Osage Casino
A Native American casino and hospitality brand operated by the Osage Nation across Oklahoma.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Osage Casino is the gaming and hospitality brand of the Osage Nation, a federally recognized Native American nation based in Oklahoma. The Osage Nation operates a network of casino properties under the Osage Casinos name, serving communities across the state through electronic gaming, table games at selected locations, hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment, and related guest services. The business was originally known as Osage Million Dollar Elm. That name referred to the Osage Nation's history of oil and natural-gas lease auctions held in Pawhuska in 1922 beneath a tree that became known as the Million Dollar Elm. The auctions attracted prominent oil-industry figures and generated more than one million dollars in lease value, making the tree a symbol of the scale and excitement surrounding Osage mineral resources. The casino enterprise adopted the Osage Casino name in 2011, bringing its commercial identity closer to the Osage Nation's name and heritage. The casino network developed through a series of openings and expansions. Osage Casino-Hominy opened in 2001 and was remodeled and expanded in 2005 to accommodate more electronic gaming devices and table games. The Pawhuska property began operating in June 2003. The Sand Springs property first opened in July 2004 and reopened after a major renovation in June 2012, with improvements to air quality, gaming facilities, and guest comfort. It was described as a 25,000-square-foot casino with more than 600 electronic gaming devices, a Player's Club, food court, bar and lounge, gift shop, and parking facilities. Additional properties broadened the network geographically. The Bartlesville casino opened in March 2007, while the Tulsa property became the brand's gaming and entertainment venue closest to downtown Tulsa. The Osage Casino Hotel-Skiatook project followed a 2012 groundbreaking and combined gaming with a hotel, conference center, convenience store, and larger casino facility. The Skiatook property opened in December 2013. The Ponca City property also reopened in December 2013 with a new gaming floor, hotel, restaurant, and convenience store; the facility operates around the clock and was described as having 345 gaming machines. Osage Casino's core positioning combines tribally owned gaming with regional entertainment and hospitality. Its properties are distributed across northern and northeastern Oklahoma rather than functioning as a single resort destination. The portfolio includes smaller community casinos as well as hotel-integrated sites, allowing the brand to serve local gaming customers, travelers, and guests seeking food, lodging, or events. In 2021, Osage Casino announced plans for a casino near the Osage River in Osage Beach, Missouri. The proposal required a joint resolution before construction could proceed, and the available reference material does not establish that the project was completed. Leadership changed in 2023 when Byron Bighorse resigned after eight years as chief executive officer and Kimberly Pearson replaced him. The brand remains associated with the Osage Nation's gaming operations in Oklahoma.
History
Osage Casino is the commercial gaming brand operated by the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. The brand's identity is tied to Osage history, particularly the 1922 auctions of Osage oil and natural-gas leases in Pawhuska. Those auctions were held outdoors beneath a tree later called the Million Dollar Elm and attracted major oil-industry bidders, including Frank Phillips and E. W. Marland. More than one million dollars in lease value was auctioned, and the event became an important reference point for the casino business's original name, Osage Million Dollar Elm. The first property identified in the reference material is Osage Casino-Hominy, which opened in 2001 under Osage Nation Gaming. It was remodeled and expanded in 2005, adding capacity for more electronic gaming devices and table games. Osage Casino-Pawhuska began operations in June 2003 at a site on 15th Street and Highway 99 east of Pawhuska. The Sand Springs property opened in July 2004. After a total renovation, it reopened in June 2012 with improvements to air quality, gaming, and overall guest comfort. The property was described as a 25,000-square-foot casino with more than 600 electronic gaming devices, a Player's Club, food court, bar and lounge, gift shop, and parking for 500 vehicles. The network continued to expand with Osage Casino-Bartlesville, which opened in March 2007 west of Bartlesville. Osage Casino-Tulsa became the Osage gaming and entertainment venue located closest to downtown Tulsa. In September 2012, Osage Casinos broke ground on a larger Skiatook development. The project was planned to include a 33-room hotel, conference center, convenience store, and a 78,000-square-foot casino. Osage Casino Hotel-Skiatook opened on December 9, 2013. Osage Casino Hotel-Ponca City officially reopened on December 23, 2013. The renewed facility included a new gaming floor, hotel, restaurant, and convenience store, and was described as operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Ponca City casino was also described as having 345 gaming machines and as being the Osage gaming center closest to Ponca City. In 2011, the business changed its name from Osage Million Dollar Elm to Osage Casino. The change gave the operating brand a simpler name while retaining its connection to Osage history through the origin story of the Million Dollar Elm. In 2021, Osage Casino announced a proposed expansion into Osage Beach, Missouri, near the Osage River. The project required a joint resolution before construction could begin; the available material does not confirm completion. Leadership changed in 2023. Byron Bighorse resigned as chief executive officer after eight years in the role and was replaced by Kimberly Pearson. The available sources provide limited information about subsequent corporate developments, but the brand continues to represent the Osage Nation's casino and hospitality operations, with properties combining gaming, lodging, dining, entertainment, and selected retail or event services.
- 2023
Kimberly Pearson became CEO
[1]Kimberly Pearson replaced Byron Bighorse as chief executive after Bighorse's resignation.
- 2021
Missouri expansion proposal announced
[1]Osage Casino announced plans for a proposed casino near the Osage River in Osage Beach, Missouri, subject to a required joint resolution.
- 2013
Skiatook casino hotel opened
[1]Osage Casino Hotel-Skiatook opened on December 9 with integrated gaming and hospitality facilities.
- 2013
Ponca City property reopened
[1]The Ponca City property reopened on December 23 with a new gaming floor, hotel, restaurant, and convenience store.
