{"id":238686,"date":"2026-04-07T12:19:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T12:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/238686\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T12:19:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T12:19:12","slug":"the-play-for-texas-who-will-build-dallas-fort-worths-first-casino-resort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/238686\/","title":{"rendered":"The Play for Texas: Who will build Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s first casino resort?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Texas is widely regarded as the most lucrative untapped gaming market in the nation. And Dallas-Fort Worth might well be the crown jewel \u2014 the nation\u2019s most opportune area for a Las Vegas-style casino resort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">A growing number of interests are pushing hard to expand gambling in Texas, including business leaders, developers, local government officials and some local and state lawmakers \u2014 who all see economic and employment boosts \u2014 and gambling enthusiasts who desire a thrill closer to home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Perhaps no one is pushing more strategically than the Native American tribes in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/KTTT_DMN_PIC_5-600.a5dda587.jpg\" alt=\"The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas successfully obtained federal recognition and was provided with a sovereign reservation in Eagle Pass in 1983. Here, members of the Kickapoo Tribal Council made their first trip to Washington, D.C.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas successfully obtained federal recognition and was provided with a sovereign reservation in Eagle Pass in 1983. Here, members of the Kickapoo Tribal Council made their first trip to Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by Traditional Kickapoo Tribe of Texas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">For decades, those tribes, as well as the three federally recognized tribes in Texas, have been growing in political clout and trying to position themselves to open Texas\u2019 first Las Vegas casino if and when the state broadly expands gambling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Choctaw and Chickasaw, in particular, have been working behind the scenes to build trust with North Texas leaders and city officials. That effort has been occurring on multiple fronts, where the trend is partly driven organically by the region\u2019s proximity to Oklahoma, one of the nation\u2019s largest tribal gaming markets \u2014 and home to some of the nation\u2019s most respected gaming operators.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cI\u2019d put our industry\u2019s innovation and efficiency up against anyone,\u201d said Matthew L. Morgan, special envoy for the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association. \u201cWe do a really great job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The tribes\u2019 slow and deliberate long-game strategy sits in stark contrast with their most fierce competitor in the race to build Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s first casino and expand gambling throughout Texas: the Las Vegas-based Sands Corp.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The international gambling superpower made its intentions clear over the last two consecutive legislative sessions, wooing influential state leaders with overt displays of wealth and power.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Mavs_43-600.7f42f0d5.JPG\" alt=\"Las Vegas Sands Corp. controlling shareholder Miriam Adelson has spent about $29 million on Texas political activity aimed at opening the door to casino resorts. The company became more tied to Texas when Adelson purchased a majority stake in the NBA\u2019s Mavericks in late 2023.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">Las Vegas Sands Corp. controlling shareholder Miriam Adelson has spent about $29 million on Texas political activity aimed at opening the door to casino resorts. The company became more tied to Texas when Adelson purchased a majority stake in the NBA\u2019s Mavericks in late 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by 2024 File Photo | Shafkat Anowar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">A hundred lobbyists strode into Austin\u2019s chambers and made lawmakers flush with campaign contributions. The company became even more tied to Dallas when its controlling shareholder Miriam Adelson purchased a majority stake in the NBA\u2019s Mavericks in late 2023. Adelson has spent about $29 million on Texas political activity aimed at opening the door to casino resorts, including contributions to candidates who support gaming.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Multiple Texas governors and other high-profile leaders since 1994 have fended off any attempts to expand gambling in Texas, pointing to the well-documented harm of gambling addiction. The pushback is especially true of any effort to allow casino gaming such as blackjack, table poker, traditional slot machines and other house games.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cA lot of really bad things come with casinos and legalized gambling,\u201d said state Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, \u201cand Texans don\u2019t want it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Now the state is reckoning with what some leaders and officials say is an unprecedented confluence of forces to legalize gambling in Texas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cTexas is a state where you have a large population, a large untapped market, a large appetite in big-time sports, with so many different franchises, and with that burgeoning interest in sports betting after the pandemic just like there\u2019s been across the U.S.,\u201d said Steven Andrew Light, a professor of political science and public administration in the Indian Nations and Gaming Governance Program at the Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cThen there\u2019s that growth of tribal markets in border states nearby, like Oklahoma of course, alongside that, you have vocal proponents of the spread of legalized gambling and sports betting with some of those very high-profile team owners and other folks like Mark Cuban, Jerry Jones or Adelson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cSo that creates the big picture question: If Texas expands gambling, what would that look like? What could it look like? How much of that would be a commercial market? What opportunities for tribes would there be and so on?