Where would you place a new resort near OKC?

[Rover]

So, this thread is now "How can we get a casino in Bricktown"?

This state is obsessed with casinos like no other. This is the problem. Instead of a developer building a world class resort with resort features, it seems everone would rather have a cheap faux Vegas casino. What everyone here fails to understand is that if you want a gambling vacation, you can just go to Vegas and haver FULL gambling and much more entertainment. OKC cannot compete with that. Putting a limited Indian casino at a resort will bring people from the immediate area who want to spend $75 a night to sleep and go back to playing poker or slots. They will not bring their families or business meetings. They will not stay for a week. They can't get on to the better golf clubs in the city. They will eat cheap food at the casino. Etc., etc. etc. This is a metal building type mentality, not a Devon tower, reach for the stars mentality.

[old okie]

Resorts are built all over which are not casinos. Why is everyone assuming there has to be a casino? Golf, tennis, convention areas, swimming, close to attractions, good restauants. Casinos are not required or even a good idea if you are trying to attract business meetings, family reunions, vacationers, etc.

Great point!

However, we are still left with "where" to place such a facility. Placing it "in" any of the existing districts within the city also limits size and options. There are many parcels of empty land, but most are scattered throughout the city.

Real "resorts" require ample land if they include amenities such as a golf course, pools, etc.

Hmm. Maybe the old Downtown Airpark? Ferris wheel? Family-friendly amenities? Just throwing out an idea here.

[BG918]

What about Carlton Landing, Grant Humphrey's proposed resort community on Lake Eufaula? Eufaula is Oklahoma's biggest lake (bigger than Texoma) and while not its clearest it does have miles of sandy beaches and forested hills along the southern and eastern sections. Carlton Landing is mostly a residential community but could include a resort with beach, pools, marina, etc. It is about 2 hours from OKC and an hour and a half from Tulsa so it would draw from both cities.

Carlton Landing: A New Home Community Near Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK

The Humphreys Company

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n31667865/

[soonerguru]

The only casino that you could really call a resort in Oklahoma is the Hard Rock by Tulsa, and even then it's a casino first and foremost with a hotel, a few restaurants and bars, a music venue (soon), and a golf course. The casinos, IMO, could really be true resorts if they were built on one of the area lakes with a beach, pools, marina, boat rentals, etc. I don't know of a single casino/hotel in Oklahoma that is like that. Something on Texoma or Eufaula would be fairly close to OKC. I'm really surprised Grand doesn't have something like that, most of it is within the wealthy Cherokee Nation (owners of the Hard Rock).

Map showing Tribal Lands in Oklahoma

This is incorrect. Downstream Casino, which is at the absolute Northeastern tip of Oklahoma, is a very nice resort, with a quality prime steakhouse, pool with bar and cabanas, 18-hole golf course, and very, very nice hotel rooms. Not to mention a great casino with multiple bars and restaurants. It's very nice. I've stayed there and would definitely go back. It had a real resort experience, more so than the Hard Rock IMO.

[earlywinegareth]

NE 63rd due north of Remington. There's a pretty wooded hillside begging for it.

[Rover]

Yes the area by Remmington Park is beautiful. That is why I thought the Twin Hills golf club would be a good site. Course is already in and established with a very good golfing reputation. There is developable land around it.

[Kokopelli]

Oklahoma should follow the lead of our neighbors to the north and allow a limited number of non Indian casinos (class 3 gaming). A couple of large casinos in the Remington Park area or on the river east of the American Indian Center could make Oklahoma a gambling destination point.

[venture]

There are a couple of ways to address this and various ideas. So get ready for a long post.

Idea 1 - Adventure District
Freshen up the area around Remington/Zoo/Omniplex (i know i know)/etc. Expand/relocate Frontier City and White Water Bay closer to the other attractions. Renovate the old airport over there to be a new Air & Space museum for Oklahoma. Also look at increasing the number of small lakes in the area for more cottage type living for people that want a house on the water. Obviously other things need to be added to support a destination zone like this, but I'm trying to keep it brief.

Idea 2 - Canadian Lake
This would involve the area south of Norman. Dam up the Canadian River right around Noble. Depending on the land and through serious of dams and such create a new large large that would stretch from Noble up to the south sides of Norman. Granted the amount of water flowing through it isn't all that high, but overtime this could be a great resource of water recreation, entertainment development (Riverwind Casino would be very close), and it would also provide another significant south of water for the region.

Idea 3 - Inter-lake Canal System
Probably the most complex of my ideas...well Idea 2 does get up there...would be the establishment of a canal system connecting many of the areas lakes. This would allow boaters to travel between lakes, small cruises to take place, enhance the water system in the area, and also create areas of cottages people can setup as weekend homes to get away (even when it isn't a far drive). Thunderbird/Draper and Hefner/Overholser would be the first pairs. Connecting the two systems, via the North Canadian River might be the most complicated part.

Of course out of all of these ideas...land rights will probably be a major issues. Also most of the lakes provide drinking water and have restrictions on what can go in them. However, it would definitely go a long way greening the area up and helping to secure water sources going forward.

[Oil Capital]

The only casino that you could really call a resort in Oklahoma is the Hard Rock by Tulsa, and even then it's a casino first and foremost with a hotel, a few restaurants and bars, a music venue (soon), and a golf course. The casinos, IMO, could really be true resorts if they were built on one of the area lakes with a beach, pools, marina, boat rentals, etc. I don't know of a single casino/hotel in Oklahoma that is like that. Something on Texoma or Eufaula would be fairly close to OKC. I'm really surprised Grand doesn't have something like that, most of it is within the wealthy Cherokee Nation (owners of the Hard Rock).

