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HomeGovernmentBusinessPawhuska Osage Casino to offer exclusive preview for tribal members Oct. 4

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Pawhuska Osage Casino to offer exclusive preview for tribal members Oct. 4

Grand opening for general public scheduled for Oct. 5

After braving construction delays, the Pawhuska Osage Casino & Hotel is opening its doors on Oct. 5 with a ribbon-cutting commemoration and will host an Oct. 4 exclusive preview of the property for Osage tribal members.

Osage Casinos announced the Pawhuska opening festivities on Aug. 31 after casino management adjusted the opening date. Previously casino officials said the opening would take place before year’s end in wake of the supply chain issue with imported electrical switchgear equipment delayed for both the new Pawhuska and Bartlesville gaming properties.

“This property has been a long time coming. We’re so proud to share this beautiful facility with the Pawhuska community and our Nation, and it’s amazing to see all the hard work come to fruition,” Osage Casinos CEO Kimberly Pearson said in a statement.

Located just outside of downtown Pawhuska at the Highways 60 and 99 intersection, this new entertainment hub is in the heart of the Osage Nation, according to a news release. The new casino will boast an expanded gaming floor and over 3,000 square-feet of quality event space, an eatery and a 47-room hotel. The hotel also includes a fitness center and outdoor area outfitted with a pool, hot tub, and refreshment bar for guests to enjoy during their stay.

An opening date for the Bartlesville casino and hotel has yet to be announced. ON government and Gaming Enterprise officials broke ground on both projects in back-to-back ceremonies on June 15, 2021.

The adjusted casino opening date also comes as the worldwide anticipated release of the Martin Scorsese-directed “Killers of the Flower Moon” film will open on Oct. 20. Anticipating an increase in tourism and regional interest, Pearson previously said the casinos will open as soon as possible with the movie opening coming during her April presentation at the United Osages of Southern California gathering.

The new Pawhuska property will stand at 87,808 square feet, employ more than 100 people and serve as a hospitality resource for the influx of visitors and businesses coming to the Osage Nation. On the day the new casino officially opens, the existing location in the Pawhuska Village will close.

“At the heart of Osage Casinos is a dedication to supporting our Nation. As Pawhuska continues to expand, this new property is our chance to give back to our people and showcase Osage culture,” Pearson said. “We’re honored to be a part of the momentum taking place in our Nation’s capital.”

Author

  • Benny Polacca

    Title: Senior Reporter

    Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

    Instagram: @bpolacca

    Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

    Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

    Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

    Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

    Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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Benny Polacca
Benny Polaccahttps://osagenews.org

Title: Senior Reporter

Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

Instagram: @bpolacca

Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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