Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Break Ground on Elk City Casino Resort
19 October 2026
The Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes took a major step towards enhancing local economic development in Elk City with the July 24 groundbreaking on their ambitious new Lucky Star Casino & Resort. The multi-phase project, described as the tribes' most aggressive investment to-date, promises to deliver jobs, gaming, hospitality and entertainment amenities to serve Elk City and the wider western Oklahoma region.
With Elk City working to broaden its economic base beyond traditional industries, the Lucky Star development represents a significant opportunity for the community. But it also poses challenges: how to maximize the project's potential benefits while mitigating potential downsides like traffic and the influx of out-of-town visitors to a relatively small city.
The first phase, due to open in 2030, will include a 56,000-square-foot casino packed with 750 gaming machines, a food court, a steakhouse, and a 65,000-square-foot hotel with 100 rooms, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. Built on a 40-acre site at 327 S. Eastern Avenue, the convenient location near I-40 and local retail centers like Walmart positions the resort to draw both tourists and regional day-trip gamblers.
In subsequent phases, the complex will expand with a convention center, a family entertainment arcade, an outdoor pool, a full-service convenience store with a trucker's lounge, and an RV park. Tribal leaders frame the development as a catalyst for broad-based community and economic benefits.
"As we break ground on this new enterprise, we are sowing the seeds for jobs, for tourism dollars, and for support to many other tribal and local economic projects," said Tribal Chairman Trey Z. "This is more than a casino - it's an investment in our people and in our future together."
Both local elected leaders and tribal officials hailed the resort as an engine of economic growth, though details on job creation, tax revenue, and other economic metrics were not immediately disclosed. Local reports indicate that Elk City and surrounding communities stand to gain from the rising tide of visitors, spend, and investment.
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"The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have been a strong partner in building a bright economic future for our region," said Elk City Mayor Lara Williams. "We have high hopes for this development and the impact it can have for our local residents and businesses. We are excited to see their vision unfold."
The Lucky Star Casino & Resort arrives at an auspicious time for a city working to revitalize its appeal and broaden its economic base. Once a major farm and ranching operation, Elk City in recent decades has seen a decline in agriculture's share of local GDP while trying to court businesses and tourists. The casino, surrounded by other consumer-focused businesses, aims to draw more folks to town.
The project reportedly received a multi-million dollar loan from PNC Bank to fund the initial phase. Industry analysts predict that the casino resort, once complete, will function as both a gaming destination for regional players and as a stop for individuals and groups traveling between the Midwest and the West Coast. How big an impact it ultimately has on local fortunes remains to be seen.
The Elk City Lucky Star Casino represents not just the largest-ever tribal development in the area, but a key avenue for western Oklahoma towns to accelerate economic development in an era of slow agricultural growth. Starting from the ground up on July 24, the project has a strong business case and considerable private capital. Strongly shaped by tribal economic goals, the next step is for it to prove its worth to the community.