New casino rocks Tulsa
Hard Rock HotelCherokee Nation brings Vegas-style entertainment to state in $155 million expansionBuzz u

BY MELISSA HOWELL

Published: September 6, 2009

CATOOSA — Looking for a weekend that rocks? The near offers a -style atmosphere that’s only 90 minutes from home.

The $155 million expansion by the features five dining venues including ’s I Love This Bar & Grill and the fine-dining penthouse restaurant McGill’s, on the 19th floor of the taller of two hotel towers. The complex also includes five nightclubs and entertainment venues, 125,000 square feet of gaming, 350 hotel rooms and suites, 35,000 square feet of convention space, a 170-acre championship golf course, and Hard Rock’s signature memorabilia worth $2 million.

Rooms come with a host of extras including an dock, oversize shower and large flat-screen television.

The decor and atmosphere blend of Cherokee art and culture with classic rock ’n’ roll, said , chief executive officer of Cherokee Nation Entertainment.

"We’re integrating stars into our memorabilia and bringing in a Midwest flavor,” he said.

The facility, the seventh of its kind in the world, has taken its cues from internationally known hotels and casinos to give gamers a full experience, Stewart said.

"We are heavily dedicated to our players. This is a Las Vegas-style property. I’d compare our rooms to the Bellagio or any other upscale casino,” he said.

Plans are in the works to expand the brand throughout the resort, perhaps adding a retail component featuring a cinema, Stewart said.

"Oklahoma is the third-largest gaming market in the ,” Stewart said. "It is hungry for world-class entertainment in the gaming industry, and we’ve always been innovators in our market.”

Hard Rock Tulsa is operated by the Cherokee Nation’s gaming and retail entity, Cherokee Nation Entertainment. Seventy percent of CNE’s workforce comes from the Cherokee Nation. Thirty percent of CNE’s profits are returned to the Cherokee Tribe.

The Cherokee Nation claims more than 280,000 citizens and employs more than 6,500 people.