- 2012
Sand Springs reopened after renovation
[1]The renovated Sand Springs casino reopened in June with improvements to air quality, gaming, and guest comfort.
- 2012
Skiatook development groundbreaking
[1]The brand held a groundbreaking ceremony for a planned hotel, conference center, convenience store, and expanded casino in Skiatook.
- 2011
The business adopted the Osage Casino name
[1]The casino business changed its name from Osage Million Dollar Elm to Osage Casino.
- 2007
Bartlesville casino opened
[1]Osage Casino-Bartlesville opened in March west of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
- 2005
Hominy property remodeled and expanded
[1]The Hominy casino was remodeled and expanded to support additional electronic gaming devices and table games.
- 2004
Sand Springs casino opened
[1]The Sand Springs property opened in July as a regional gaming venue.
Products and positioning
A tribally owned regional gaming and hospitality network that combines casino entertainment with hotels, dining, events, and community-oriented properties across Oklahoma.
Casino gaming
Electronic gaming
Electronic gaming machines are a central offering across the Osage Casino network. Individual properties vary in scale; the Sand Springs location was described as having more than 600 machines, while the Ponca City facility was described as having 345 gaming machines. The brand presents these facilities as regional casino destinations supported by player-club and guest-service infrastructure.
Casino gaming · 2005
Table games
Table games form part of the gaming mix at selected Osage Casino properties. The Hominy location was remodeled and expanded in 2005 specifically to accommodate additional electronic gaming devices and table games. The available material does not provide a complete list of games or indicate that table games are offered at every location.
Hospitality · 2013
Hotel accommodation
Hotel accommodation is integrated into the brand's larger properties, including Osage Casino Hotel-Skiatook and Osage Casino Hotel-Ponca City. The Skiatook project was planned with a 33-room hotel, while the Ponca City reopening included a hotel alongside gaming, dining, and convenience services.
Food and beverage
Dining, bars, and lounges
Food and beverage services support the casino properties and extend the brand beyond gaming. The Sand Springs property was described as having a food court, bar, and lounge, while the Ponca City reopening included a restaurant. Exact menus and current outlet names are not established by the available reference material.
Loyalty program
Player's Club
The Player's Club is a customer-loyalty service identified at the Sand Springs property. The available source confirms its presence but does not detail the current rewards structure, membership terms, or benefits.
Events and hospitality · 2013
Conference and event facilities
Conference and event facilities are part of the Skiatook development, which was planned to include a conference center alongside its hotel and casino. The available material does not provide current capacity, programming, or booking information.
Brand decisions
2023
Changed chief executiveOtherBackground
Byron Bighorse resigned after serving eight years as CEO of Osage Casinos.
Action taken
Kimberly Pearson was appointed as his replacement.
Aftermath
Pearson became the identified chief executive of the Osage Casino operation.
2021
Proposed expansion to Osage Beach, MissouriStrategyBackground
Osage Casino announced plans for a casino near the Osage River in Osage Beach, Missouri.
Action taken
The brand announced the proposed development, which required a joint resolution before construction could begin.
Aftermath
The available sources do not establish whether the proposal received approval or was completed.
2013
Reopened the Ponca City casino hotelProduct launchBackground
The Ponca City facility was developed as a gaming center serving the area around Ponca City.
Action taken
The property officially reopened with a new gaming floor, hotel, restaurant, and convenience store.
Aftermath
The facility became a continuously operating Osage gaming and hospitality venue with 345 gaming machines described in the available material.
2012
Approved and began development of the Skiatook casino hotelGeneration changeBackground
The brand sought to expand its property network with a larger integrated gaming and hospitality development in Skiatook.
Action taken
Osage Casinos held a groundbreaking ceremony for a planned casino, 33-room hotel, conference center, convenience store, and 78,000-square-foot gaming facility.
Aftermath
The Skiatook property opened in December 2013.
2011
Adopted the Osage Casino brand nameStrategyBackground
The gaming business had originally operated under the Osage Million Dollar Elm name, which referenced the 1922 Osage oil-lease auctions in Pawhuska.
Action taken
The business changed its operating name to Osage Casino, creating a shorter identity directly associated with the Osage Nation.
Aftermath
The Osage Casino name became the identity used for the Nation's network of gaming properties.
Recent events
- 2023
Kimberly Pearson replaced Byron Bighorse as chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Byron Bighorse resigned after eight years as CEO, and Kimberly Pearson succeeded him.
- 2021
Osage Casino announced a proposed Osage Beach, Missouri casino[1]
Other
The brand announced plans for a casino near the Osage River in Osage Beach, Missouri. The proposal required a joint resolution before construction could proceed.
- 2013
Osage Casino Hotel properties opened in Skiatook and reopened in Ponca City[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The Skiatook property opened on December 9, while the Ponca City facility officially reopened on December 23 with an updated gaming floor, hotel, restaurant, and convenience store.
- 2012
Osage Casino-Sand Springs reopened after renovation[1]
Other
The Sand Springs property reopened following a comprehensive renovation intended to improve air quality, gaming facilities, and guest comfort.
- 2012
Osage Casino broke ground on the Skiatook hotel and casino project[1]
Product launch
Osage Casinos held a groundbreaking ceremony for a Skiatook development combining a casino, hotel, conference center, convenience store, and expanded gaming space.
- 2011
Osage Casino changed its name from Osage Million Dollar Elm[1]
Other
The Osage casino business adopted the Osage Casino name, replacing the earlier Osage Million Dollar Elm identity associated with the Osage Nation's historic oil-lease auctions.
Sources2 sources
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