Arkansans Win at Cherokee Casino

The new, expanded hotel at Cherokee Casino in West Siloam Springs, Okla., is on track to be completed in May and open in June, according to a company spokesman.

And while the revamped property no doubt draws some of its revenue from Northwest Arkansas residents, a good number of people are bringing money back across the border. Tim Landes, media relations coordinator for Cherokee Nation Entertainment, said 344 – almost half – of the casino’s full-time employees reside in Arkansas, with a total employee payroll of more than $7 million.

Additionally, numerous Arkansas-based companies have done work on the project, which is being overseen by Tulsa-based Flintco Constructive Solutions. Flintco’s Springdale division counts the casino as one of the major projects that helped it generate $287 million in 2009 revenue.

Landes said the new hotel will have 140 rooms and seven suites among its seven stories, as well as a fitness room, coffee bistro and meeting space.