Written By: John Dobberstein

(COWETA, Okla.) The Muscogee Creek Nation announced plans Thursday to build a $100 million casino and hotel complex in Coweta that officials say will contribute hundreds of new jobs to the region and boost tourism efforts.

Read this story on Broken Arrow Sentinel here.

The Coweta Casino Hotel – to be located at the southeast corner of East 131 Street and State Highway 51 – will be a 104,000-square-foot development on a 17-acre footprint, with 35,000 square feet of casino space and 750 gaming machines.

Although the development won’t reach the size and scope of the Muscogee Nation’s flagship River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises (MNGE) predicted the development will bring an uptick in regional tourism with an “upscale” 46-room hotel with a pool, fitness center, concierge services and meeting and event space to accommodate as many as 150 guests.

Plans also include a raised center casino bar, full-service 150-seat restaurant and private dining room, along with a 1,000-space, paved parking lot and porte-cochère entrance. The development is projected by MNGE to create 250 new jobs. 

“Investing in the City of Coweta represents a remarkable new chapter in our growing entertainment and hospitality legacy,” Principal Chief David Hill said. “We are proud to reclaim land throughout our historic reservation and this project adds to our significant economic development investments within the greater Tulsa region. The Coweta Casino Hotel will expand cultural tourism, create jobs and enhance the quality of life of our citizens.”

The project will break ground in September 2024 and open in Spring 2026, officials said. In addition to its flagship property, River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises (MCGE) operates other casino locations in Beggs, Holdenville, Eufaula, Bristow, Checotah, Okemah, Okmulgee and Muskogee.

MNGE broke ground in June on a $69.8 million capital investment to build the Lake Eufaula Casino and Hotel in Eufaula.

MNGE CEO Pat Crofts told the Sentinel there is potential for a successful gaming and hotel property in Coweta because of the demographics, traffic counts and housing growth in that area. Coweta is roughly equal distance from the River Spirit Casino and the Muskogee property.

“We also looked at our customer base and that is an area that is underserved with our facilities,” Crofts said.

There are some logistics to be worked out with roads and infrastructure. The Muscogee Nation is working with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation on putting a traffic light in at 131stand Highway 51, as well as ingress and egress lanes to enter and exit the highway to minimize traffic issues.

Crofts said there are already major utilities in the area that the land, which sits in a MCN trust, will have access to. Some details still need to be worked out on sewer and water capacity to determine what is needed, he added.

Croft said he doesn’t believe Coweta or Wagoner County would be asked to foot the bill for any infrastructure work. Security needs would be met by casino staff, Lighthorse Police and potentially Coweta and Wagoner County authorities through cross deputization if needed.

Officials from the Wagoner County Economic Development Authority are expected to meet with the MNGE in the next week or so, possibly to discuss opportunities for development in the casino’s vicinity.

Other Projects ‘Not Competitive’

The announcement looks to bring a shot in the arm to tourism in the Tulsa region. Eight miles to the west, Broken Arrow is getting ready to break ground on a $71.5 million amphitheater, developed by Venu, that is expected to draw 600,000 people annually, with more than three dozen shows on the docket each year.

Crofts said he doesn’t believe the projects will compete for customers, as the Coweta project won’t include entertainment of that type.

“If anything people out for evening and might want to stop in Coweta after a show, as we will have a restaurant, bar and gaming. We see it more complementary, not competitive,” he said.

The city of Broken Arrow said Thursday the Coweta casino will, “create hundreds of new jobs, generate a positive impact on the local economies, and provide residents and visitors more options for recreational and entertainment activities which are essential components of the high quality of life in our region.”

The city of Coweta said in a statement that the MCN, “has been a valuable community partner in the past and the City of Coweta looks forward to an even stronger relationship in the future” as the development begins.

There will certainly be some residents of the areas that are opposed to gambling or large developments in or near Coweta, although development and growth have already been happening in the city of 11,000 for several years.

“The main message is this is going to be a major contributor to area and tourism and local economy,” he said. “We’re creating 250 new full-time jobs, and we will give preference in hiring to the local area. The $100 million in construction work should help local area. And it’s not being built amid a lot of residential areas. Right now it’s a hay field. It’s not really in anyone’s backyard.”

After the land for the project was purchased last year and put in a federal trust, rumors began circulating that it would be a travel plaza with a small amount of gaming – a prospect that didn’t appear to excite many residents.

“This is much more than that. It’s going to be an upscale, midsize hotel-entertainment complex,” Crofts said.