For nearly a decade, a large, recognizable white tent has served as the exterior at the west end of the Apache Casino Hotel in Lawton, Oklahoma. But that’s about to change as large steel trusses are put into place by a huge crane, preparing for a permanent structure.
Mountain Management Vice President of Design and Development Brady Jones said, “As a tent structure, we ran into some complications where the fabric is wearing itself out, and so we’ve gone through and done patching and done some other things, and now it’s time to make a permanent structure.”
The tent replacement, which will be completed by the end of the year, actually is phase two of the property renovation. The first phase was the completion of a new front. During construction this month, certain areas of the casino will be closed for 30 minutes to an hour, Jones said. A start date for the third phase of the expansion has not been scheduled yet. “The entire tent will eventually come out of the west side of the building. Every time we take on a project here, we’re thinking about the steps to follow, and that’s just one of those steps,” Jones said.
Apache Casino Hotel General Manager Lynn Ray said, “It’s always a little sad when you see the tent go away. The sprung structure has really served itself well for a long period of time.”
Ray said the property has changed dramatically since its origin as a smoke shop 20 years ago. “Every day it’s like being at a playground. We get to come in, we get to see the next steps that are accomplished, and it’s just a lot of fun. So, we’re really looking forward to the continued growth,” he said.
