On Friday, August 9, Coweta’s top city official expressed support for a new $100 million hotel and casino development positioned just beyond the city limits, despite substantial opposition from local residents. Julie Casteen, the City Manager, noted that the planned site for the Coweta Casino Hotel at the southeast corner of State Highway 51 and 131st Street in Oklahoma is in federal trust and consequently outside the city’s regulatory control.
Coweta City backs casino development outside jurisdiction:
“The property’s location in federal trust exempts it from our jurisdiction, but our relationship with the Muscogee Nation remains strong,” said Casteen. The Muscogee Nation, which is spearheading the casino project, has a history of contributing to local infrastructure, bolstering the community’s development.
“We welcome our new neighbors and are optimistic about the economic growth, job creation, and substantial investments the project will bring to our area,” Casteen added, signaling a positive outlook for the partnership despite the lack of legal authority over the development.
However, the project has not been without its detractors. On August 1, a coalition of residents initiated a petition to express their resistance to the casino. The group, known as Residents Against Creek Nation Casino in Coweta, highlighted concerns typical of casino developments, such as potential increases in crime rates, economic instability, and social issues like domestic violence and homelessness.
The petition calls for the Muscogee Creek Nation to reconsider the project’s scope, suggesting an alternative plan that would exclude the casino but include a hotel and restaurant. “This compromise would allow us to reap some economic benefits while steering clear of the negative consequences traditionally associated with casino operations,” the petition argued.
City and tribal collaboration amid concerns:
Addressing these apprehensions, Casteen emphasized the city’s commitment to collaboration with the Muscogee Creek Nation to ensure the safety and well-being of Coweta’s residents. “Both the city and the Nation are keen on creating a safe environment and are working closely to make sure the development impacts our community positively,” she assured, according to Broken Arrow Sentinel.
Despite requests for comments regarding the community’s concerns, Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, the developer behind the project, has remained silent on the issue this week.
The Coweta Casino Hotel is designed to span 104,000 square feet on a 17-acre footprint, including a 35,000-square-foot casino with 750 gaming machines. The project also plans to feature an upscale 46-room hotel with amenities such as a pool, a fitness center, and meeting and event spaces capable of accommodating up to 150 guests.
The development, expected to break ground in September and open in the spring of 2026, aims to boost regional tourism and stimulate economic growth through new employment opportunities. The collaboration between Coweta and the Muscogee Creek Nation is seen as a pivotal step toward leveraging the area’s economic potential while addressing and mitigating any concerns raised by the community.
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Vanja Mitic 2024-08-14 13:34:55
