Durant Daily Democrat - DEDC gets first look at new casino plans

Big plans, including a movie theater, for the Choctaw Casino and Resort, were unveiled to the Durant Economic Development Council during the monthly meeting Tuesday. The new plans include a children’s area, new 22-story hotel with a top floor spa, new restaurants, a five-screen movie theater and 20-lane bowling alley. The children's area will contain a Kid's Quest and Lazer Zone. The south end of the casino will be more family friendly, containing the movie theater and bowling alley and will be country themed to make it a comfortable environment for locals. The 22-story hotel will contain 500 new rooms. The new spa will take up the entire top floor of the new hotel and have its own pool. The event center will be moved to the north end where the bingo currently sits. Also on the north end will be a new 50,000- square-foot conference center. The Oasis Pool will receive a large expansion as well. A beach design is being discussed that may include real sand at the pool area.She said that the new business coming to the casino will bring more people into the City of Durant. It is scheduled to begin August of 2013 and be completed in April of 2015. Janie Dillard, Choctaw Nation Executive Director of Gaming, also informed the council that the new additions will bring approximately 780 new jobs and $17 million in annual salaries to Durant residents. According to Dillard, the Choctaw Nation is currently the largest employer in Durant, employing more than 5,400 people.

How exciting for my little hometown! The planned hotel will be 10-stories taller than the current tallest in Durant, the current 12-story hotel at the resort.