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The pressure to expand is coming from multiple directions, but is driven largely by money \u2014 the money that Sands Corp., or another private operator, could pump into the economy, but also by the economic example set by the tribes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Casino gambling does exist in Texas, but it is largely confined to the three reservation casinos operated by tribes under federal law: the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas\u2019 Naskila Casino in Livingston; the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas\u2019 Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel in Eagle Pass; and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo\u2019s, or the Tigua\u2019s, Speaking Rock Casino in El Paso.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GamingTribe_19-600.03879329.JPG\" alt=\"Casino gambling in Texas is largely confined to the three reservation casinos operated by tribes under federal law, including the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas\u2019 Naskila Casino in Livingston.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">Casino gambling in Texas is largely confined to the three reservation casinos operated by tribes under federal law, including the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas\u2019 Naskila Casino in Livingston.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by 2025 File Photo | El\u00edas Valverde II.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The federal government has approved a request by the Alabama-Coushatta to build a second casino in Leggett.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The three current casinos \u2014 two of which are located on the border with Mexico \u2014 generated more than $300 million in 2024, according to Casino City Press, a Massachusetts-based research organization that specializes in every aspect of the gaming industry and collects data from tribes, economic impact reports and other sources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">So far, the three tribal casinos in Texas have a designation of Class 2 under federal law. Those casinos limit games to slot machines that operate on a mechanism based on bingo, a game that is legal in Texas.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/texas-tribes-lk-600.d2f94752.jpg\" alt=\"The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, which operates the Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, is a top employer in Maverick County that each year ranks among the poorest in Texas. The tribe employs more than 1,000 people at its casino, adjacent hotel and restaurants.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, which operates the Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, is a top employer in Maverick County that each year ranks among the poorest in Texas. The tribe employs more than 1,000 people at its casino, adjacent hotel and restaurants.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by File Photo | San Antonio Express-News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">What Sands wants to build are casinos that feature Vegas-style games \u2014 blackjack, table poker, randomized slot machines \u2014 that can lure more gamblers and their dollars. Such a casino would be considered Class 3 if operated by a tribe under the federal rules.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Federal law limits tribes to Class 2 casinos unless the state in which they operate allows the equivalent of a Class 3 casino. In other words, if Texas lawmakers were to allow Sands or any other private interest to create a Vegas-style casino, the tribes would have a compelling legal argument to be granted a Class 3 designation.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/icon-dice.279cf042.png\" alt=\"Descriptive alt text\" class=\"py-6\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xl font-bold\">High Stakes<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">North Texans are just several months away from learning just how much wealth a Las Vegas-style casino \u2014 where Class 3 games exist \u2014 could generate for the region. A yearlong study commissioned by a 33-member committee of city officials, developers and business people \u2014 including a member of the Choctaw Nation \u2014 is expected to serve as a basis for discussions at the legislative session beginning in January.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">For comparison, the 87 tribal gaming establishments in the California region generated $12 billion in 2024, according to the National Indian Gaming Commission. Oklahoma tribes generated more than $6 billion in revenue in 2023, based on the most recent economic impact study of tribal nations in Oklahoma, a good portion of which comes from Dallas-Fort Worth visitors. The North Texas study could create even more pressure to move forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">There are powerful forces that oppose gambling in general, much less any expansion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Opponents worry families will be adversely affected by gambling, which has among the highest rates of suicide among addictive substances. Also, studies show gambling can increase the rate of divorce and alcoholism and create financial hardship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">State Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, who was among the first lawmakers to demand scrutiny of the Texas lottery in 2025, fears gambling will only hurt the most vulnerable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cIf you take a look at where the money is coming in from lottery sales,\u201d Hall said, \u201cthere\u2019s a tremendous difference in the amount of money coming from the poor communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Other opponents fear the decision will come down to the vast economic impacts casinos can have on local, regional and state economies, rather than on the negative consequences for gamblers and their families.