Luxury casino-resort 100 miles from Dallas gambles on $500 million expansion

DPatel304
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Luxury casino-resort 100 miles from Dallas gambles on $500 million expansion

Postby DPatel304 » 25 Apr 2019 15:49

he Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is placing a more than $500 million bet on expanding the Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Oklahoma, roughly 100 miles northeast of Dallas.

The Choctaw Nation broke ground April 25 on a project that will add 1,000 hotel rooms to the Choctaw Casino & Resort — bringing the total to more than 1,600 and making it the Oklahoma hotel with the most guest rooms. In addition, plans call for a bigger gaming floor, new pools, a “lazy river” feature, a parking garage, more retail space, additional entertainment options and more restaurants.

The $500 million-plus expansion is set for completion in the spring of 2021. This will be the fourth major upgrade at the resort and casino since the property debuted in 2006.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/trave ... expansion/

I know this isn't exactly in Texas, but figured I'd post this anyway.

itsjrd1964
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Oklahoma: New addition to Choctaw Casino-Durant

Postby itsjrd1964 » 27 Apr 2019 08:32

Oklahoma's Choctaw resort and casino makes big play for business with new 1,000-room tower

Image

The expansion, which will come together in 2 years' time, will make the complex twice the size it is now, with more than 1650 rooms, pools (including a lazy river), entertainment space, and food/beverage spots. The Choctaw will become the largest hotel in OK when the project is complete.

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... room-tower

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tamtagon
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Re: Oklahoma: New addition to Choctaw Casino-Durant

Postby tamtagon » 27 Apr 2019 08:50

so, like, how does Durant compare to Shreveport as far as a destination for North Texas gamblers?

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Hannibal Lecter
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Re: Oklahoma: New addition to Choctaw Casino-Durant

Postby Hannibal Lecter » 27 Apr 2019 11:35

Shreveport is more of a local market now. Oklahoma is about half the distance from DFW. Winstar in Oklahoma is now the world's largest casino. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/big ... world.html

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tamtagon
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Re: Oklahoma: New addition to Choctaw Casino-Durant

Postby tamtagon » 27 Apr 2019 11:44

Doh!

I knew about Winstar but totally forgot about it, certainly didn't connect the dots to it's Choctaw neighbor. I looked at the map and instantly jumped to an imagined string of Lake Texhoma resort casinos and paddle boats. So long Lake Charles, Bossier... Oklahoma is next up.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Oklahoma: New addition to Choctaw Casino-Durant

Postby itsjrd1964 » 27 Apr 2019 16:28

Supposedly, OkDOT is planning to improve US 69-US 75 in the Calera/Choctaw/south-of-Durant stretch into a more freeway-ish setup where there won't be stop lights at all through Calera. This will also include conversion of the dumb light on the north side of Choctaw where the smoke shops/travel centers are, into a full exit. That should have been done *years* ago. I have a feeling a lot of this wouldn't have been considered if the Choctaw casino-resort weren't there.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Oklahoma: New addition to Choctaw Casino-Durant

Postby itsjrd1964 » 27 Apr 2019 16:41

tamtagon wrote:so, like, how does Durant compare to Shreveport as far as a destination for North Texas gamblers?


IDK about current numbers comparing the 2 destinations. If you want your choice of 6 casinos, a horse race track, and being able to drink till 6am, then Shreveport is your answer. If you want a shorter drive to get your gamble on, then it's all about Choctaw and Winstar. Supposedly, according to the DMN article, TX is by far the largest market that Choctaw draws from. Funny how each will have their own "biggest" claim-to-fame: Winstar being the biggest casino, Choctaw being OK's biggest hotel.

Tnexster
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Re: Luxury casino-resort 100 miles from Dallas gambles on $500 million expansion

Postby Tnexster » 29 Apr 2019 21:39

That has really turned into quite a place. I remember when the biggest thing going up there was the cheap cigarettes that people used to stop and buy by the carton.

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I45Tex
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Re: Luxury casino-resort 100 miles from Dallas gambles on $500 million expansion

Postby I45Tex » 09 May 2019 09:59

I suggest moderators move the US & World Urban Development thread on this over here. According to the census bureau, Durant is one of seven micropolitan areas that are part of DFW's combined statistical area. If "exurban" is equivalent to the census bureau's 15% threshold of commute interchange between counties, then Durant is already an exurb.

I think this resort already has around 750 rooms, so they're not really adding a thousand but it makes for good news copy. At any rate, when the addition is complete, DFW will be the closest airport to five of the seven largest hotels in the Southwest (Arizona and Utah on over to the Mississippi River). Here are the top dozen:

    1840 --- DFW - Dallas - Sheraton
    1811 or 1814 --- DFW - Grapevine - Gaylord Texan
    1650 --- DFW - Durant - Choctaw Casino & Resort
    1622 --- MSY - New Orleans - Hilton Riverside
    1606 --- DFW - Dallas - Hilton Anatole
    1501 --- DEN - Aurora - Gaylord Rockies
    1350 --- DFW - Thackerville - Winstar World Casino & Resort
    1333 --- MSY - New Orleans - Marriott
    1231 --- DEN - Denver - Sheraton Downtown
    1207 --- IAH - Houston - Marriott Marquis
    1193 --- MSY - New Orleans - Hyatt Regency
    1120 --- DFW - Dallas - Hyatt Regency Downtown

itsjrd1964
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Re: Luxury casino-resort 100 miles from Dallas gambles on $500 million expansion

Postby itsjrd1964 » 13 Aug 2021 02:44

Choctaw resort debuts new hotel and casino an hour's drive from Dallas

https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/trav ... sky-tower/