Ground recently was broken on the Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s tenth casino, located in Grove, Oklahoma. The new facility will provide 175 new jobs. Principal Chief Bill John Baker said, “As principal chief, nothing makes me prouder than providing quality jobs for the Cherokee people. Our entertainment division consistently brings to the market the best jobs and the best entertainment options. The jobs created by this venue drive our economy, and the financial success of our businesses is reinvested throughout northeast Oklahoma to provide a better quality of life for the Cherokee people.”
The $23 million, 39,000 square foot complex, to be built in a rustic lodge style on a 24-acre site the tribe purchased in 2013, will be completed this winter. The gaming floor will offer more than 400 electronic games, table games and a private high-limit poker room. Amenities will include a restaurant, full-service bar, live music venue, dance floor, event areas and outdoor patio.
Cherokee Nation Businesses Chief Executive Officer Shawn Slaton said, “We’ve had an interest in the Grove area for years. The lakeside community is attractive because of its leisure lifestyle, so the casino’s offerings and amenities will cater to that lifestyle as well as bring the best entertainment experience to the area.”
CNE employs 4,000 people at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, eight Cherokee Casinos including a racino, plus three hotels, three golf courses and other retail operations.
