GUYMON, OK – Construction is complete on the $78 million expansion of the Golden Mesa Casino & Hotel, which now features a 40,000 sq. ft. gaming floor, new food and beverage options, an RV park and a four-story hotel. Shawnee Tribe officials and representatives from Shawnee Development, Global Gaming Solutions, Chickasaw Nation, the City of Guymon, Connect Advisors and Flintco gathered for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration.
“I am proud to celebrate this expansion as both a significant investment in the community and a bold step toward a future of growth, entertainment, and world-class hospitality in the panhandle region,” said Chris Floyd, President of the Shawnee Development Board of Managers.
Located about two miles southwest of Guymon on US Highway 54, Golden Mesa is the only entertainment destination of its kind in the Oklahoma panhandle. The expanded casino floor now includes over 1,100 electronic games and 10 tables, three of which are located in a premier high-limit room.
The new hotel offers 99 luxurious rooms and a fitness facility, while the RV park offers 45 slips, showers and a welcome area.
New food and beverage options include Panhandle Press, serving Starbucks coffee from 7:00am to 4:00pm daily, and the full-service Cimarron Ridge Restaurant, open 7:00am to 10:00pm Sunday through Thursday and until 11:00pm Friday and Saturday. The Gold Spur has also added a second bar on the casino floor.
“The care and attention to detail that our architecture and construction partners put into this project at every phase really shine through,” said Cassie Harper, Shawnee Tribe Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Shawnee Development Board of Managers. “From our restaurant menu items to our hotel furnishings, HBG Design, Global Gaming Solutions, Flintco, and our leaders at Shawnee Development and the tribal business council all put their hearts into this facility, and we’re so excited to share it with our guests now.”
When it opened in September 2019, the casino generated 175 new jobs and $4 million in annual payroll. The expansion has more than doubled Golden Mesa’s daily workforce and projected annual payroll to around 380 employees and $11.2 million, respectively.
“When I first joined the business council, our service was voluntary, and when we eventually were offered small stipends, many of us returned those checks to the tribe,” said Roy Baldridge, Second Chief of the Shawnee Tribe. “Today, we have dozens of services and programs for our tribal citizens, most of which are supported by Golden Mesa, and we wouldn’t have any of this if it weren’t for the groundwork laid by former Chief Ron Sparkman and our partnerships with Chickasaw Nation and the panhandle community.”
Global Gaming Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chickasaw Nation, manages casino operations, while the Shawnee Tribe maintains ownership.
“It’s just so nice seeing a group of people come together and doing something for the community, for the greater good,” said Guymon City Manager Mike Shannon, gesturing to the crowd of tribal leaders, business partners and local community members gathered for the ribbon-cutting. “Look at all these folks from all over getting along, and look at what we’ve been able to accomplish together.”
“We could not be more excited with the grand opening of the newest expansion to Golden Mesa Casino & Hotel,” said Chief Ben Barnes. “The investment we have made in ourselves and the Guymon community will continue providing our citizens and communities with much-needed and appreciated services such as health, housing, employment, and educational assistance. We are thrilled for this new endeavor in Texas County, Oklahoma.”
