The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma is partnering with Caesar’s Entertainment to open the new Harrah’s Oklahoma Casino in Chandler, the first property in Oklahoma managed by Harrah’s. The projected open date is April 9, and the currently existing Ioway Casino closed in March to make way for the new operation.
Jake Keyes, Chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and owner of Skydance Brewing Company, said the new facility is a substantial upgrade over the previous and differently named Ioway Casino. “I think the name is just a variation based on how some previous generations pronounced the name,” he said. “Our legal name is The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma.”
Keyes said the project has been in the works since 2017, under the leadership of the previous chairman. “The tribe purchased land and put it into a trust while we explored the possibilities, including visiting other Native casinos around the country,” he said. “During that long process, our leadership enjoyed working with Harrah’s, so this emerged from that process.’
Joe Scibetta is senior vice president and GM of Harrah’s Oklahoma, and he said Caesar’s Entertainment has been working with tribes around the country for more than 30 years, including properties in Southern California (30 years) and Phoenix, Arizona (35 years).
“The Caesar’s Entertainment and Harrah’s brands are built around fun, energy, gambling, and entertainment,” Scibetta said. “We’re excited to offer this experience in Chandler. We are aware there aren’t a ton of other options in the area, and we’re hoping our casino and restaurants can offer great options for locals and customers who make the drive.”
The new casino will have 12 table games and 1,000 slot machines as well as a high-limit gaming area, along with two restaurants: Dash Cafe will be a casual, quick service concept serving burgers, flatbread pizzas, and wings; Arrow & Ember will be an upscale casual contemporary American restaurant. Dash Cafe is already in 54 properties around the country. The gaming floor will also feature a full-service sports bar with 12 televisions and a nice selection of local, national, and imported beer brands.
The population of Chandler is just under 3,000 at the last census, so Scibetta is correct that there are very limited options in the city itself. The casino is located outside Chandler proper, but the new facility is expected to create 325 new jobs for the area. When the adjacent Harrah’s branded hotel opens next year, an additional 150 new positions will be available. Keyes said the size of the hotel is still under discussion, but right now they are expecting approximately 135 rooms.
Scibetta said they have already hired more than 250 employees, and the focus has been on the immediate vicinity: Chandler, Stroud, Wellston, and Harrah. “We’re really focusing on those four towns,” he said. “We’ve held job fairs here and in Edmond, but we’re really seeing interest from the smaller towns in the area.”
The range of jobs is standard for casinos: housekeeping, facilities maintenance, dealers, cooks, servers, bartenders and management. Scibetta said the pay scale is comparable to other casinos in the state, and likely above pay for similar jobs in the area. “We’ve been aggressive with some of our key roles, like cooks ($15/hr), servers and bartenders ($18.75/hr) and table game supervisors ($29.75/hr). Employees are all full-time and receive full benefits. We also have a tuition reimbursement program that caps out at $2,500 per year with no restriction on curriculum or program, so they can do community college, trade and tech, or law school. The program does not have to be related to hospitality at all.”
Soft opens and previews will begin at the end of March, and hiring is still ongoing.
Visit Harrah’s to Open in Chandler.
This article appears in Celebrating 60 years of the Festival of Arts!.