Otoe-Missouria News Archive

by Jerry Pittman

Work continued Wednesday on repairs to 7 Clans Paradise Casino, which was damaged Monday by fierce winds spawned by one of the numerous tornadoes that hit the state. The casino, which employs 250 people, was evacuated Monday after the storm hit and was closed until a portion of it reopened at mid-day Wednesday. Heather Sarles, public information officer for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe that owns the casino, said the 40,000-square-feet facility sustained wind damage to the front and back of the building. “Everyone who was in the casino and the village (the tribal housing complex) was evacuated safely and no one was injured,” Sarles said Wednesday.

» Read the complete article on NewsOK.com.

by David Allen Seaton, Scott Cloud, Foss Farrar

The number of accidents along U.S. 77 in the Chilocco area tripled in the last four years. Two large Indian casinos and a travel plaza now draw hundreds of cars a day to an otherwise barren stretch of highway. Vehicles turn in and out of the casinos from a rural highway on which motorists can go 65 mph. There are no turn lanes, no acceleration lanes and no stoplights or access roads to help motorists navigate the intersections… In a November 6 phone interview, ODOT traffic engineer Bill Walton said the state is discussing possible turn lanes into the First Council Casino with Otoe-Missouria tribal leaders. The Otoe-Missouria tribe owns First Council Casino and the Seven Clans Travel Mart just north of it.

» Read the complete article in the Winfield Daily Courier.

In the spring of 1804, the Corp of Discovery, sponsored by President Thomas Jefferson, set sail to explore the lands of the Louisiana Purchase, and to meet the Indians. After much anticipation, as the expedition was setting up camp, they were approached by their first tribe and arranged to meet with their chiefs on August 3, 1804.

First Council Casino dedicated the monument, “First Council” on July 10 that commemorates and interprets the first official meeting between Captains Lewis and Clark and chiefs of the Otoe and Missouria Indian Nations.

In June 2002, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Committee of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, commissioned a sculptor, Oreland Joe, to create life-sized sculptures including Lewis and Clark, an Otoe chief and a Missouria chief, a French interpreter and Lewis’ dog. These statues are within feet of where the original council occurred, a place Lewis and Clark named Council Bluffs in present-day Nebraska. At the request of the Otoe-Missouria tribe, Oreland Joe has created a replica of the monument to grace the entrance of First Council Casino located in Newkirk. The six figures are cast in bronze and are arranged in a setting much like you would have expected to see if you attended the historic meeting more than 200 years ago.

Lester Harragarra, a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and a major component in having the monument erected at First Council, said, “It is an honor to have Oreland Joe recreate this historic moment in our tribe’s history. This gives us an opportunity to share a part of our culture, which we strive to incorporate in our everyday lives, not only with our own tribal members, but with everyone that visits First Council.”

Oreland Joe, who attended the dedication, is world-renowned for his work in stone and bronze sculptures. He is a native of New Mexico and is of Dine’ (Navajo) and Ute decent. Currently, Kirtland, N.M., provides home to his family and his studio. The First Council Casino is located at 12875 N. Highway 77.

» Originally published on NativeTimes.com.

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe’s First Council Casino, north of Newkirk, recently garnered an Award of Excellence for its commercial construction contractor in the 2008 Excellence in Construction Awards Program, an annual statewide event of Associated Builders and Contractors of Oklahoma.

Manhattan Construction Company received top honors in the “Pre-Engineered Building Over $10 Million” category for the 54,000 sq. ft. facility that offers Las Vegas style gaming on the plains of Oklahoma. In addition to the gaming area, the facility accommodates a restaurant, players club, gift shop and management offices for the tribe’s operations. The Oklahoma EIC program is designed to recognize the “Best of the Best” in commercial and industrial construction by ABC of Oklahoma members.

In this year’s competition, 34 commercial construction projects received awards in 44 individual categories at ceremonies held recently at Tulsa’s Greenwood Cultural Center. According to ABC chapter president and CEO, Carl Williams, this year’s competition included historical renovation, medical, educational, commercial office, performing arts, and financial industry and infrastructure projects. A panel of judges from another ABC chapter selected the category winners, Recipients of Oklahoma EIC awards are eligible to compete at the national level against category winners from the organizations other chapters.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.

First Council Casino, a $60 million dollar project, is scheduled to open to the public at 5 p.m. Feb. 29. The new venture is a significant step forward in quality gaming, and the second casino owned and operated in the state by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma.

Located at 12875 North Highway 77 just outside of Newkirk, Okla., and two miles south of Arkansas City, the casino will boast 900 electronic gaming machines, a dedicated poker room with eight tables and partial glass walls, and eight blackjack tables. First Council Casino will also offer a four-star buffet restaurant, full bar and casual concession area. Future plans call for a resort-style hotel, spa and more.

Read the full article in the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise.

A new casino near the Kansas-Oklahoma border is scheduled to open Feb. 1 near the travel plaza and casino operated by the Otoe-Missouria tribe.

The tribe plans to continue operating the Lil’ Bit of Paradise Casino connected to the travel plaza as well as the new First Council Casino directly west of the travel plaza, according to a tribal spokeswoman. It will be the fourth casino operated by the Otoe-Missouri tribe and the seventh casino along the 41-mile stretch of highway between the Kansas border and the Cimarron Turnpike.

