The Lakecrest Casino and Hotel: Cultivating an Entertainment & Hospitality Experience in Southern Oklahoma

The Chickasaw Nation brought a new entertainment venue to life in Ardmore, Oklahoma, to strengthen regional tourism, expand hospitality offerings, and support long-term economic growth. The Lakecrest Casino and Hotel brings together a 70,000-square-foot casino, 58,000-square-foot hotel with approximately 90 rooms, a 20-slip RV park, a conference space, and a resort-style outdoor pool experience. Positioned along US Route 70 and just minutes from Lake Murray State Park, the project will serve both local and out-of-state visitors.

Casino and Resort Master Planning for a Complex Site

From the earliest master planning efforts, the client and project team focused on how to make the most of a large site—balancing visibility, access, guest experiences, and future flexibility. Kimley-Horn supported that vision with targeted master planning services that spotlighted where key elements should sit on the property, including the casino, hotel, RV park, and supporting infrastructure.

Since the site did not have access to a conventional sanitary sewer system, the team planned for a lagoon-based wastewater approach while also considering how the buildings could be positioned around existing ponds to preserve attractive views. Additionally, we accounted for varying site elevation across the 250-acre plot by placing the development on high ground—safeguarding the site from stormwater runoff challenges.

Evaluating the US Route 70 Corridor for Transportation Safety Improvements

Kimley-Horn completed a comprehensive traffic safety review for the Lakecrest Casino and Hotel, evaluating site access, corridor operations, and safety performance under existing and future conditions. The study included multi-day traffic and speed data collection, field observations, Level of Service (LOS) analysis, and a review of five years of Oklahoma Highway Safety Office crash data. Results indicated that intersections currently operate at an acceptable LOS, but elevated operating speeds and limited access introduce potential risks for right-angle and rear-end crashes.

Kimley-Horn developed phased short-, mid-, and long-term recommendations, including signage, lighting, speed mitigation, access management strategies—such as a potential restricted crossing U-turn intersection—and future driveway and acceleration lane considerations, to proactively improve safety for the traveling public.

Our team coordinated with Chickasaw Nation, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), and the City of Ardmore to discuss identified transportation safety improvement opportunities. After these discussions, ODOT installed advance warning signage along US Route 70 as part of an ongoing roadway improvement effort.

Hospitality Impacts Delivered Through Partnership

On site, Kimley-Horn also designed the approximately one-acre pool courtyard, including a 3,400-square-foot pool and spa with lounge seating and open lawn space to create a polished guest amenity that complements the larger destination. After working with the Chickasaw Nation to determine the chosen preliminary design concept—which also included lighting and irrigation elements for the pool courtyard—our team attended site visits to ensure the contractor brought the design vision to fruition.

Kimley-Horn brought planning, traffic, and landscape architecture design expertise that helped translate the client’s goals into a built environment that is welcoming, functional, and prepared for growth. Opened in 2024, the Lakecrest Casino and Hotel stands as a center for future economic and job development and a fun, peaceful destination for Southern Oklahoma.