Cherokee Nation To Open Its Ramona Casino Friday

NewsOn6.com

RAMONA, OK – The new Cherokee Casino opens Friday in Ramona, a Washington County town with an estimated population of 568 in 2003.

The Cherokee Nation says the 100 employees needed to run the casino live in Osage, Tulsa and Washington Counties.

"By building a gaming center in Ramona, we've created career paths with good paying, stable jobs for a lot of people who can now work close to home," said David Stewart, CEO of CNE, which operates Cherokee Casinos and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

"A large number of our Cherokee Casino Ramona employees live in the surrounding communities of Ochelata, Skiatook, Nowata and Bartlesville."

1/19/2010 Related Story: Cherokee Nation Picks Washington Co. For Its Next Casino

The owner of Renee's Donuts and Hamburgers in Ramona is looking forward to the opening. Renee Pryce's restaurant is providing donuts to the facility, and she says the casino has also created jobs for friends and family.

"It's been wonderful," said Pryce. "There are people around here who have had a tough time finding jobs. I know at least five people who got jobs at the casino, including my sister."

Cherokee Casino Ramona is located off of US Highway 75 north of the Ramona exit.