7th Street Casino Might Open After All
1st November, 2007
Last week the state challenged the tribe’s right to operate a casino at the site, but the appeal was overruled by the 10th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals. Nevertheless, now that happened, there is a window for another appeal that could happen in the near future to stop the casino from opening.
The legal struggle does not seem to slow down the casino development. The outdoor sign went up on Tuesday and the place is nearly ready for the grand opening.
David McCullough, an Oklahoma City attorney and tribal general counsel, considers this battle won.
“There’s nothing the state can do to keep us from opening,” he stated confidently on Tuesday during a walk-through tour of the casino to be, watching contractors doing the finishing touches.
It has to be said that the facility very magnificent. The building the casino is placed in is a limestone and red-brick structure downtown at Seventh and Ann streets. The building is significant in terms of its historic value and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The building’s history can be still recognized by the exterior of it. It dates back from 1906, when it used to be a Scottish Rite Temple. It was bought by Oklahoma-based Wyandotte Nation in 1996.
Remodeling the building into the casino came to around $20 million, which transformed the very old and abandoned Masonic structure in the very tasteful way to still keep the historic look and original features. Inside the building they left the original green marble pillars, the mahogany woodwork adds to this sophisticated look.
We shall now wait and see if this beautiful building will become that dream-like casino that planned to open its doors in December already.
