Published on: October 9, 2023, 12:38h.
Last updated on: October 9, 2023, 12:38h.
The newly opened Osage Casino Pawhuska, located in Oklahoma on the Osage Tribe’s reservation, has replaced an older gaming facility that was established in 2003, as reported by the Pawhuska Journal-Capital.
The Osage Casino Pawhuska spans 87,808 square feet and offers 47 hotel rooms, over 3,000 square feet of event space, 259 slot machines, and a full-service restaurant.
In addition, the hotel may experience increased tourism due to the filming of the 2023 Martin Scorsese movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, which took place primarily in Pawhuska.
Pawhuska, located just one hour north of Tulsa, has served as the seat of the Osage tribal government since 1872 when the reservation was established.
‘Divine Intervention’
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Geoff Hager, chair of the Osage Gaming Enterprise Board, shared a personal story. He mentioned that his childhood home once stood on the same land where the casino was built. Hager recalled an incident from his childhood where he heard his mother’s voice warning him to stop, which ultimately saved him from a falling tree branch.
Hager believes this event was a divine intervention and sees it as proof that the casino’s location is “sacred,” even though traditionally, this would discourage the construction of a casino in such a place.
The tribe has been working on this project for around 20 years, according to Osage Casinos CEO Kim Pearson. Construction began in 2021 but faced delays due to supply chain issues.
Expansion Plans
The Osage Nation is set to open another casino in Bartlesville, located 25 miles east of Pawhuska. This new facility will replace an existing gaming facility and will be a larger resort.
Additionally, the Osage Nation has expressed interest in constructing a casino in the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. The tribe claims ancestral ties to this area, which was once part of their lands before they were relocated to Oklahoma in the 19th century.
In the early 20th century, the Osage tribe became wealthy due to the discovery of oil on their lands. However, they faced difficulties managing their wealth, leading to the involvement of white “guardians” assigned by the federal government. This dark period in their history is the subject of the movie Killers of the Flower Moon.