First suburb with a skyscraper

[TheArtist]

There was an old thread on this but I couldnt find it.  But it looks like Catoosa is going to be first unless "Heavenly Hospitality" actually does something in Owasso.

Cherokee nation unveils new 20 story hotel complex to be added to its casino and hotel.



http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=117923

[deinstein]

Horrible.

[carltonplace]

^ No kidding, I'm glad thats going up in Catoosa. fugly

[tulsacyclist]

yeah imagine living in catoosa and dealing with that nonsense. i'm ready to move. =]

[DM]

Hmmm. I did not think it looked that bad. KTUL is reporting that it is only 14 stories.

I hope the Creek Nation casino on the river does just as good and can expand at the same rate if not better and faster.

[AMP]

Attended the Quarter Back Club awards banquet at the Cherokee Casino for the Catoosa High School.  Very nice, clean and quality facility.  Professional wait staff, awesome good and state of the art Audio Visual equipment.  

Rate it overal an A++

Be interesting to see their 100 Million dollar expansion once it is finished.

[swake]

Details on the project

http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/index.asp?layout=articleXml&xmlId=557344894

Within 60 days Cherokee Nation Enterprises will break ground on a 20-story tower to greatly expand its convention and tourism business at Catoosa's Cherokee Casino and Resort. David Stewart, chief executive of Cherokee Nation's business arm, believes these additions will make the facility not just a regional, but a national magnet for convention business. "What they're doing is going to really fit a market that we currently have not been able to service, and that is the corporate incentive travel business," said Suzann Stewart, senior vice president of the Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau. That limited market, which requires on-site amenities such as golf or gambling, results in millions of dollars in business a year.

When completed by contractor Flintco in 2008, the Cherokees' 337,000-square-foot project will add 30,000 square feet of convention space to accommodate groups of up to 1,000, as well as 75,000 square feet of other meeting area. That compares to 50,000 square feet of convention space at the 265-room, 35-suite Renaissance Tulsa Hotel. "As Oklahoma's first casino resort hotel destination, we intend to remain at the forefront of the gaming and entertainment industry in the state," said David Stewart. With only 6,000 square feet of digital technology-equipped convention space now available, the Cherokee resort enjoyed 200-percent growth in that sector last year. "We are turning people away," said architect Charles "Chief" Boyd of Thalden-Boyd Architects of Tulsa, who has worked on the Cherokee project since its inception. To accommodate such potential, the art-deco tower design boasts 200 hotel rooms, more than doubling the 150 in the existing seven-story hotel. David Stewart said that facility enjoyed 90-plus percent occupancy last year. This expansion also will allow the resort to provide more luxury accommodations. He said suites twice the size of its existing rooms will make up 15 to 20 percent of the new quarters. Gaming and dining options also will be enhanced. Three more restaurants will join the mix, said Stewart, while the popular Wild Potato Buffet will receive an extensive upgrade. Boyd said the top floor will feature an upper-scale restaurant with sweeping vistas of the eastern Tulsa landscapes. Rising 240 feet or more - far above the 135-foot sign or the existing hotel's 110 feet - he suspects only the tall bluff north of the casino will block its view. The expansion also will add 750 casino games to the estimated 1,500 now on the grounds, plus more blackjack and poker tables to augment the nearly 80 on hand. Topping it off, the project will include a multi-purpose event center capable of hosting musical acts, comedy shows or sporting events. In all, this second-phase expansion of the resort will create 450 full-time jobs, lifting employment at the complex to 2,100. "If we were standing at the Catoosa facility eight years ago, we'd see a 'mom and pop' operation with a little bingo hall and a few employees," said Chad Smith, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. "Standing in front of it today, the contrast is amazing. " Since its inception, Cherokee Casino Resort has quadrupled in size and the number of workers it employs. "The expansion brings us one step closer to achieving our vision for complete self-sufficiency for the Cherokee people," Smith said. Although 2006 figures were not available, Stewart expects Cherokee Nation Enterprises to exceed the $69.7 million net profit recorded in 2005, which came after paying $75 million in payroll and $130 million in operating expenses. CNE also has a $55 million expansion project at its West Siloam Springs casino, to open in May 2008. With the Catoosa resort comprising about half of the Cherokee Nation business, Stewart expects this second-phase expansion to boost overall revenues 10 percent. Estimating payroll and vender payments at about $100 million a year, he expects those dollars could turn over seven times across the regional economy. The convention business also promises trickle-down benefits. "While its located in Catoosa and it seems like it's a far distance from Tulsa, the people who stay there are still coming into Tulsa to enjoy attractions, to enjoy restaurants, to enjoy special events," said Suzann Stewart. "There's still quite a bit of investment into the community by people who are staying out there. " She expects that to expand even further as two other convention and tourism attractions open in 2008 - the BOk Arena and the renovated Tulsa Convention Center. The Cherokees are already working with her bureau to coordinate such efforts. "They're bringing a new and exciting concept to this community," she said. "I think they're going to be good partners with us. They have been so far and I think they will continue to be. " Flintco will start work on the expansion even as it completes a $16 million, 507,000-square-foot parking garage now under construction on the resort's northwest side. The project carries an estimated $124 million price tag - more than was spent on the rest of the facility combined. David Stewart said the Cherokees have already started plans on phase three, which should include retail operations. He said the Cherokees also intend to develop a grand entrance facility for the resort at Interstate 44 and 193rd Street, where the shuttered Mayberry and Speedy's convenience stores now stand. Digital door counters now record more than 75,000 visitors at the Catoosa resort every week, said Media Relations Coordinator Amanda Clinton. But even with that activity and its many modern amenities, Boyd said it remains steeped in Cherokee heritage, from the floor tile and carpet designs to the ceiling patterns and all the collected art works in between. "Everybody who comes here leaves happy," said Smith. "It's been a great customer experience. "