For the record, here's a shot of the newly-opened swimming pool at the Hard Rock "resort" (which was breathlessly reported by the Tulsa Whirled today)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleima...3Pool0601a.jpg

[Rover]

This thread has nothing to do with Tulsa. Why keep trying to make every discussion about Tulsa? What is it with Tulsans?

[Rover]

BTW, the Hard Rock is not considered a resort anyway. It is a hotel and casino. There are resorts around Branson. Was one at Grand Lake. Are none in the Tulsa area.

[Kerry]

I think some of you are confused about what a resort is.

Marietta Hotels - Hilton Atlanta Hotel and Conference Center, GA - Georgia

[Kerry]

I think the area just East of downtown would make a great location. The area is bounded by I-235/Reno/NE4th/Eastern. There are some train tracks that run in the middle but that could be delt with. Enough room for a large conference center, hotel, and golf course.

[metro]

For the record, here's a shot of the newly-opened swimming pool at the Hard Rock "resort" (which was breathlessly reported by the Tulsa Whirled today)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleima...3Pool0601a.jpg

Wow, the Tulsa Hard Rock pool is very underwhelming, looks like a pool you'd see at a Motel 6 or something, definitely not the traditional "resort" or Hard Rock type pool.

Here's some pics of a real resort I stayed at in Scottsdale last year, The Phoenician. I believe they had 9 or 13 pools just in the main area, not to mention other areas of the resort.

[Larry OKC]

nice pics but where are the people? (going back to the discussion in the Photo Meet up thread.

looks like there might be some in a few of the lounge chairs but dont see anyone in the grassy areas or even in the abundant pools.

[metro]

haha, those are just pics I got off websites, as you know they normally take pics without people around for stuff like this. I'll try to get some of my own pics of the resort at home and post them when time allows.

[BG918]

Something like that with a golf course would be amazing. I am surpised there aren't more places like that at Lake Texoma half way between OKC and Dallas.

[kevinpate]

nice pics but where are the people? (going back to the discussion in the Photo Meet up thread.

looks like there might be some in a few of the lounge chairs but dont see anyone in the grassy areas or even in the abundant pools.

No peeps = no model releases necessary. Rather common, and marketers want someone envisioning sitting in those empty chairs rather than pondering is the place normally crowded.

[SkyWestOKC]

No peeps = no model releases necessary. Rather common, and marketers want someone envisioning sitting in those empty chairs rather than pondering is the place normally crowded.

You only need a release if the face is clearly identifiable. Not disagreeing with you, I think it is a marketing thing, "Oh, honey let's go there, that would be great, nice and quiet, all alone...."

Some people like crowds, that's why there's Disney World.

[mugofbeer]

Maybe someone else can chime in to clarify. One of the problems with most Oklahoma lakes (Grand River excluded) is the US Army Corp of Engineers. They claim right to control the shorlines of most Oklahoma Lakes which prevents any large scale shoreline development. I agree, a nice resort like shown in some of the pics above would be ideal for Lake Texoma but I bet rules, regs and red tape from the Corp makes it very difficult.

[BG918]

Maybe someone else can chime in to clarify. One of the problems with most Oklahoma lakes (Grand River excluded) is the US Army Corp of Engineers. They claim right to control the shorlines of most Oklahoma Lakes which prevents any large scale shoreline development. I agree, a nice resort like shown in some of the pics above would be ideal for Lake Texoma but I bet rules, regs and red tape from the Corp makes it very difficult.

Very true, the Corps heavily restricts development on its lakes. That is why you see so much development on Grand Lake (and to a lesser extent Hudson) because they are controlled by the GRDA and not the Corps. The same can be said for the Colorado River lakes in central Texas which are controlled by the LCRA, an entity like GRDA that is much more accepting of lakefront development and not just flood control. I think Texoma could be a huge destination if it wasn't controlled by the Corps. I mean it's a huge lake with miles of beaches and islands about an hour drive from one of the largest metros in the country (DFW) and just under 2 hours from OKC.

[mugofbeer]

Very true, the Corps heavily restricts development on its lakes. That is why you see so much development on Grand Lake (and to a lesser extent Hudson) because they are controlled by the GRDA and not the Corps. The same can be said for the Colorado River lakes in central Texas which are controlled by the LCRA, an entity like GRDA that is much more accepting of lakefront development and not just flood control. I think Texoma could be a huge destination if it wasn't controlled by the Corps. I mean it's a huge lake with miles of beaches and islands about an hour drive from one of the largest metros in the country (DFW) and just under 2 hours from OKC.

I wonder how the states could petition to have rules for Texoma relaxed? The amount of missed development and tax revenue would have to be huge.

[metro]

Something like that with a golf course would be amazing. I am surpised there aren't more places like that at Lake Texoma half way between OKC and Dallas.

They have a golf course, I believe they had 36 holes. That was one of the nicest resorts I've stayed at. The pics I posted above were just a fraction of the actual size of the resort.

[unclefrank58]

I remember hearing something about the Muskogee Creek indians taking over fountainhead lodge on Eufaula and turning it into a resort with casino, golf course, etc. They bought the lodge in 2006.

[sroberts24]

I think OKC needs to do with the Oklahoma River what Austin did with the Colorado River creating Lake Austin. Either the East or West sides of the river would be perfect places to damn up and create a lake where people can wakeboard and jetski... also building lake houses and hotel resorts would be ideal in that area. just my opinion