A groundbreaking ceremony recently was held for the Golden Mesa Casino in Guymon, Oklahoma, owned by the Shawnee Tribe in partnership with the Chickasaw Nation and Global Gaming Solutions. Named to honor the natural beauty of the region, the casino entertainment center will be the first of its kind built in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Officials said construction will begin in five weeks and the 42,000 square foot facility will open next summer. The venue also will offer 600 electronic slots, eight blackjack tables, a restaurant and a bar. An additional 500 games, a hotel, RV park and entertainment facility may be added in the future, said Global Gaming Solutions President and Chief Executive Officer Skip Seeley.
Guymon Mayor Kim Peterson said the new casino will have an annual economic impact of nearly $33.8 million and create 200 new jobs. “This might make the panhandle of Oklahoma more of a destination for tourists to come rather than a pass-through. They’re going to eat at our restaurants, they’re going to stay at our hotels and motels and they’re going to see Guymon in a light they’ve never seen it before,” she said.
The decision to build the casino comes amid controversy. Hundreds of people in the Guymon community previously signed a petition in opposition of the casino.
Shawnee Chief Ron Sparkman acknowledged several hundred Guymon residents had signed a petition opposing the casino. “Naturally you have people, and I respect that to the utmost, that feel like this is not a project that we should have here. That is their right, but again the vast majority by the letters of support felt otherwise.”
Thanking supporters at the groundbreaking, Sparkman said, “Today is a great day for the Panhandle community and the Shawnee Tribe,” We are thankful for the support we’ve received from the Guymon community and the Chickasaw Nation in bringing this economic opportunity to fruition. A lot of people wrote letters and told various agencies they wanted this here. I can’t thank them enough for making that a reality.”
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby added, “We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration with Chief Sparkman and the Shawnee Tribe as well as the leadership of the City of Guymon and Texas County. We believe this project will help enhance tourism, foster economic development and create additional employment opportunities. This type of project helps demonstrate that pursuing our mission of enhancing the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people has the welcomed ripple effect of enhancing the quality of life of our friends and neighbors in the larger community.”
