New Trail Coming To Riverside Expected To Make Area Safer

Your morning run or bike on the River Parks trails in front of the River Spirit Casino is about to get a lot safer.

The expansion of the casino with the new Margaritaville Resort is paving the way for a new route, but it’s not open just yet.

April is when the fences come down; for cyclists, the new path will steer you clear of busy intersections.

Drivers know it and cyclists know it - the three crossings in front of the River Spirit Casino along Riverside Drive can get pretty dicey.

"I had a friend get hit here. Car just pulled up too far and he went right over the hood, so, I think it would be a good thing to go around the casino," said cyclist Steve Osceola.

While construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the Margaritaville Resort expansion, a new bike path is also coming to life. A new loop on the backside of the casino will become the new route.

Pat Crofts with Muscogee (Creek) Nation Casinos, said, "Along our property, it was out along Riverside Drive, and it wasn't very pretty, and it was also some safety issues. So, from the very beginning, we wanted to move it back along the river."

Crofts said they worked with the City to integrate the $365 million resort development with a new trail system that meets River Parks Authority standards.

“It just makes for a better experience for everybody," Crofts said.

Not only will trail users get a detour away from Riverside, they'll get a special entry off the trail to make a pit stop at the resort.

"Coming along here, you can see, it's not just a casino, it's Margaritaville. It's a lifestyle, and they'll be able to see the palm trees, they'll be able to see and hear the music, they can see the people having fun and hopefully that will give them a reason to come by," Crofts said.

It’s a win-win for everyone.

Trail user Seth Mischler said, "Oh yeah, that would be a lot safer. So we wouldn't have to worry about cars really, we just turn the corner, ride all the way back,"

"I think it will benefit everybody," Osceola said.

The trail is set to open the first half of April.