Rumors are flying regarding a casino development in Enid, Oklahoma. The city commission recently approved a contract to purchase property to expand a park. City Attorney Andrea Chism said all of the acquired property will be added to the park but added, “It’s also commercially zoned, so if the city had the opportunity to do something for economic development purposes, it can do that as well.”
Commissioner Aaron Brownlee said, “The property became available and it was worthwhile to acquire for future park expansion or economic development. However, there are no current plans regarding economic development with this property with or without a casino.”
Commissioner Rodney Timm, “We hear of things all the time, but we hear it and it never happens.”
However, Commissioner Ben Ezzell said a discussion on possibly developing the property occurred during an executive session later in the meeting. “The bulk of that executive session was spent meeting with a developer, Richard Grellner, affiliated with the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians who is interested in developing a casino on or adjacent to that site. Rodney Timm and Aaron Brownlee explained during the executive session that they had been working with this developer for several months under a nondisclosure agreement, and that they wanted Mr. Grellner to sit down and explain everything to the entire commission before it went further. Mr. Grellner repeatedly thanked the commission for the purchase of the property, and explained that it would simplify the execution of his development in the future.”
Ezzell continued, “There was discussion of the casino paying the city an offset for sales tax that they are not required to collect. Again, there was no written agreement, but lots of details were discussed, and Mr. Grellner suggested that there may be something concrete to be considered as early as spring 2017.”
Ezzell said he opposes a casino in Enid. “I am opposed to any casino being built in or around Enid. I explained as much to Mr. Grellner and the rest of the commission during the executive session. I would like to see the city oppose any casino development instead of encouraging said development by purchasing property to make available for sale or trade.”
Regarding discussing what happened in the executive session, Ezzell said, “The content of an executive session is generally not discussed by individual commission members, but there is no prohibition on doing so. In this instance, I believe that it is in the best interest for the city of Enid to disclose the details of this proposal before it progresses any further.”
