KINGSTON, OK – Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby led a ribbon-cutting ceremony for West Bay Casino and Resort, situated along the scenic shore of Lake Texoma. Built on the site of the former Lake Texoma State Lodge, West Bay Casino and Resort is the result of decades of planning and consideration by both the Chickasaw Nation and state officials.
“What you see here today is a resort we believe will serve new generations of Oklahomans and those from outside our state who visit here, much as Lake Texoma State Lodge served the tourists of its era,” said Governor Anoatubby. “The Chickasaw Nation is honored to have worked with the State of Oklahoma on this project. We always enjoy partnering with other entities that seek to improve the standard of life for our fellow Oklahomans. We look forward to further opportunities to do that.”
Built on 61 acres, West Bay Casino and Resort features a luxury three-story, 40-room hotel that includes a meeting space and premier amenities including an outdoor pool and recreation areas, a fitness center, a gift shop, a business center and a restaurant. Ten, four-bedroom cabins and a casino are included in the resort development. Each cabin comes equipped with a full-service kitchen, fireplace and spacious shared living room. The property features views of the Lake Texoma and the historic Roosevelt Bridge connecting Marshall and Bryan Counties.
The new development will have a nearly $58 million economic impact during the first year of operation, according to a study commissioned by the Chickasaw Nation. West Bay Casino and Resort is located on the former site of the state lodge, which was built in 1957 and once considered one of the finest tourism facilities in the region. After more than 50 years of service, the lodge was demolished in 2009. The property sat unused for years while the State of Oklahoma searched for a strategic partner to develop a tourist destination on the historic site.
“The Chickasaw Nation’s involvement in this project began in 2016, when Governor Anoatubby announced our partnership with the State of Oklahoma to develop this stunning piece of land here by Lake Texoma,” said Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Commerce Dan Boren. “We are here today as a direct result of Governor Anoatubby’s foresight, his vision and his leadership.”
In 2016, The Chickasaw Nation and the State of Oklahoma announced plans to develop the resort hotel and other amenities on the 61.5-acre site. The development is just off U.S. Highway 70, near the Catfish Bay Marina. The project covers 50 acres of lakefront property, as well as 11.5 acres of land acquired by the state’s Commissioners of the Land Office from the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.
“We anticipate West Bay will be an anchor tourist destination at Lake Texoma,” said Secretary Boren. “There are an estimated six million visitors to the area each year and it is our goal to not only increase that traffic, but give visitors a fun, inviting, quality experience that will entice them to stay even longer.”
The project’s goal, Governor Anoatubby said, was to create a facility that would honor the past as well as serve as a destination for tourists and an economic driver for the region.
“The ripple effects of the Chickasaw Nation’s investment will be felt in businesses in the town of Kingston and across this part of Oklahoma, as more and more visitors begin returning to this beautiful area,” said Governor Anoatubby.
West Bay Casino and Resort will positively impact Chickasaw citizens as well as the region’s economy, as the resort is expected to employ more than 170 people in a variety of roles. In addition to the $58 million economic impact during the first year of operation, the property is estimated to have a $168 million economic impact in the next five years.