Chickasaw Nation Plans Big Changes for Remington Park

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City's Adventure District is getting a facelift. A subsidiary of the Chickasaw Nation is now the new owner of Remington Park, and big plans are underway to bring new life to the area.

From the track to the casino, Remington Park has entertained Oklahomans for 21 years.

Now, the new owners of Remington Park are ready to get to work. Global Gaming Solutions, the Chickasaw Nation subsidiary, plans to make changes to the tune of $15 million over the next few years.

"Our view has always been that Remington Park is an underutilized asset," said John Elliott with Global Gaming Solutions.

That's why Global Gaming Solutions gambled on buying the aging building. Once the takeover is complete, the plan is to replace and upgrade hundreds of games. The new owners will also make much needed repairs to spruce up the facility.

"We're talking about things such as replacing carpets, replacing old T.V. sets, renovating corporate boxes, those types of things that customers will see," Elliott said.

The Global Gaming Solutions CEO expects the improvements to draw crowds, which will increase race attendance, bring larger purses, better quality horses, more recognition and future growth.

"Chickasaw Nation has the resources to develop retail, to develop potentially hotels, restaurants, other things that will make it another entertainment district similar to Stockyard City or Bricktown," said Michael Carrier with the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau.

These changes could mean a boost to the economy by adding more jobs and tourism, something the Adventure District hasn't seen in a while.

"Having stability and the ownership is a huge asset there," Carrier said.

The Chickasaw Nation will likely takeover Remington Park in December. The public will begin to see changes shortly after that. Remington Park was purchased for $80 million.