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Jonathan Covey, director of policy for Texas Values, a conservative nonprofit organization that opposes a gambling expansion in Texas, notes some states that have joined with tribal governments to share in revenues from casinos have faced deficits in their budgets. On the other hand, Texas boasted a $30 billion surplus in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cNot only do we not need the money,\u201d Covey said, \u201cbut we\u2019re economically the strongest state in the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">A major component of the North Texas study to be shared with legislators in January is an exploration of how to mitigate the social ills of casinos, said Henry Bryan, director of state advocacy for the North Texas Commission, the organization that is sponsoring the impact study.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to look at what are the risks (of casinos) and how much those might cost,\u201d Bryan said, \u201cthe potential increase in crime, the potential educational downturns, and addiction certainly is a big part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has steadfastly supported the prohibition of casino gambling in Texas for many of the same reasons. He did not respond to two calls and three emails requesting comment, which were placed with his offices in Austin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not respond to more than 10 phone calls and emails requesting comment, which were placed with his offices in Austin over several months beginning last spring. He also did not respond to written questions by email.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Abbott has indicated publicly he would be open to discussions for a casino resort, but hasn\u2019t provided details for how that could happen.<\/p>\n<p>The News reached out to tribal leaders, tribal judges and Indian gaming law experts in Louisiana, Michigan, Arizona, California, Oregon, Connecticut, North Dakota, Minnesota and Oklahoma. It spoke with lobbyists for tribes, commercial casinos and sports betting operators as well as gaming foes, including the Texas Baptists\u2019 Christian Life Commission and Texas Values.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">In North Texas, The News spoke with a handful of city managers and local elected officials. It also reached out to business groups that support economic development in the region.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Legislators on opposing sides of the casino debate also weighed in, as well as those who represent tribal constituencies.<\/p>\n<p>The News also reached out \u2013 over many months \u2013 to various executives, as well as spokespersons with Sands. The company declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/icon-dice.279cf042.png\" alt=\"Descriptive alt text\" class=\"py-6\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xl font-bold\">Winning it all<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Various scenarios could play out if Texas lawmakers agree to expand gambling and allow Class 3 casinos.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The state could reach an agreement with a commercial operator, such as Sands Corp., to provide licenses to build casinos in and near metro areas of the state. Bills have been presented in the Legislature to do just that, but all have failed. Some of those bills would require voters to pass a constitutional amendment to expand gaming.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The state could reach a similar agreement \u2014 called a compact \u2014 that gives the existing Texas tribes the authority to build more and larger casinos. The tribes are eager to negotiate such a deal, which would provide them with greater protection and the opportunity to expand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">No such talks have begun, but the discussions could lead to a bigger cut of tribal gaming revenue for the state and give Texas greater control over the number of casinos and what they offer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">In exchange, the tribes would likely seek exclusivity, much in the same way that it works in states such as California and Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">None of the existing tribes\u2019 casinos serve the Dallas-Fort Worth area, nor is it likely any of the three tribes, with tribal lands in remote areas, would open casinos in North Texas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">But the tribes of Oklahoma would be eager.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Currently, the closest Las Vegas-style casino is the WinStar World Casino and Hotel. Located 80 miles north of downtown Dallas on Interstate 35 just across the Red River, it is the world\u2019s largest casino with over 10,000 slot machines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">And it is operated by the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">If Texas lawmakers chose to issue private casino licenses, outside tribes could compete, and some say nobody is better suited than the Oklahoma tribes, especially the Chickasaw and Choctaw.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Choctaw Nation, in particular, considers North Texas an extension of its reservation, said Gary Batton, its chief. The tribe operates a casino 90 miles north of downtown Dallas in Durant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cWe\u2019re more familiar with the Texas market than we are any other market,\u201d Batton said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been planning and been prepared for this for years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CHOCTAW-005A-600.48900d6d.JPG\" alt=\"Patrick Dumont (left), chief operating officer of Sands Corp. and governor of the Mavs, and Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, stood courtside at the start of the game against Oklahoma City on March 1. Batton says the tribe considers North Texas an extension of its reservation.