake Grand Casino will bring as many as 2,000 jobs to the region by the completion of Phase 2. Also, because all slots and games at FireLake Grand are Class 3, Oklahoma Compact games; six percent of all net gaming revenue will be channeled directly to education in Oklahoma. In addition, as part of the development of the casino, new water treatment and sewage plants will provide water to the town of Dale and the casino's 100 percent geothermal technology will conserve energy usage by 35 to 50 percent.
FireLake Grand Casino is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. It is located at 777 Grand Casino Boulevard, I-40 at Exit 178. For more information, call 405-96-GRAND or visit online at www.FireLakeGrand.com.
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