The Quapaw Nation will break ground on a resort promised to “supercharge the region’s economy” in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on August 5.
The ceremony to dig shovels into Earth for Saracen Casino Resort, a $350 million development, also marks the grand opening day for the Saracen Annex Q-Store, a 20,000-square-foot convenience store located adjacent to the casino. The Annex will mirror the existing Q-Store at the entrance of Downstream Casino Resort, the Tribe’s flagship property in Quapaw, Oklahoma.
Today headquartered in Quapaw in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, on a 13,000-acre Tribal jurisdictional area, the Quapaw people inhabited Arkansas before forced relocation to Oklahoma in the 1830s. The casino is named after revered Quapaw Tribal leader, Chief Saracen, who was laid to rest in Pine Bluff in 1832 at age 97.
The Tribal entity Saracen Development, LLC, projects that construction of the resort will create about 1,000 immediate jobs that will last about 11 months. Shortly before opening in spring 2020, Saracen Casino Resort will hire about 1,100 permanent employees.
“We view ourselves as community developers. That means we develop a commercial enterprise for the right reasons — for the betterment of communities and their citizens,” said John L. Berrey, Chairman of the Quapaw Nation, the Downstream Development Authority and Saracen Casino Development. “I believe the people of Pine Bluff are already seeing that. They understand this is where we came from; this is a homecoming for us.”
Saracen Casino is the Tribe’s third gaming operation. In addition to Downstream Casino Resort, the Tribe operates Quapaw Casino in Miami, Oklahoma.
“This reminds me of how excited and proud we were 12 years ago breaking ground for Downstream, and what that meant for Joplin and the surrounding region,” said Chairman Berrey in a statement. “Saracen Casino will be a lot like Downstream in terms of style, design and luxury, and in what we think it will do for Pine Bluff. But also, building Saracen Casino is a homecoming for the Quapaw people. That’s where we lived. It is where the great Chief Saracen is buried. So this is a very special for us.”
Saracen Casino will span 570,000 square feet on 110 acres, featuring more than 2,000 slot machines and 50 table games across 80,000 square feet of gaming floor. Visitors can even play one of 300 machines located at the Saracen Annex Q-Store.
The resort will boast 300 rooms, a conference center, entertainment venue, spa, restaurants and lounges, as well as a museum and cultural center. Other amenities will include a health clinic, safety and fire services, and a child learning center and day care.