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">Patrick Dumont (left), chief operating officer of Sands Corp. and governor of the Mavs, and Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, stood courtside at the start of the game against Oklahoma City on March 1. Batton says the tribe considers North Texas an extension of its reservation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by Chitose Suzuki | Dallas Morning News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Several additional Oklahoma tribes on the border with Texas are exploring work-arounds for how to enter the North Texas market, not as commercial license holders, but in the same manner as the three existing Texas tribes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Under federal rules, the tribes would have to provide evidence to the federal government that their lands once existed in North Texas and then establish a reservation, upon which they could legally build a Class 2 casino.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">One piece of evidence could come from a governmental process that has nothing to do with gaming. Federal law requires Texas to consult with tribes anytime the Texas Department of Transportation has a highway project that could disturb tribal remains or religious or cultural artifacts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Many of the tribes TxDOT consults are in southwest-central and southeast Oklahoma, an acknowledgment of their Texas roots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Delaware Nation, which also operates casinos, is among those tribes that would be interested in trying to provide evidence of its presence in Texas over a century ago, president Michael McLane said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cIt would definitely be on the tribe\u2019s radar,\u2019\u2019 McLane said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to enter into something that\u2019s not going to be beneficial for both parties, the state and the tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">In the 10 years that he\u2019s been part of tribal leadership, McLane said his tribe has pursued two separate efforts to try to identify some of its ancestral lands in New Jersey and Illinois. Those discussions are part of a process, he said, that could take a year or as long as 12 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Comanche, Kiowa, Tonkawa, Pawnee, Apache, Caddo, and Wichita and Affiliated tribes all have historical roots in North Texas. About 200 distinct Native American groups lived in Texas at the time of the European arrival, but not all are originally from Texas, said Tim Seiter, assistant professor of history at the University of Texas at Tyler, who specializes in colonial Texas with an emphasis on Spanish and Native American histories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Any tribe from anywhere in the U.S. \u2014 including those tribes on the border with Texas \u2014 could open a gaming establishment in Texas by obtaining a state commercial license similar to what a commercial operator such as Sands Corp. would do. They would simply have to acquire the land in Texas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">That scenario has played out elsewhere. In Arkansas, the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma operates a Las Vegas-style casino under a license in Pine Bluff.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/icon-dice.279cf042.png\" alt=\"Descriptive alt text\" class=\"py-6\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xl font-bold\">Neighbors<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The specter of Sands raises the stakes for the tribes by not only creating a possible opportunity to expand but also because it introduces a potentially lethal competitor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Sands has very publicly created a stake in North Texas and said in a recent prepared statement that it is \u201cplaying to win.\u201d The company\u2019s resolve is clearly visible in its donations to legislative races \u2014 even local mayoral campaigns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Sands also owns a 100-acre parcel near the old Cowboys Stadium in Irving.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cThere is nowhere else in the U.S. we would ever go,\u201d Andy Abboud, senior vice president of government relations for Sands Corp., told the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Las Vegas Sands Corp. was founded in 1988 by Sheldon Adelson and his partners on the Las Vegas strip and has become the third-largest casino company in the world by revenue. In 2010, the company expanded to resorts in Asia, with several properties in Macau.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Sands isn&#8217;t the only interested party that has moved into Dallas-Fort Worth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Hundreds of thousands of Rangers fans can\u2019t help but notice that the old Ballpark at Arlington, home to the Texas Rangers until 2019, is now named after the Choctaw.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">At Lake Texoma, the Choctaw is helping build a $6 billion mixed-use development in Denison. The project, which broke ground last year, includes 7,500 homes, a Margaritaville resort hotel, a 900-slip marina and retail dining.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TribalGaming_03-600.93f0398c.JPG\" alt=\"Gary Batton (right), chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, presented a check for $1 million dollars to McAlester Mayor Justin Few in February for the renovation of the city library in  McAlester, Okla.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">Gary Batton (right), chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, presented a check for $1 million dollars to McAlester Mayor Justin Few in February for the renovation of the city library in McAlester, Okla.