The Chickasaw Nation recently broke ground on a million, 36,000 square foot casino in Terral, Oklahoma, less than two hours from the Texas border. Terral Mayor Vicente Villarreal said, “We’re hoping they’ll bring business in town and they’ll be employees hired from not only from here but from other towns as well.”
The facility, expected to open in 2018, is being constructed on a land parcel that was taken into federal trust on January 19, on the last full day of the Obama administration. Generally, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act prohibits casinos on land taken into trust after 1988. However, an exception in the law allows gaming on properties located within the boundaries of a former reservation in Oklahoma. That exception has allowed the Chickasaws to operate 20 casinos–more than any other tribe in Oklahoma or the U.S.
Officials said the new casino will offer more than 600 electronic gaming machines, six table games, a restaurant and retail. It’s expected to create 150 new jobs with a $3 million-plus annual payroll.
