Watonga Lucky Star Casino now Open

Image
  • The empty casino floor ready for customers a day before the Tribal Night opening. (Photo by Hector Lucas)
    The empty casino floor ready for customers a day before the Tribal Night opening. (Photo by Hector Lucas)
Body

Following more than eight months of work and some delays because of COVID-19, the Watonga Lucky Star Casino opened its doors to the public, though work on the facility continues.

As of now, the casino has been operating on a 24-hour basis since its opening to the public on Jan. 29.

Walking through the doors of the casino, you are greeted to a table lined with masks, gloves, and sanitation supplies. Workers are stationed there ready to hand out masks and have you take your temperature in front of the automated kiosks.

Because of the impact COVID-19 has had on the world, many precautions have been put in place to keep customers and employees safe.

Face masks are required in the facility by both employees and customers, hand sanitizing stations are positioned throughout the casino, and customers are given a wristband indicating they have passed the temperature check.

Once through your temperature check, you're ready to move on to the main attraction: the casino floor.

With more than 400 machines available, Lucky Star offers a wide variety of choices for its players.

Lucky Star is committed to providing its guests with the latest in gaming machine offerings, Lucky Star Casino CEO Charlie Welbourne said.

Welbourne also realizes the impact this new casino has on its tribal members, saying “this is an important and historical build on behalf of our tribal members.”

Currently one of the promotions being advertised at the casino is their Win-A-Mini event, where players have the chance to win a bright red Mini Cooper that is on display on the casino floor.

Gaming machines are not all the casino has to offer. Lucky Star Casino currently has a full bar, and plans for its restaurant opening are currently underway.

The restaurant in the casino will be the Rez Restaurant, such as the one found in the Concho Lucky Star Casino. Social distancing guidelines will be followed in the restaurant, and touch-free or disposable menus will be used.

The construction of this new facility also brings with it new jobs available to the residents of Watonga. Visiting the Lucky Star

Casino Website, positions for receptionists, security, and wait staff are all currently available with more planned once the hotel is up and running.

The facility includes a hotel and convention center scheduled to be open in March. The hotel includes 80 rooms spread throughout five floors.

“We are committed to providing the best in entertainment to the great people of northwest Oklahoma,” Welbourne said. “Our team will be providing the best in guest services … making Watonga the place to be.”