After announcing in November last year that it would begin what is the fourth expansion of its Durant, Oklahoma casino resort, on Thursday, April 25, 2019, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma broke ground on the 13-year-old property.

The $500 million endeavor will reportedly be completed in spring 2021 and is expected to bring an additional 1,000 jobs to the city of just under 17,800 people.

Largest in state:

According to the official news release from the federally recognized tribe…

The key count in the luxury hotel will increase by 1,000, which at 1,600-plus rooms, will make it the state‘s largest hotel room count.

Beyond growing the room capacity, other plans for Choctaw Casino Resort Durant include expanding the gaming floor and adding amenities such as new dining and entertainment options, retail space, parking garage and pools and lazy river.

Chief Barton-led ceremony:

Leading the mid-week groundbreaking ceremony held on the 50-acre resort property was Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton who was joined by tribal council members, city officials, various gaming industry professionals, community members and associates.

Chief Batton said…

“Today is a special day for the Choctaw Nation as we embark upon an expansion journey that will result in a top-tier entertainment offering for our region and will spur economic growth for Durant and our state, plus new employment opportunities for our tribal and community members. The expansion will go a long way in meeting the demands of our growing customer base by delivering exciting new enhancements and luxury amenities for all who visit.”

Build and design team:

National, real estate development services firm, TynanGroup LLC, is the developer for the major undertaking, while JCJ Architecture and Friedmutter Group, led by builder, Tutor Perini Building Corp., is the Architect of Record and part of the design-build team.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for TynanGroup, John Tynan, said…

“The Choctaw Nation’s latest expansion in Durant will elevate the resort and gaming experience in Oklahoma to the likes of which are typically found only in Las Vegas. With a focus on the benefits this project will bring to the Choctaw Nation, the City of Durant, as well as the entire region, the Choctaw Nation has assembled a world-class team to build this mega-project.  TynanGroup is proud to be working closely with the Choctaw Nation on this expansion.”

Fourth major expansion:

In 2006, the original $60 million Choctaw Casino in Durant (South Casino) opened with 108,844 square feet of floor space. Four years later, the North Casino was completed with additional floor space and the Grand Hotel Tower was added. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma completed the most recent renovation on the Durant casino in 2015 when a second hotel tower with spa was added along with The Grand Theater and The District, a family entertainment center.

Located in Southeastern Oklahoma in Bryan County, the Durant casino and resort is a AAA Four Diamond resort and entertainment destination. The 776-room and suites resort includes the Spa Tower which features a full-service salon and spa while the triple level convention/entertainment venue comprises more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space and can accommodate upwards of 3,000 people.

Amenities at the resort include the Oasis Pool area, The District, a one-stop entertainment destination featuring an array of family-friendly amenities including a two-story 3,350 sq ft laser tag arena, a 3,600 sq ft arcade with 41 games, a bowling alley and a 633-seat movie theater, along with more than 4,300 slot machines, high limit salon, 26-table private poker lounge, and 65 table games.

*This article has been edited to reflect the correct date of the groundbreaking.