[RecycleMichael]

This sounds like good news to me. More hotel rooms help attract visitor dollars and glad they are hiring locally for the construction work.

I do find it hard to believe that they get 75,000 through the doors every weekend. If you define the weekend as Friday at 5 pm till Monday at 8 am that would be twenty people per minute non-stop. They might make that pace at the busiest times, but not in the middle of the night every weekend.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

This sounds like good news to me. More hotel rooms help attract visitor dollars and glad they are hiring locally for the construction work.

I do find it hard to believe that they get 75,000 through the doors every weekend. If you define the weekend as Friday at 5 pm till Monday at 8 am that would be twenty people per minute non-stop. They might make that pace at the busiest times, but not in the middle of the night every weekend.

Article said 75,000 per week  []  I think that facility could turn into a decent attraction once all the phases are done.  Too bad there wasn't a way for several of the Indian Casinos to be all in one area, could have been the start of a mini Las Vegas strip lol.

[Rico]

Has anyone heard from the Tulsa Metro Chamber on this venture....

They do so love business to prosper..!
[}:)]

[deinstein]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

This sounds like good news to me. More hotel rooms help attract visitor dollars and glad they are hiring locally for the construction work.

I do find it hard to believe that they get 75,000 through the doors every weekend. If you define the weekend as Friday at 5 pm till Monday at 8 am that would be twenty people per minute non-stop. They might make that pace at the busiest times, but not in the middle of the night every weekend.

Article said 75,000 per week  []  I think that facility could turn into a decent attraction once all the phases are done.  Too bad there wasn't a way for several of the Indian Casinos to be all in one area, could have been the start of a mini Las Vegas strip lol.

No thanks.

[cannon_fodder]

Per the sky scrapper comment, anything over 12 stories counts as a sky scrapper... so even if they dont end up building the full 20 it is likely to get in there.

I agree TheArtist, if the Creek, Osage and Cherokee casino's were all on the West Bank of the river or filled up the great expanse of parking lots downtown it would be awesome.  Clearly I understand some of the reasons that didnt happen, but it would be neat and liven up unused space. Personally, if Im looking for a weekend get-a-way somewhere with 3 large casinos in one area would be a draw.

Anyway, even if it is somewhat ugly from an architecturally standpoint, its good development.  Now if only we can add true class-3 gaming and stop those Texans from going to Tupelo (excuse me?  I have to pay for the privilege of you taking my money... I dont get it).

[TheArtist]

Far be it from me to argue with someone that started out agreeing with me lol. But I would never want one of those casinos downtown, let alone several.  Thats not the kind of downtown I would want. However, along the river, waaay south in suburbia where I dont live lol, would be ok.  But my first choice for a cluster of casinos, would be exactly where the casino is now, out of town on the city limits lol. In other words, wouldnt mind driving a bit for the enjoyment, but wouldnt want the hassle and problems anywhere near me.[]  

Oh btw, just found out I am going to be painting a sunset sky theme in a 25' dome at a new casino in Bartlesville in a couple of weekends.  Told them I could do it in 3 days, should be interesting lol.  That was all the time I had available before they open in about a month.

[cannon_fodder]

I just figured that dropping those Casino's downtown in the last few years (since they started getting bigger) would have been an easy way to get new constructoin and people downtown.  A little glitz, a little action, and live people after 5pm would be a neat thing to see.  As long as new restaurant and malls are opening up to the South, downtown Tulsa will remain dead and run down.  There has to be something different to draw people in... like gambling  

Good luck on your painting.  I couldnt do it in three years so 3 days should be a  treat.

[perspicuity85]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder
As long as new restaurant and malls are opening up to the South, downtown Tulsa will remain dead and run down.  There has to be something different to draw people in... like gambling  

That is pure speculation.  Tulsa's metro area is plenty large enough to maintain urban and suburban destinations.  The type of shopping experience at Woodland Hills is far different than the type found in Utica Square or small botiques on Cherry Street.  Downtown must revive its unique identity.  Most people in suburban Tulsa have never heard of places like McNellie's or the Blue Dome District.  I would like to see the continued expansion of our downtown cultural districts, with unique identity preserved.  A casino, in my opinion, would not preserve that unique identity in the downtown area.