After waiting two years, the Shawnee Tribe in Oklahoma is moving forward with building its million, 42,000 square foot Golden Mesa Casino near Guymon in the panhandle, following Governor Mary Fallin’s recent approval of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs’ decision to place the 107-acre site in federal trust. Tribal officials said the development will create 175 jobs with a .7 million annual payroll, and attract visitors from Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas and Texas.
Shawnee Tribe Chief Ron Sparkman said, “On behalf of the Shawnee Tribe, we are very grateful to Governor Mary Fallin for approving our application. We are also very thankful to the many people in Guymon, the panhandle and around the state who unselfishly worked over the past two years on this project. On a personal level, I am also most appreciative to my dear friend Governor Bill Anoatubby of the Chickasaw Nation for his kindness and willingness to help our tribe finally realize its dream of economic independence.”
The Shawnee casino faced opposition from various parties claiming the tribe has no historical interest or ties to the Guymon area. Sparkman noted, “As a landless tribe, the granting of land represents a historic event of indescribable importance to us. As we look ahead, we will extend the hand of friendship and partnership to the citizens of the panhandle. As I’ve said on many occasions, we pledge to be a good community citizen by running a responsible enterprise with our respected operator, Global Gaming Solutions, and we will value the opportunity to work side-by-side with local organizations who share a common desire to find ways to build better and stronger communities across the panhandle.” Global Gaming Solutions is a business owned by the Chickasaw Nation.
Sparkman said the tribe still has to finalize several documents before breaking ground on the casino. He expects the project to begin within 45 days and take nine to 12 months to complete. “This is a giant step for the Shawnees, and I hope it makes out tribe very strong for future generations,” he said.
