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This Friday, the Shawnee Tribe and Global Gaming Solutions will host a groundbreaking ceremony to signify the start of construction on a $70 million expansion of Golden Mesa Casino, one of dozens of tribal-run casinos and gaming locations.
The ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. this Friday at Golden Mesa in Guymon, Oklahoma.
How Golden Mesa Casino evolved to this point
Less than five years ago, Golden Mesa Casino opened its doors. It was the only casino in the Oklahoma Panhandle. As such, it had the advantage of being within 90 minutes of gamblers in four different states.
When it opened, the tribal casino had a 20,000-square-foot gaming floor and 600 electronic games. Over the past five years, the casino expanded its total square footage from 37,000 to 40,000, according to the Shawnee Tribe and Manhattan Construction, the company that built Golden Mesa.
The expansion project is a massive one, costing a projected $70 million, according to the Golden Mesa Casino website. Among the the expansion’s slated improvements are:
- A new 100-room hotel
- A new restaurant
- An RV park
- 20,000 square feet of additional gaming space
- Around 400 more electronic games
If the expansion goes as planned, the casino will have a 40,000-square-foot gaming floor. And more than 1,000 electronic games and two restaurants.
When the casino first opened, the projected economic impact was around $36 million and it created 175 jobs.
Location provides Oklahoma casino with a big advantage
While the tribe has yet to publicly release projections for the expansion’s impact, it’s likely going to be significant once construction is complete. The casino’s hotel will provide upscale lodging in an area where hotels include Hampton Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, and Best Western Plus.
Additionally, the nearest casino is a two-and-a-half hour drive away in Kansas, and the nearest Oklahoma casino is a three-hour drive away.
The casino’s expansion will no doubt create more excitement in Guymon in the surrounding region, an excitement that will build on the property’s monopoly on gaming in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Golden Mesa’s progress is also indicative of the progressive growth of the Oklahoma casino market. In May, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma announced it was partnering with Caesars Entertainment to open a new casino between Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