Read the full article on NewsCow.net.

Paradise Casino has announced the grand opening of their new casino addition will take place on Friday, and Saturday. The new, significantly enlarged addition replaces a portion of the facility that was severely damaged in a winter storm last January and follows the recently held ribbon cutting and blessing ceremonies.

“We have worked diligently the past 8 months to design and construct a new entertainment facility unlike any other in North Central Oklahoma,” said Dallas Teerlink, Paradise Casino General Manager.

Read the full article in the Stillwater NewsPress.

Ground work on a new casino behind the current Otoe-Missouria tribe’s travel plaza and casino is under way. The tribe plans to open a second casino with 900 machines in November.

“We’re very pleased with the amount of traffic and business that facility draws,” said John Shotton, vice-president of the Otoe-Missouria Development Authority. “So we’ve launched an endeavor for a full-scale casino.”

Read the full article on ArkCity.net.

The Otoe-Missouria Development Authority has completed the Red Rock Travel Plaza and Casino.

To celebrate, a grand opening is set for Saturday with prizes, including flowers for the ladies, store specials and unleaded gas sale set at $1.99 per gallon from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located near the tribal headquarters on U.S. 177 south of Ponca City, the new “lodge-themed” facility with a combination of traditional Otoe-Missouria symbols and art represents the Tribe’s leadership in Oklahoma business development.

Read the full article in the Stillwater NewsPress.

Chairman of the Otoe Tribal native American Church, Marvin Diamond, performed a blessing ceremony on the new 7 Clans Travel Mart and Lil Bit of Paradise Casino Friday north of Newkirk.

“The travel plaza is the first Otoe Tribal enterprise outside of Red Rock,” said Otoe Missouria Tribe Chairman Michael Harwell. “This is a new direction for the tribe and an opportunity to serve northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas and create jobs for tribal and non tribal members.”

Harwell said that travel plaza is the first of many that are planned to open in the area and that another one is set to open in about 100-120 days in the Red Rock area. General Casino Manager David Owens said the Lil’Bit of Paradise Casino inside the travel plaza is an unique game mix consisting of Class Three Las Vegas Style Machines. “This is a spacious, nice casino,” said Owens. “We gave it a mix of games unlike any other in northern Oklahoma.”

Before the plaza could open for business, Harwell insisted that Diamond perform the blessing ceremony. “He insisted we have a blessing before they do anything,” said Diamond. “This will let everything be good for us.” Diamond explained that many traditional ceremonies like the blessing are gone because of lack of interest shown by young tribal members. “We’re trying to build up membership and renew interest,” said Diamond.

The blessing ceremony consisted of heating coals on the grounds and then sprinkling cedar on the coals, creating smoke. Diamond explained that the ceremony came from the story of a dying tribal man that talked to God and expressed concern for the future of the tribe. “When he died God turned him into a Cedar Tree and they live year round,” said Diamond. After saying a prayer through the smoke, Diamond invited onlookers to approach the fire and bless themselves with the smoke.

Harwell said the operation currently employees 50. “We are serving needs to Kansans and Oklahomans with this facility,” added Harwell. “The northern Oklahoma area and southern Kansas area is very important to our development.” Harwell also commented on aggressive redevelopment plans, that could include developers such as Disney, in the area of the former Chilocco Indian School.

An extensive clean up of the site is under way in the area and a planning session was scheduled for this week. The land is owned by five area tribes including the Otoes, Tonkawas, Pawnees, Kaws, and Poncas. Harwell said that at a meeting of the Chilocco Confederate Tribes held Friday, extensive development and clean up plans were discussed. “We hope to return it to its glory and we have extensive economic development plans,” said Harwell. “We are drawing up a master plan that could include developers such as Disney.”

The Chilocco property consisting of over 70 buildings is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Harwell commented on a $70 million grant that Arizona Senator John McCain is working with for Native American War Veterans. “The group of Native American Veterans picked Chilocco as a possible site,” said Harwell. Harwell said members of the Chilocco Confederate Tribes, which include: Vice president, Anthony Street, president of the Tonkawa tribe; Treasurer, Guy Munroe, chairman of the Kaw Nation; Chairman Dan Jones, chairman of the Ponca Nation, and president Ron Rice, president of the Pawnee Tribe, want to make the area a family oriented destination location.

“It would not be unreasonable to work on bringing train service to the area as well,” said Harwell. “We have very ambitious plans.” The Chilocco Area has been booming recently with the opening of the Native Lights Casino and now the 7 Clans Travel Mart. In November of 2005 the Pawnee Nation issued the final Chilocco Casino Complex Environmental Assessment. According to the assessment the casino project site is on 816 acres of land adjoining the old Chilocco Indian Agriculture School campus on Home Road just west of U.S. 77 north of Newkirk and just south of the state line.

Under phase 1, the casino would be built with a capacity for 1,200 gaming machines, 20 table games, and four poker tables. The facilities could include restaurants, retail space, administrative space, and a Kids-Quest Arcade. The Phase 1 plan also states that a 150 room hotel could be constructed as well. An 18-hole golf course is also proposed.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.