Documents Show Broken Arrow City Leadership Knew About Kialegee Casino

Broken Arrow residents who live near the Red Clay Casino site have complained that the city never let them know what was being built near the Creek Turnpike and 129th East Avenue.

But city records expand the timeline.

A stack of e-mails show the city manager was aware a casino was being planned since at least last June.

The tribe says it needs the casino to develop its economy, but residents are worried about crime and traffic coming to their neighborhoods.

News On 6 received documents from the city in an open records request in late January.

According to those documents, an engineering firm drew up plans last summer, but the city's Development Services Department did not know it was for a casino until September 2011.

News On 6 has since received more documents from the city show other people within the city's leadership knew a casino was being developed in Broken Arrow.

On June 27th, 2011, economic development director Norman Stephens gets a request from the Broken Arrow engineering firm HRAOK that the casino group wants to meet with city leaders.

Stephens responds that he's able to meet with the group, but city manager David Wooden does not have time.

On July 1, 2011, the city manager sends an e-mail to the city councilors updating them on various projects taking place in the city.

It includes a small paragraph titled 'Casino Development' and mentions that Norm Stephens will be meeting with the casino group in two weeks.

Wooden also tells councilors that Stephens will inform the developers that the city will not provide "incentives or infrastructure for a casino in the city."

The Oklahoma Attorney General's office has filed a lawsuit against the Kialegee's in an effort to stop construction of the casino.

The city of Broken Arrow as said it won't provide any utilities to the site until that lawsuit is resolved.