Tornado Strikes Cherokee Casino in Tulsa

By John Isaac,
Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac is an editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He writes expert articles on card games like blackjack and poker. In addition, he is also well aware of the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets. You can rely on verified information and insightful details.

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Last updated: June 1, 2024

Oklahoma’s Tulsa-based casino, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs received direct impact from a tornado on Saturday, May 25. Though eyewitnesses have said the damage could have been much worse, the incident unfortunately resulted in the death of three horses, the injury of several more and damage to the casino itself.

Details of the Damage Emerge

The tornado made an impact on the casino grounds and building Saturday night, moving east from the area of downtown Claremore towards Pryor. Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs has a variety of buildings and amenities onsite due to its mixed-use nature, as it features a racetrack, RV park, stables and casino facilities.

All of the above facilities were affected by the tornado and much damage was noted throughout the area. Thankfully, no people were injured or killed. An estimated 140 campers were present in the RV park on the night of the incident.

No People Harmed

No people were injured because the majority were evacuated elsewhere due to the tornado warning. A storm shelter was ready to receive them before the tornado entered Claremore. This information was confirmed by the director of communications for Cherokee Nation Entertainment, Travis Noland, who was interviewed by News Channel 8 Tulsa. Cherokee Nation Entertainment is the owner and operator of the facilities and grounds.

Of course, other significant damage was present, despite the best attempts made by staff to prepare. Within the RV park, it was reported that many camper vans were turned over, with some seeing damage to their windscreens. Due to this, items belonging to the campers also ended up strewn around the grounds, meaning losses for the owners of the vehicles in some cases.

Noland spoke on behalf of the company and echoed the experience of these unfortunate guests, saying, “It’s been an emotional day, yesterday, for a lot of these campers that were going through their belongings and stuff. But one of the most important things is no severe injuries were reported. It’s really just been an unfortunate situation for those guests.”

The casino itself may need some time for repairs since it received external damage. It also lost water and power for a period of time.

Losses of Equine Life

Unfortunately for animal lovers, the biggest loss during the tornado was associated with the stables where racehorses are kept. Ten out of 14 stables received damage that night, affecting 200 horses which were stabled there at the time and could not be evacuated.

Horse Racing Nation reported that three horses died as a result of the tornado, but it is possible this number is in fact higher. Other horses were injured during the incident. Danielle Barber, executive director of the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma, spoke to Horse Racing Nation about the tragic incident, saying she was thankful as “It could’ve been a lot worse.”

The rest of the horses have now been moved to another part of Tulsa for treatment and to allow time for the repairing of the stables at Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs.