The Osage Nation has completed construction of the Skyline Event Center at its Tulsa, Oklahoma casino. The 45,000 sq ft facility was the last phase of a four-phase $160 million expansion that began on November 17, 2016, when the tribe broke ground at its flagship Osage Casino that opened in 2005.

According to daily newspaper, Tulsa World, Chief Executive Officer for Osage Casinos, Byron Bighorse, said…

“There’s been a lot of excitement for our event center, and we’ve been moving full-steam ahead. This addition gives us the opportunity to bring in some phenomenal acts, and we’re ecstatic to bring in these headliners for our first entertainers.”

First public show sold out:

The newly-constructed facility hosted a VIP event on Thursday, February 7, while the first public concert will be held on February 16, when Better than Ezra will open for the Goo Goo Dolls. Tickets for that show are already sold out.

Venue amenities:

The venue has a total of 2,000 seats, with 1,700 seats in the lower level and approximately 300 seats on the mezzanine level, which includes a handful of private suites. Also featured at the Skyline is a premier sound system, two large screens, a bar and a concessions stand. A versatile space, the event center can accommodate concerts and other events.

“a better version”

General manager of Osage Casino Hotel Tulsa, Matthew Shunkamolah, said, “We wanted to provide a better version of the old event center so we got the latest and greatest.”

Major renovation and expansion:

The major expansion project at the now 247,000 square feet complex added a 141-room hotel, including six suites and four hospitality suites, four dining options including a sports bar and a 4,000 sq ft full-service in-house brewery, lounge, fitness center, a new parking garage and a 6,000 sq ft outdoor entertainment area with a 120,000-gallon resort-style pool that can accommodate as many as 240 people. The outdoor space/pool area also includes a chaise lounge tanning ledge, a 15-person hot tub, adjacent fire pit and poolside bar.

Gaming options:

The venue’s 66,000 square feet of gaming space features more than 1,600 slots, 16 table games and a high limit room.

Eye on future expansion:

Shunkamolah reportedly said that they are “always looking for new ideas,” and are eyeing future expansion, to possibly include a hotel wing and an entertainment center, shopping center, theater and a golf course.

“The sky is the limit,” Shunkamolah said.

Revenue allocation:

The Osage Nation’s business entity known as Osage Casino uses revenues from its casinos to:

  • Fund tribal government and programs
  • Provide for the general welfare of the tribe and its members
  • Promote tribal economic development
  • Support charitable organizations
  • Help fund operations of local government agencies of the Osage Nation

It is expected that the Osage Casino Hotel Tulsa will have an economic impact of approximately $32 million annually in wages and salaries.

In addition to its flagship casino in Tulsa, which opened the summer of 2005, the business arm also operates Hominy, which opened in Spring 2002 under Osage Nation Gaming; Pawhuska, which opened Spring 2003; Sand Springs, Summer 2004; Bartlesville, Spring 2006; Skiatook, Fall 2007 and the most recent, Ponca City, which opened Winter 2007.

The Osage Nation premiered the expansion, sans the event center, in August 2018.