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by El\u00edas Valverde II | Dallas Morning News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Chickasaw Nation has a Dallas-based private equity firm, Pennington Creek Capital, that invests in non-gaming sectors such as aerospace and manufacturing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">It also already has a place for slot machines to live \u2014 Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie. Global Gaming Solutions, a subsidiary of the tribal nation, purchased the facility in 2011 after its owners faced bankruptcy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Whether Sands or the Oklahoma tribes have the upper hand in this race to build Dallas\u2019 first casino remains to be seen. The News spoke with a number of local officials, experts and lawmakers, but few were willing to wager. Or risk the wrath of being on the wrong side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Three of the city managers who were willing to discuss the matter said they had a preference for tribes. The primary reason, they said, is because they had good experiences in working with tribal leaders when they served in similar positions in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Tribes build relationships for the long term, said Troy Powell, city manager of The Colony, which is in Denton County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cOur relationships are not a one-night stand,\u201d and tribes understand this, Powell said, \u201cbecause they have a good long history of forming strong partnerships with the communities they\u2019re in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">They reinvest a lot of money back into areas that see their developments, he said. So, for example, they will pay for the roads, the utilities and other infrastructure around multi-million dollar projects such as a casino resort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Further, Powell said, \u201cthey have a good record of how they spend their money. You can trace back the improvements they\u2019ve made in a community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Colony is home to one of the area\u2019s largest entertainment venues: Grandscape. The 433-acre development includes an immersive multi-story LED dome, indoor electric go-karts, a Tiger Woods-inspired golf course and more than 28 restaurants and shops.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Powell is open to discussions for one further amenity: a casino resort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Judy Mahoney, a Tarrant County real estate broker, would be game for such a local place where she could do a little gambling and watch big-time performers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cI\u2019d definitely check it out,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Mahoney often visited WinStar, she said, until her career became too busy and she started working multiple jobs. She recalls taking home $200 playing slots on more than one occasion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">But what does she enjoy most? The restaurants, shops and entertainment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">She saw legendary rocker Rod Stewart perform several years ago. In fact, she might return to see him this month. Stewart is scheduled back at WinStar on April 24.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/icon-dice.279cf042.png\" alt=\"Descriptive alt text\" class=\"py-6\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xl font-bold\">The last frontier<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Ultimately, it\u2019s not local officials who will decide whether such a casino resort comes to Dallas- Fort Worth. It\u2019s lawmakers \u2014 and Sands has its supporters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Bills supported by the company introduced during two consecutive legislative sessions would require the state to permit commercial casinos in metro areas throughout the state, including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi and Hidalgo County in south Texas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The bills vary but make clear each casino operator would have to pay $1.25 million to $2.5 million in application fees for each license for one of seven or eight casino properties. Those casinos would have to feature a luxury hotel and an entertainment venue for concerts and recreational facilities. The developer also would have to commit to a minimum $2 billion investment and agree to provide 15% in gross gaming revenues to the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">None of the bills made it out of committee, but more bills are expected to be presented when the Legislature convenes again in January. All sides say there is just too much money at stake for the push to not continue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cMy motive has been purely economics,\u2019\u2019 said state Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, who has authored various bills over the years to establish casino resorts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The casinos would draw billions of dollars in economic impact to those regions. Lawmakers already have seen the impact the existing three casinos have had on their regions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The establishments have plugged hundreds of millions of dollars into their local economies, drawing people who would never otherwise travel there and bringing thousands of jobs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas is a top employer in Maverick County that each year ranks as among the poorest in Texas. Local economic development leaders credit an uptick in tax revenue and real estate development to the casino. State and local sales tax revenues have jumped $10 million to $15 million due to the casino\u2019s impact on tourism, said Adislada Mendoza, interim economic development director for the city of Eagle Pass.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Casino expansion could make a significant financial contribution across the state. It also could have a devastating impact on the Texas tribes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Most of the gamblers who visit tribal casinos today are from the Houston, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso areas. Alvarado\u2019s bill would create commercial licenses in each of those metro areas, creating direct competition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">That\u2019s why Alvarado\u2019s bill \u2014 in addition to other gambling bills \u2014 requires the state to come to the table to negotiate a compact with Texas\u2019 three tribes, Kickapoo, Alabama-Coushatta and the Ysleta del Sur.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cWe would certainly invite that process to happen,\u201d Alvarado said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The state might not have a choice. Federal law protects tribes\u2019 right to self-sufficiency \u2014 often achieved through gaming \u2014 from the actions of states. Allowing competing commercial gaming would be a consideration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The remedy is to have the state negotiate with the affected tribes by reaching a compact that would, in some way, protect the tribes by perhaps allowing them to expand their casinos or limiting competition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">State Rep. Eddie Morales, D-Eagle Pass, wants to take it a step further. He wants the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas to have exclusive rights to the San Antonio market, where 75% of its customers reside.