ROLAND, Oklah. (KFSM) -- After years of planning and months of construction, a new $80 million Cherokee Casino and Hotel opened its doors to gamers in Roland on Tuesday (May19).
The new facility is located just off Interstate 40 and Highway 64 on Cherokee Boulevard, and will be replacing the other casino, which has been in operation since 1990.
The six-story casino and resort-style hotel will feature 120 rooms along with convention space to host special events and conferences. Guests can choose from two different dining options, such as the Grab-and-Go Cafe or a Las Vegas-style buffet.
Along with expanded gaming options, the casino will now offer 850 electronic games, table games and a poker room.
The combined properties will be about 170,000 square feet.
The new Cherokee Casino is also bringing over 100 jobs to the area.
City leaders said these jobs pay well above minimum wage and offer great benefits for employees. The Mayor of Roland, Monty Lenington, told 5NEWS that these jobs are needed in the area.
"They are fairly decent paying jobs that are needed in this area," according to Lenington. "We have a lot of factories that have closed over the years with Whirlpool closing and with other places in Fort Smith, so jobs have been cut back." He added that the new Cherokee Casino and Hotel will help with the employment situation in the area.
Leaders said the casino will not only bring more jobs to the area, but it is going to bring more traffic into town.
This will greatly benefit the area restaurants, businesses and gas stations.
A grand opening ceremony for the new Cherokee Casino and Hotel is planned for later this summer.
At least 35 percent of the profits from the casinos go back to the tribe, with five percent of that dedicated to health care. The rest goes to economic development and reinvesting in jobs.