Building Upon Cultural Traditions
A Successful Design-BuildProject for the Choctaw Nation
By Dan Morseth
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will open its newPrairie Sky Casino in Durant, Oklahoma, in thesummer of 2005. The new, 120,000-square-footgaming establishment will include 1,200 slot machines,gaming tables, a buffet, conference facilities, and a 60-room addition to the existing hotel. The hotel will alsoadd a cultural garden highlighting the Choctaw Nation’shistory in Oklahoma.
Parsons also assisted the Choctaw Nation with the design and construction of a similar project located in Pocola, Oklahoma, scheduled for a December 2004 opening.
The Choctaw Nation looked to the “prairie sky” for a theme to organize the many uses of light, color, and its logo, which has become an architectural icon at each of its facilities.
A Multibuilding Project
The casino will culminate a multibuilding project underway at the Durant site. Currently under construction with an early spring 2005 completion are a 124,000-squarefoot, air-conditioned indoor coliseum/rodeo arena, which will host equestrian events and youth activities; a 123,000-square-foot horse barn; and a new wellness center featuring a walking court, basketball courts, baseball cages, and an exercise area.
The wellness center will offer programs for elderly and diabetic residents as well as youth programs, all in the interest of supporting a healthy lifestyle.
The tribe’s many projects in Durant will make this location a destination for entertainment, business, and health, building upon the deep cultural tradition that created this strong community. These new entertainment options are just the beginning of a series of new facilities the Choctaw Nation will build with the assistance of design firm Walsh Bishop Associates, Inc.
Lighting Effects
The casino design is centered on a raised oculus highlighted by an LED projection system. Projections of multicolored light effects will simulate the aurora borealis of the northern skies. Spiraling out from the oculus are suspended fins highlighted again by LED lighting, drawing the patrons’ attention to the casino’s size and its multifinish, soffited perimeter.
The main casino entrance will feature a 56-foot, raised tower constructed of translucent insulated panels backlit by a second LED projection system. The vestibule tower will display constantly changing colored light effects visible from the main parking area and roadway. The casino gaming area will also have raised, accessible flooring, which provides space for supply air distribution, power distribution, and installation of the slot machine data cabling.
The construction management department of the Choctaw Nation, Walsh Bishop, and Parsons Electric has worked as a team since this project’s inception. The early involvement of the architect and Parsons resulted in the seamless melding of the interior decor items envisioned by the architect and the lighting effect systems designed and installed by Parsons.
Organization and Efficiency
Parsons has also been instrumental in working with in-house departments and equipment vendors to provide communication and data requirements. Using the accessible floor space, Parsons’ Technologies Division created a data distribution system that will satisfy current needs and allow for future expansion and modification in a controlled, organized environment.
The Prairie Sky Casino project is an excellent example of the organization and efficiency that is achievable when owners and major design partners work together to coordinate a job from design to construction completion.
