What is the Tribe planning to do?
The Shawnee Tribe will bring a major economic boost to Oklahoma City by turning about 104 acres of unused land near the Adventure District into a destination entertainment center. A project like this, which combines a nationally recognized hotel, retail shops and restaurants with a casino and other amenities, will be a significant, positive addition to Oklahoma City, the county, and the State of Oklahoma. It will create thousands of local jobs, be a destination for new visitors and generate other positive economic activity.

What will this project include?
Our destination entertainment resort will include a 400-room hotel, multiple branded restaurants, a casino, a luxurious spa and salon, retail promenade with top-name retailers, a 2,400-seat performance hall, meeting and exhibit space, cinema and bowling center and other first-class amenities.  The project will generate millions of dollars in new revenue and pack a significant economic punch.

Where exactly will the resort be located?
The proposed development site is located on the west side of Interstate 35 between Britton Road and Wilshire Boulevard (just south of Frontier City) in northeast Oklahoma City.

Why is this project good for Oklahoma City?
Our project will create thousands of local jobs, both during construction and beyond, bring many new visitors to Oklahoma City and provide multimillion-dollar economic benefits and new revenue to the city, region and state. The resort also will spend millions of dollars annually on local goods and services. The Tribe will make significant payments directly to local and state governments. In fact, in many communities, tribal businesses actually pay more to the government than even the largest corporations pay in taxes.

The destination entertainment resort will also be a tremendous asset to local businesses looking to recruit the best and brightest talent from across the nation. Making Oklahoma City even more attractive to young professionals is one of the key goals of the local business community, and this project will help achieve that goal. It will also bring even more entertainment options to Oklahoma City.

Will you use local contractors during construction?
The Shawnee Tribe has a strong commitment to local businesses and plans on including local contractors in every opportunity available in the destination entertainment resort. A project of this size and quality will create significant business opportunities for local companies, including those involved in the construction industries.

How does the Land Into Trust (LIT) process work?
The LIT application is a complex, detailed legal process that follows both the federal law -- granting trust applications through the Indian Reorganization Act or IRA -- and a detailed administrative code established by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The process is far-reaching and inclusive, and includes economic analysis, environmental studies, traffic reviews, local impact evaluation, cooperative agreements with local government and many opportunities for public input. State and local officials have significant involvement, and local citizens are afforded many opportunities during the application process to offer comments and feedback. Additionally, as part of the LIT process, the application documents are open for public review and analysis. 

What is an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA)?
An IGA is like a contract between Oklahoma City/Oklahoma County and the Shawnee Tribe. Typically, an IGA includes specific language on a broad range of issues including payments to local government, fire and safety regulations, tax matters and traffic litigation. This is a public document and will be discussed and reviewed in a variety of public meetings. The IGA details the relationship between the local community and the tribe, and spells out the nature of the working agreement between the Tribe and its neighboring local governments.