River Spirit Casino receives Corps approval; Resort development to proceed

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides 404 permit to Muscogee (Creek) Nation

TULSA, Okla. – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and River Spirit Casino announced today it has transacted the required 404 permit with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. With this process complete, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation can now expedite the construction of its planned expansion to build a 27-story hotel and Margaritaville Casino at River Spirit on the banks of the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Okla.

 The Corps requires a 404 permit for any work, including construction and dredging in navigable waters and evaluates applications for public interest, as well as environmental criteria. Officials of the tribe worked closely with the Corps to share its construction plan that would foreseeably benefit or impact the Arkansas River.

“Waiting to sign the 404 Permit has been long and tedious, but it’s something we had to endure,” said Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief George Tiger. “We didn’t foresee that anyone was going to oppose the construction of the resort, but had some possible concerns with mitigation. All that is in the past, and now we can begin construction of the River Spirit Hotel and the expansion of the casino and the addition of a second casino, which is going to be Margaritaville.”

Margaritaville will be the first and only high-rise hotel along the banks of the Arkansas River. Completing due diligence with the Corps, EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the City of Tulsa, every potential impact has been addressed.

“This has been a long process, but the Creek Nation is committed to ensuring our significant investment in our destination resort does not have an adverse impact on the environment,” said Pat Crofts, CEO of Muscogee (Creek) Nation Casinos.

Since the groundbreaking, and in preparation for the two-year construction project, River Spirit Casino has progressed with implementing infrastructure needed to support the construction project, such as enhancing the existing guest access as River Spirit Casino. Additional work includes expanding the site utilities, such as the power and water supply, fencing the construction site, establishing a construction entrance and exit and relocating the employee entrance.

Gaylon Pinc, owner and Senior Environmental Program Manager with Program Management Group, said the permit was needed for expansion and stabilization of the riverbanks, and also to conduct environmental improvements associated with construction.

“We received the 404 permit from the Corp of Engineers, and it’s been a longtime coming,” Pinc said. “We’ve been working very hard with all kinds of team members including Chief Tiger and the Nation. We’ve signed the permit and this marks the beginning that we can start construction,”

River Spirit Casino general manager Jerry Floyd said the external renovations have been subtle, the renovations inside River Spirit Casino are well underway.

“Renovations include relocating and enhancing our Players’ Club to better serve our guests. We’ve also completely revamped our Scoreboard sports bar to replicate a stadium scoreboard. The additions included new seating, twenty-two new televisions and a featured 103 inch television for optimal game viewing. Finally, we’ll open Tulsa’s only Johnny Rockets restaurant inside River Spirit Casino later this month.”

The construction phase is estimated to be complete in 2016.  Next steps include the large-scale earth work needed to complete required riverbank stabilization and to construct the project pad site along and into the Arkansas River west of the existing casino.