Choctaw Poker Room Durant

Filmed LIVE on location at Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, OK on April 24, 2016. Featuring Todd Brunson, Brandon Cantu, Nelda Escamilla, Jason Ettredge, Dan. Information and Reviews about Choctaw Durant Poker Room in Durant, including Poker Tournaments, Games, Special Events and Promotions. Attention Poker Rooms: Get your Real-Time Live Action on PokerAtlas!

Last steel beam placed atop the future Sky Tower

DURANT, Okla. (May 21, 2020) – Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant celebrated a “topping-out” ceremony today that represents a milestone in construction for the new Sky Tower and expansion project at its new resort property in Durant, Okla.

Construction of the expansion project is moving rapidly, with millions of dollars already invested in site preparation, concrete and steelwork.

“This is more than a building, it’s a commitment to a brighter future for the Choctaw people and the surrounding communities that we celebrated today,” states Chief Gary Batton. “We’re all incredibly proud of the work that has been done by the construction team and excited to continue creating jobs in our communities.”

Amid COVID-19 and social-distancing requirements, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma hosted a virtual topping-out event. The virtual celebration included congratulatory videos from partners including, the developer TynanGroup LLC, lead design-build team Tutor Perini Building and JCJ Architecture.

To watch the video of the virtual topping out use the following link: https://youtu.be/tnNpLI6SNjk

Set to open in the spring of 2021, the 19-story tower will feature 1,000 more luxury hotels rooms, an expanded gaming floor and new amenities such as a new pool, parking garage, retail space and entertainment and dining options. Once completed, more than 1,000 new, permanent jobs will be created.

Photo by: Christian Toews
Chief Gary Batton, Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr., James Dry, Choctaw Nation Council Member, Janie Dillard, Senior Executive Officer, and Choctaw Casino leadership celebrate the topping out ceremony.

Photo by: Christian Toews
The last steel beam which reads, “Psalm 122:7 May there be peace within the walls, and prosperity inside your fortresses” was placed atop the future Sky Tower at Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant.

Photo renderings of the complete gaming facility are available by request.

If you would like B-roll please contact Kristina Humenesky at khumenesky@choctawnation.com.

About Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant 

Located an hour north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex lies a AAA Four Diamond resort and entertainment destination, in southeastern Oklahoma. Choctaw Casino & Resort–Durant is a three-level convention/entertainment venue which offers more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and convention space and seating for more than 3,000 people. The resort’s amenities include the Oasis Pool – featuring four tropical pools with private cabanas – as well as the region’s premier entertainment complex, The District, where visitors can enjoy Tailgater’s Lounge, 20 bowling lanes, a 40-game arcade, and a state-of-the-art movie theater. The casino offers more than 4,100 slot machines, 60 table games, and a private poker lounge featuring 30 poker tables. In the spring of 2021, a major expansion effort will add the Sky Tower: 19 stories high featuring 1,000 new luxury hotel rooms, along with 3,400 additional slot machines and 34 tables in the new poker room, along with 40 table games, two new restaurants and movie theaters, and a three-acre swimming pool – making Choctaw Casino & Resort–Durant one of the largest gaming resorts in the world. For more information, visit choctawcasinos.com.

DURANT — Cards flew and multicolored chips hit the pot as poker players from around Oklahoma and nearby states converged on the Choctaw Casino on Dec. 10-11 for the new Native American Casino Poker Tour.

The two-week tournament series was the idea of Card Player magazine, a leading publication in the poker industry, which partnered with the casino for the first event.

The federal crackdown on online poker in April (known in the poker world as “Black Friday”) has been a boon to live tournaments and cash play, which has helped many casinos and poker tours. Dominik Karelus, spokesman for Card Player Media, said the tour was introduced because of a niche in the market — American Indian casinos — and that the Choctaw Casino was a property with experience running major poker events. The casino boasts a poker room with 30 tables.

“The idea for the tour was always there, but Black Friday made Card Player realize that there will be an increased demand for live tournaments,” he said. “The Native American casinos are and have always been great clients and partners, and Card Player wanted to do something to increase the players' awareness of how great the Native American casino properties really are. Things have gone great thus far, with Choctaw reporting tournament revenues and interest way up from last year.”

Kansas wheat farmer Kirk Stewart, winner of the $1,000 buy-in Main Event championship, would take home $50,000, an intricately designed buffalo trophy, a buy-in to the casino's World Series of Poker Circuit event in January, and appear on a future cover of the magazine. The final table was also broadcast on the magazine's website. The total prize pool for the event totaled $290,681.

After playing late into the night, Stewart was thrilled with his victory and planned on investing his newly won cash in his farm and adding a bit to his poker bankroll.

Ken Lambert Jr., poker room manager at the casino, said he jumped at the chance to be the first casino in the tour series — and boost a traditionally slow month for the poker room. The low buy-ins for the event (from $100 to $300 for preliminary events) also helped attract more players looking to test their poker chops.

“The whole event has been great for us. It was interesting to be first. If you're first you get the perks — advertising, notoriety, etc.,” Lambert said. “We're looking at being a part of it again next year.”

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• Video:Native American Poker Tour (2011-12-19)

Lambert expected between 200 and 250 players for the Main Event, but the turnout exceeded 320. Lambert said the low buy-ins definitely helped bring in players during a tough economy and holiday season. The idea worked and cardsharps and amateurs alike turned out for their chance at poker glory.

Choctaw Casino Durant Ok Poker Room

“To me it was more important to drive volume and get people in the door,” Lambert says. “Our idea was to give the average guys with a little money a chance to win some nice Christmas money.”

Most of the poker players seemed pleased with the events and turnout.

“I've enjoyed the experience. The facilities are nice and the people are always nice,” said Val Wood, of Durant, who took third in a $300 preliminary event for a $6,200 win. “The Main Event is affordable enough for most people who want to play.”

And what would he do with his winnings? Spend it on Christmas for his family, he said — no bluffing.

Choctaw Casino Poker Room Durant

Choctaw Poker Room In Durant

Kirk Stewart, main Event winner (courtesy Card Player).