Jackpot!: Tulsa-area casinos are a winning combination of food, fun and entertainment

It has been two decades since bingo halls became modern tribal gaming and hospitality operations that have evolved and expanded over the years since. While the joy of hitting a jackpot remains the same as it did the first time someone won one, the casino experience surrounding the slot machines is constantly changing.

We checked in with leadership at Cherokee Nation’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa, Muscogee Nation’s River Spirit Casino Resort and Margaritaville Casino, and Osage Nation’s Osage Casino Hotel to learn more about renovations underway at each site, plus what sets them apart from each other and more.

River Spirit Casino Resort and Margaritaville Casino

Pat Crofts, Muscogee Nation Casinos CEO

Crofts oversees the tribe’s gaming operations across 11 gaming and entertainment facilities on the Muscogee Nation Reservation.

There is the addition of the sports bar coming soon to River Spirit. What is the timeline and what are your expectations for the venue?

The former Visions Buffet area is being converted into the Gridiron Sports Bar and Lounge with an adjacent private viewing and meeting room area and a new luxury VIP lounge. Gridiron will be one of the largest and best sports viewing experiences in Oklahoma and features a massive 53-foot by 14-foot-high video wall, 54 televisions and 104 speakers. The sports bar and lounge area seats 157 guests including an upscale center bar featuring 24 mounted 70-inch TVs, with an additional 30 located throughout the dining and private booth seating areas. In addition, it will offer two Top Golf Swing Suites for simulated golf and other sports. A new kitchen will offer a full-service menu for customers. The sports bar is being constructed to accommodate a sports book once sports betting becomes legal in Oklahoma.

It is scheduled to be open by July 2024, in time for the summer Olympics.

What sets River Spirit apart from the other casinos in Tulsa?

River Spirit Casino Resort is known for exceptional customer service provided by friendly and courteous employees in a luxurious property, which offers a full range of casino and resort amenities including a AAA Four Diamond resort hotel, convention center, Margaritaville, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Cove Theatre, Emerge Spa and a variety of restaurants and bars. The facility houses two separately themed casinos, River Spirit Casino and Margaritaville Casino, which are both full-service casinos encompassing over 150,000 square feet.

What are some of the most popular games?

Recently installed NFL-themed electronic games (slot machines) are very popular. Customers can select their favorite NFL team and the game is themed to that team during play. Class II (bingo based) games remain popular due to their frequent payouts.

Any tips or advice for someone spending an evening at River Spirit?

During a visit to River Spirit Casino Resort always check with the Players Club for ongoing promotions and events. River Spirit has a very rewarding program for players with constant promotions. The Cove offers top-name live entertainment throughout the year so check the schedule of events. Five O’Clock Somewhere Bar offers live entertainment seven nights a week. Don’t miss the volcano inside Margaritaville Restaurant which erupts hourly with a light and sound show.

By the numbers

Electronic games: 3,271 machines

Table games: 31 including blackjack, craps, roulette and poker games

Hotel rooms: 483 including 54 suites

Dining establishments: 6

Music venues: 3

Osage Casino Hotel

951 W. 36th St. N. • osagecasino.com

Kimberly Pearson, CEO of Osage Casinos

In 2023, Pearson (Osage) became the first female CEO of Osage Casinos, overseeing the seven-property gaming and entertainment organization that serves as the primary funding source for critical Osage Nation programs.

What’s happening at the casino this year in terms of expansions, additions or changes?

We’re preparing for updates in Tulsa with the addition of new food and beverage options. We will welcome a local favorite, Coney Island, as well as our new bar Swigs, which features a lounge, immersive screens and an elevated stage for live music. The Tulsa property will also benefit from the addition of a new adults-only pool coming soon!

What sets Osage Casino apart from the other casinos in Tulsa?

Our relationship with the communities where our casinos are located is what really sets us apart. We have seven locations across Osage County. Most of our visitors go to the casino that is closest to their home. We give back to the communities where we operate through sponsorship and charitable support. It’s important to us to make those local connections and build relationships in our communities. This is reflected in our guest services as well.

Is the pool open to the public or do they need to be an overnight guest?

The public can purchase a pool day pass Monday-Thursday. We reserve pool access to hotel guests only on Friday-Sunday due to high occupancy. Visitors and hotel guests can soak up the sun while enjoying full food and beverage service.

The covered pool patio area located right outside our lower-level meeting space is available for event rentals. This space is perfect for outdoor receptions or dinner events. Call 877-246-8777 for information on how you can enjoy the pool and patio this summer.

Any tips or advice for someone spending an evening at Osage Casino?

Come and stay a while! We have so much to enjoy — attend a concert at the Skyline Event Center, enjoy slots and table games at our Tulsa casino, relax by the pool, and rest in one of our comfortable hotel rooms. You can have all the fun of a Las Vegas getaway, without the airport hassle.

What are some of the most popular games? What does the guest like to play these days?

Neptune’s Gold is always a fan favorite!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Osage Casinos is a unique brand that is tied to our heritage. We celebrate the culture of the Osage people through our artwork and other thoughtful touches in our casino hotels. We are proud of the work that we’ve done over the past two decades to create a recognizable brand that is synonymous with state-of-the-art facilities. It’s fun to imagine what growth that we’ll see in the next 20 years.

