River Spirit Casino Building New Bar And Lounge As State Lawmakers Consider Legal Sports Betting

Big changes are coming to the River Spirit Casino, where nearly $17.5 million is being poured into a new sports bar and lounge. The casino said it will be ready this summer. 

The changes are coming at a time when state lawmakers will once again consider legalizing sports betting. 

The sports bar and lounge will fill 14,000 square feet, in what was formerly called the “Visions Buffet.”  

"We've got a sports bar now, but it's just not large enough for, you know, the big games and the big sporting events. And so we had this area we needed to repurpose, and so we decided Oklahoma is such a sports-centric state that let's do an over-the-top sports bar and lounge,” Muskogee Nation Gaming Enterprises CEO Pat Crofts said. 

"Over the top" with more than 50 TVs, a large video wall and room for about 150 people. Crofts said it will be called "Gridiron" and touts it will offer the largest sports viewing experience in Oklahoma. 

"If and when sports betting is allowed in the state, this obviously would be the venue for it. And we would be one of the first to be in that arena, you know, once it gets legalized,” he said. 

Changes could soon be coming to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, too. In a statement, Mickey Ward with Cherokee Nation Entertainment said: 

“We are the leader in gaming and hospitality and are committed to driving the guest experience in the region. Sports betting has become a valued amenity for casino goers. Our team has been working diligently to develop our sports betting operating strategy and will be ready to provide a market-leading experience once legalized.” 

For the last several years, Oklahoma lawmakers have tried to legalize sports betting. This legislative session two separate bills have been filed to bring both mobile and in-person betting to the state. Both Governor Kevin Stitt and tribes have expressed interest in sports betting but have not yet agreed on a plan. 

Politics aside, Crofts is looking forward to the future of the space. 

“Just going to be a very spectacular sports bar and lounge,” he said. “Very colorful, lots of things for people to do to enjoy sports viewing." 

River Spirit said its goal was to have the bar ready by this fall for the next football season, but the casino is ahead of schedule and said everything will be ready this summer, in time to watch the Olympics.