| Cherokee Nation Enterprises: Bingo! |
| Construction | |
| Written by Eric Slack | |
| Monday, 31 December 2007 | |
 CEO David Stewart explains how gaming and entertainment are bringing prosperity to this native tribe.  David Stewart, CEO Let it ride CNE owns and operates Cherokee Nation’s gaming and hospitality facilities, which include Tulsa’s Cherokee Casino Resort, six Cherokee Casinos, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, three hotels, two golf courses, and additional retail businesses in Northeast Oklahoma. CNE can credit its growth, at least in part, to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Acts, which created the rules governing Indian gaming. The 1988 act established three classes of gaming. Class I covered traditional Indian gaming with small prizes, placing all authority in tribal governments. Class II covered bingo and card games played against other players rather than against the house. Class III included all forms of gaming not covered by the other classes, including prominent casino games like slot machines and craps. Class II and III restrict tribal authority and require state permission. The Cherokee Nation began operating a handful of bingo halls around the 14 counties in Northeast Oklahoma in the early 1990s. Once video games and blackjack tournaments falling under the interpretation of Class II were added to the mix, the company began seeing solid financial returns. The opportunities only increased when state statutes were changed in 2004 to expand Class III gaming. CNE saw the need to invest in company infrastructure at the turn of the century, sensing change was on the horizon. It built a management team capable of guiding its transition from a smaller gaming operation to a full-scale entertainment company. Stewart was brought on board in 2002 and led the company through a growth spurt that saw it expand from 750 employees in 2002 to 3,200 today. Stewart feels this commitment to solid and organized leadership is what sets CNE apart. “We created a strong corporate structure, with clear policies and standards to ensure quality across the board in terms of cleanliness, safety, and a comfortable environment,” Stewart said, noting the company will add more than 1,000 employees in 2008. “The look and feel of the properties are established at the corporate level; there is not a sacrifice in standard at any property.” Double down CNE is positioning itself to lead the growth of the entertainment business in Oklahoma. According to Stewart, his company’s future is about more than just gaming. It is about fine dining, concert halls, nightclubs, and a convention center. Stewart sees the region changing and becoming more urban. This was reflected in voter approval of the Vision 2025 program in 2003, designed to revitalize tourism and infrastructure in Tulsa. Competition remains relatively weak, so CNE is in a perfect position to build its brand. It holds focus groups to get feedback from customers, as well as independent focus groups that include people who may have never been to any of its casinos. This way, CNE keeps track of market demands. Company executives are regularly in Las Vegas, giving the Cherokee Nation the ability to be first to the market with anything new and trendy coming out of the Mecca of gaming. The company also sees its future as the owner of the entertainment destinations of choice in the Midwest. In the long run, CNE will compete directly with Las Vegas for out-of- state tourists as it works to keep Oklahoma residents from bolting the state with their entertainment dollars. To help build the brand, CNE has engaged in some high-profile partnerships. The Discovery Channel’s Orange County Chopper built a motorcycle for the company. A well-known local steakhouse, McGill’s, is part of the Cherokee Casino Resort in Tulsa, and Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill will join it when the casino’s $125 million expansion is completed in 2008. The expansion will include a 40,000-square-foot convention center and 200 additional rooms, with a nightclub and the steakhouse on the top floor of a 20-story tower. CNE also took advantage of the explosion in poker popularity, partnering with Scotty Ngyuen, one of the best-known personalities in the game. The Scotty Ngyuen Poker Challenge is the Midwest’s richest poker tournament and has drawn some of the best poker pros to the casino. These steps have grown CNE’s reputation and enhanced its ability to strengthen its position as Oklahoma’s entertainment king, especially once the expansion is finished. “We will be the premier convention center in the area because we’ll have entertainment, multiple places to eat, a great buffet, and a great hotel in addition to gaming. That is one way we are differentiating our product,” said Stewart. “We are bringing people from across the region to a market we feel will be more competitive as casinos expand. We are oriented nationally, not just locally, and it has proven to be a successful strategy.” As the competition increases, the company’s success hinges on the very thing that created it—pride. CNE exists to benefit the Cherokee Nation and the communities it serves. It supports the Cherokee not only through its dividends, but also through employment as more than 60% of its staff is Native American. Stewart believes the jobs his company creates and the charitable endeavors it supports outweigh any of the risks associated with casinos. CNE actively engages the community through civic organizations and takes a proactive approach toward treating problem gambling by providing money for education. “We have a clear mission statement, and we’re not only focused on gambling, but also on entertainment. We are community-oriented, and the Cherokee Nation is not just a business to bleed profits,” Stewart said. “We’re a part of the community, providing good jobs, a safe place to work, and dividends to the nation.” |
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American Executive is a RedCoat Publishing publication.
American Executive is a RedCoat Publishing publication.
