Harrah’s Oklahoma Opens: Caesars’ New Route 66 Casino

Harrah’s Oklahoma opens in Chandler. By Ryan Slattery

Harrah’s Oklahoma, the first property managed by Caesars Entertainment in the Sooner State, has opened, bringing a new destination casino to the town of Chandler, on historic Route 66. The casino is a partnership with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma.

With tribal members and Caesars leadership on hand, the casino held its grand opening April 9. It was a Las Vegas-style celebration featuring live entertainment, showgirls and fireworks. Oklahoma football legends Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops were also in attendance, and took part in ceremonial first-play action on the casino floor.

“This is a milestone moment,” Joe Scibetta, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah’s Oklahoma, told Casino Life days before opening. “There’s certainly a lot of excitement for our team members. Our message to them is to enjoy it. You don’t get to do this often. It’s rare that you get an opportunity to open a casino, so make the most of it.”

No Stranger to This

While rare for most, it’s become commonplace for the Caesars Entertainment executive. Harrah’s Oklahoma is the ninth casino Scibetta has helped open over the course of his career. While working for Rush Street Gaming, he was involved in opening several of the company’s Rivers Casino-branded properties along the East Coast.

“There’s a lot of excitement but the biggest accomplishment was watching it grow from the ground up,” Scibetta said. “What was once a dirt lot and a dream is now a beautiful casino.”

Each opening, Scibetta added, comes with its own excitement and opportunities. This is true not only for the casino’s 300 employees but especially for the 960 members of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, who mostly reside in the state. For them, it’s an opportunity to bring valuable services to tribal members – including the construction of educational facilities and a new health center.

“This partnership reflects our long-term commitment to economic growth and opportunity for our people,” Jake Keyes, chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, said in a statement. “Harrah’s Oklahoma brings new energy to our community and creates meaningful opportunities for future generations.”

Eight Years in the Making

Harrah’s Oklahoma has been a long time coming. The process began in 2018 when the two sides started talking and eventually reached an agreement. Scibetta said tribal elders were impressed with Caesars Entertainment’s relationships and partnerships with other Native American tribes, and believed Caesars would “be a great fit for them.” The tribe embraced Caesars’ leadership from the beginning. Robert Livingston, senior vice president of development and the Tribal West division at Caesars Entertainment, headed up the project, which already has plans to expand.
According to Scibetta, a second phase is already in the works, with plans to add a 135- to 160-room hotel, meeting space and new restaurants. It could be finished within two years.

“The relationship that we have with other Native American tribes around the country, in Northern California, Southern California and Arizona was really important to them,” Scibetta said. “To be consistent, we wanted to keep the Harrah’s brand tied to the tribal properties.”

As for now, Harrah’s Oklahoma opened as a 65,000-square-foot casino with 1,012 Class II and Class III slot machines. They were deployed along with 12 table games that include blackjack, mini-baccarat and poker-related table games such Ultimate Texas Hold’em. There are also two large bars with built-in, bar-top machines.

Buck & Winnie Return

The property also has two restaurants. Arrow & Ember, under the direction of chef Thomas Liljestrom-Abele, offers contemporary American fare with a menu consisting of lobster bisque and steaks. Quick-service outlet Dash Cafe – a staple in several Harrah’s properties – serves salads, burgers, wings, pizza, and grab-and-go sandwiches.

“When you walk in this building, it should feel different because it’s designed like a Las Vegas casino,” Scibetta explained. “You could put this anywhere on the Strip and it wouldn’t feel out of place. It’s going to be a great place for people that’s exciting and approachable.”
There’s even a little taste of the Vegas Strip on the property itself, where Buck and Winnie Greenback have found a new home. The iconic statue, created by interior designer Henry Conversano and artist Mario Chiodo, which once stood guard in the casino at Harrah’s Las Vegas, has been remodeled and is on display inside Harrah’s Oklahoma.

“I worked at Harrah’s Las Vegas for about two years, and I passed that statue every day,” Scibetta said. “When Robert Livingston said, ‘Hey, you know, Buck and Winnie, right? Would you ever think about bringing them here?’ I loved the idea, so we found a way to make it happen and they’ve returned home to Oklahoma.”

And while Buck and Winnie won’t be going anywhere soon, players frequenting Harrah’s Oklahoma who join the Caesars Rewards program certainly could make a trip to Vegas or any other Caesars Entertainment property nationwide. That includes Atlantic City, Lake Tahoe or New Orleans using points they accumulate locally.