By the numbers

Electronic games: 1,600-plus

Table games: 15

Hotel rooms: 286

Dining establishments: 5

Music venues: 3

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa

777 W. Cherokee St., Catoosa • hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Martin Madewell, general manager of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa

Madewell (Cherokee) has devoted nearly two decades to gaming operations for Cherokee Nation Entertainment, starting as a card dealer and working his way up to overseeing operations of the tribe’s biggest casino since 2020.

What’s happening this year in terms of expansions, additions or changes?

We’re undergoing big changes. Our 99-suite hotel tower is under renovation. We recently opened the first two floors of the tower and will be releasing subsequent floors soon. It is truly an amplified, Hard Rock experience. The tower is themed with memorabilia, imagery and design elements that pay tribute to Oklahoma music legends. The rooms are spacious, modern and eclectic in a way that you could only expect from Hard Rock Tulsa. Our steakhouse on the 19th floor is also under renovation and rebranding. It is set to reopen in late May.

What sets Hard Rock apart from the other casinos in Tulsa?

The Hard Rock brand is one of the most recognizable, successful music brands in the world. We create authentic experiences that rock. One thing we can all connect and agree on is that we love music. Music is unifying and the memorabilia, stages, events, promotions and games celebrate this every day. Last, but not least, is the team we have. We have been voted Tulsa’s best casino for many, many years consecutively. It is our people that make us an award-winning casino.

What are some of the most popular games?

With over 2,400 games there is something for everyone. We have a lounge called the “Greatest Hits Lounge” — a room you won’t find anywhere else. This is a collection, a sampling of all the fan favorite games on the floor. Only the best games are found in this room. Lightning Cash, Sahara Gold, Polar High Roller, The Hunt for Neptune’s Gold, Silver Dollar Shootout, Aztec Riches, are just a few of the hottest games you will find here. We also have a new zone dedicated solely to the Aristocrat Buffalo games. We are also home to the only World Series of Poker in northeast Oklahoma. Live craps, roulette, multiple blackjack and the latest, greatest carnival table games can also be found here.

Any tips or advice for someone spending an evening at Hard Rock?

Where do I start? We like to say we are a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, and a whole lot in between. We have the most live music stages in the region. Find pieces of memorabilia seen nowhere else in the world. Have a filet at Tulsa’s best steakhouse. Visit Tulsa’s live music dancehall, Track 5., a honky tonk that plays tribute to Oklahoma’s rich country roots. Our AAA Four Diamond hotel has two pools, hot tub, coffee shop and fitness center. Catch a show at Hard Rock Live, our 2,600-seat theater. We also are home to Cherokee Hills — an 18-hole Championship golf course.

Beyond city limits: 4 regional casino and resort destinations worth a try this summer

Riverwind Casino

1544 State Highway 9, Norman • riverwind.com

Grab a freshly baked cookie upon checking in at the 100-room Riverwind Hotel, located at Norman’s Riverwind Casino. Check the calendar for upcoming live performances at Showplace Theatre. This summer, the venue continues its tradition of the Riverwind Beats and Bites Music and Food Truck Festival. The festival is comprised of four monthly concerts, starting with Chris Janson and Easton Corbin on May 25. Each date is accompanied by special visits from food trucks and retail vendors.

Owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation, Riverwind has more than 2,800 electronic games; a poker room; table games such as blackjack, baccarat and roulette; off-track betting and more.

Choctaw Casino and Resort

4216 S. Highway 69/75, Durant • choctawcasinos.com

Escape and unwind with a weekend by the water at the resort-style pool featuring swim-up bars, full-service cabanas and more. Guests can wade all day and then spend the night in one of the three luxury hotel towers or in the on-site RV park.

On May 31, John Legend plays the Grand Theater, with other summer music guests like Bush, Bailey Zimmerman and Joe Bonamassa.

The Durant location has plenty of food options — from fine dining at 1832 Steakhouse to casual bites at Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen and Bar, South Hot Chicken and more.

WinStar World Casino and Resort

777 Casino Ave., Thackerville • winstar.com

Dubbed the world’s biggest casino, this property, owned by Chickasaw Nation, sits near the Oklahoma-Texas border on Interstate 35.

There’s shopping, a world-class spa and wellness retreat, as well as two different pools to please everyone in your party. Pack your golf clubs and try your hand at two 18-hole golf courses designed by D.A. Weibring and Steve Woldfard Golf Design. Golf pros are on hand and the WinStar Golf Academy has the latest technology to help anyone with their handicap.

Lucas Oil Live is the 6,500-seat entertainment venue that will host

Jason Aldean on May 18, James Taylor on June 15 and Jerry Seinfeld on July 13.

Downstream Casino

69300 E. Nee Road, Quapaw • downstreamcasino.com

Treat yourself to a dream-worthy dinner of bison tenderloin, a house specialty at Red Oak Steakhouse, which is just one of several dining options at Downstream.

With both indoor and outdoor pools, guests of all ages can find some water-filled fun. Many hit the nearby 18-hole Eagle Creek Golf Club for a day’s worth of 9-iron action. Others opt for a relaxing session at Nee Spa.

On the gaming floor, guests can try their hand at any of the 1,800-plus slot games, poker tables, craps, roulette, blackjack or other table games.

The Quawpaw Nation operates the site near Joplin. Its outdoor concert venue will host Kane Brown for a concert on July 3.