Bok Homa celebrates anniversary with sportsbook, restaurant
Bok Homa and Mississippi Band of Choctaws officials celebrated the past and focused on the future Wednesday with a special celebration inside the Sandersville casino.
The facility opened its doors 13 years ago to the day with great fanfare, including an appearance by Las Vegas icon Wayne Newton and parachuting Santas.
At that time, Bok Homa was the third casino for the Mississippi Band of Choctaws and has since been a popular attraction for adventure-seekers from all over. In addition to the 13th anniversary, officials hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil an addition to the facility — more than 7,000 new square feet to the facility that includes a new restaurant, state-of-the-art sportsbook room and an entertainment stage that will host live music and shows.
Billed as the Phase I addition, Choctaw Chief Cyrus Ben said this is the culmination of 24 months of planning and progress. The expansion is the result of collecting feedback from patrons and associates as to what the needs of the facility are.
“I think this is a great day,” Ben said. “We heard the customers say, ‘We would love to have a sportsbook ... we would love to have a restaurant ... and guess what? That is why we are here today.”
The new dine-in restaurant is named Red Creek, which is the English translation of Bok Homa, and will seat 60 inside its enclosed stone- and wood-grain design. It will open to the public on Jan. 11 and feature both fresh meals as well as grab-and-go options.
The new sportsbook offers wall-to-wall screens in a large enclosed room where patrons can keep up with live sports events and place wagers on them. It will be open 24 hours per day.
“We opened 13 years ago on this date, and here we are again in December,” Ben said. “It’s almost like giving a gift to the customers. This is what the customers wanted. We are happy to provide the ultimate customer experience.”
A large crowd gathered for the celebration on Wednesday, which included samples of menu items and anniversary cake.
“This is a momentous day as we unveil the highly-anticipated addition to our property and offer our valued guests some added amenities that will enhance their experience,” said Director of Resort Operations Michelle York.
The stated goal is not only to provide patrons with additional amenities and gaming opportunities, but also to educate and share the culture of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws with customers.
“We want to share our culture and history with you,” Ben said. “And also educate as to who we are as the first Mississippians. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has a culture that goes back many centuries and is alive and well.”
Talia Steve has been a part of the Bok Homa team from the beginning. She was born and raised on the local tribal property and started working at the casino as a customer host on opening day. Today, she serves as the assistant promotions manager.
“We have always been like a small-town casino with a big heart because we love all of our guests,” Steve said. “Now we are able to give an extension to the guests that we serve. We are like a big family and a lot of our guests come back because we form relationships with them.”
Many officials with the Town of Sandersville and Jones County welcomed the expansion and offered appreciation for the ongoing partnership with the resort.
“It really has been a positive economic development for our town,” Sandersville Mayor Bob White said. “The casino employs several local people, and we are grateful for that, as well as the increased traffic and business that comes through town.”
Phase II of the improvements will include additional restrooms and the repaving of the parking lot. But the planning for even more enhancements are also being discussed.
“There are a lot of improvements that we have planned throughout the coming years,” York said. “So just stay tuned!”
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