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cSomebody like Sands would just overpower these smaller Native American tribes,\u2019\u2019 Morales said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">Sands \u201cis the big corporation,\u2019\u2019 said Nita Battise, vice-chairwoman of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. \u201cThey have the money. They have the backing. They have the international market as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cTexas is the last frontier. Sands can quadruple anything and everything. But they need to work with the tribes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">If a commercial casino were allowed in Dallas-Fort Worth, it could have a similarly negative effect on the Oklahoma tribes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">It would have an impact, said Morgan, the special envoy for the Chickasaw Nation who is also chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, which represents 28 of the state\u2019s tribes that operate 142 gaming facilities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cThe reality is that it\u2019s coming,\u2019\u2019 said Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation, \u201cand we have to be ready for it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">\u201cTexas will have to embrace it. We just want to be a part of it as it comes. We\u2019re not going to push it. We don\u2019t believe in pushing our values on other people, but as it happens, we think we would be a great partner and we want to be part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">If Sands is viewed as a competitor, there are signs it\u2019s a cautiously cordial competition.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CHOCTAW-002A-600.08c992b3.JPG\" alt=\"The Dallas Mavericks hosted Native American Night on March 1, featuring Choctaw Nation dancers performing during halftime at the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center. Above the dancers are words beckoning visitors to the casino, 90 miles north of downtown Dallas in Durant.\" class=\"w-full\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-2 px-0 font-sans font-light text-sm\" style=\"margin-top: 0;\">The Dallas Mavericks hosted Native American Night on March 1, featuring Choctaw Nation dancers performing during halftime at the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center. Above the dancers are words beckoning visitors to the casino, 90 miles north of downtown Dallas in Durant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pt-4 px-0 font-sans font-light text-xs uppercase\">Visual by Chitose Suzuki | Dallas Morning News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">The Dallas Mavericks recently hosted a Native American Night. At courtside, Batton stood alongside Patrick Dumont, chief operating officer of Sands Corp. and governor of the Mavs, while Choctaw dancers performed on the court at halftime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mx-auto max-w-2xl my-6 md:px-0\">A sign above the dancers beckoned fans to consider another entertainment opportunity \u2014 a visit to the Choctaw Casino and Resort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Texas is widely regarded as the most lucrative untapped gaming market in the nation. And Dallas-Fort Worth might&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238687,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[91724,91734,91742,91728,8629,91741,91725,91717,91718,89434,75337,91726,91727,102,2582,712,5125,918,19738,138,6862,116,30433,24522,91752,4872,62284,91733,2638,91745,91736,9933,91722,64130,9672,9066,91737,91751,4975,18264,91735,91743,23912,33318,91750,430,91747,2926,91721,91730,91749,91723,91731,91740,91729,27,29,3823,26232,28,429,61177,91732,91744,54136,91739,91720,91719,91746,91748,91738],"class_list":{"0":"post-238686","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-texas","8":"tag-adelsons","9":"tag-alabama-coushatta-tribe-of-texas","10":"tag-bingo","11":"tag-blackjack","12":"tag-casino","13":"tag-casino-citys-north-american-gaming-almanac","14":"tag-casino-resorts","15":"tag-casinos","16":"tag-chickasaw-nation","17":"tag-choctaw-nation","18":"tag-choctaw-stadium","19":"tag-class-2-casino","20":"tag-class-3-casino","21":"tag-dallas","22":"tag-dallas-mavericks","23":"tag-dallas-fort-worth","24":"tag-eagle-pass","25":"tag-economy","26":"tag-eddie-morales","27":"tag-el-paso","28":"tag-employment","29":"tag-fort-worth","30":"tag-gambling","31":"tag-gaming","32":"tag-global-gaming-solutions","33":"tag-gov-greg-abbott","34":"tag-grandscape","35":"tag-indian-nations-and-gaming-governance-program","36":"tag-jerry-jones","37":"tag-jonathan-covey","38":"tag-kickapoo-traditional-tribe-of-texas","39":"tag-las-vegas","40":"tag-las-vegas-sands-corp","41":"tag-livingston","42":"tag-lone-star-park","43":"tag-lt-gov-dan-patrick","44":"tag-lucky-eagle-casino-hotel","45":"tag-margaritaville","46":"tag-mark-cuban","47":"tag-miriam-adelson","48":"tag-naskila-casino","49":"tag-national-indian-gaming-commission","50":"tag-native-american","51":"tag-native-american-tribes","52":"tag-north-dallas-chamber-of-commerce","53":"tag-north-texas","54":"tag-north-texas-commission","55":"tag-oklahoma","56":"tag-oklahoma-indian-gaming-association","57":"tag-poker","58":"tag-quapaw-tribe-of-oklahoma","59":"tag-sands-corp","60":"tag-slot-machines","61":"tag-speaking-rock-casino","62":"tag-table-poker","63":"tag-texas","64":"tag-texas-headlines","65":"tag-texas-lottery","66":"tag-texas-lottery-commission","67":"tag-texas-news","68":"tag-texas-rangers","69":"tag-texas-rep","70":"tag-texas-rep-matt-shaheen","71":"tag-texas-sen-bob-hall","72":"tag-texas-values","73":"tag-tigua","74":"tag-tribal-gaming","75":"tag-tribes","76":"tag-winstar","77":"tag-winstar-world-casino-and-hotel","78":"tag-ysleta-del-sur-pueblo"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238686"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238686\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}