People were lined up at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday for the 8 a.m. opening of Naskila Casino Leggett, a new temporary gaming experience located on the future site of the Naskila Casino Resort in Leggett.
“I feel great about this. It’s something we’ve looked forward to. Our tribe is thriving. This is just the beginning of the new beginning. It’s the start of our bigger casino that will be open in the fall of 2028,” Tribal Council Chairman Ricky Sylestine said of the new 24-hour gaming facility.
“It’s important for us. You have to realize where we came from, where we’ve been in the past. We’re a small tribe,” Sylestine said, adding that revenues from the casino are providing much needed services for the tribe such as housing, a health department with doctors and nurses, and educational opportunities for graduating students.
“It is not only beneficial to the tribe, but also provides opportunities for the surrounding communities and the county. We’re here to help the community as well. We want to be good neighbors. Let’s make this a great thing for the whole community and the whole county,” Sylestine said.
The parking lot at the temporary casino accommodates approximately 300 vehicles and it was close to capacity during a noon press conference Tuesday. When asked if he had imagined the crowd that would arrive the first day, the tribal council chairman said, “I did and I did not. It’s surprising seeing it so full for a soft opening.
Naskila Casino Interim General Manager Keith Sherer agreed.
“It’s an amazing accomplishment. I couldn’t be prouder of the team. It’s taken a lot of folks a lot of hours. I think this reflects our strong commitment to the tribe and to the community. We have 300 brand new games running live and a 60-seat grill open 24/7,” Sherer said.
“It’s already created 100 jobs. When the resort is fully open, it will create an additional 1,000 jobs. Now we’re going to be laser focused on getting the resort ready. As we’re designing it currently, the main casino will have approximately 3,400 machines and approximately five restaurants,” Sherer said.
The vision is becoming a reality in phases. The first phase was opening the temporary casino. The next phase is construction of the casino with an estimated opening of fourth quarter 2028, and the hotel and pool slated to open about a year later. Future phases are still being determined.
“It’s been a great experience working with the tribe to build this temporary facility for Livingston and the surrounding communities. The county, the Leggett municipalities, TxDOT – everyone has just been amazing. Its’ also been a great experience working with local contractors on this build,” Owner’s Rep Matthew Dunnery said.
“We most recently cleared 90 acres. We’re creating the footprint and getting ready for the foundation to start in January. We’re taking the vision from the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and capturing it in resort form. We’re excited to see things to come. The tribe is very detail-oriented and very loving and it’s been more of a partnership and exciting adventure each day. It’s going to be a premier four diamond resort that you won’t see in any other state,” Dunnery said.
A groundbreaking ceremony on June 18 celebrated the past of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and looked to the future of Naskila Casino Resort which will span 95 acres on land owned by the tribe at 10450 US-59 in Leggett.
Opening in late 2028, guests can choose from approximately 3,400 electronic bingo machines, dedicated non-smoking, smoking, high-limit VIP casino areas, and a variety of restaurants, bars, lounges, and food hall concepts.
There will be approximately 35,000 square feet of flexible event and conference space, including a grand ballroom that can accommodate 1,000 guests and is designed to attract conferences, special events and group gatherings from across the region.
As development progresses, additional phases and amenities will be announced, allowing the casino resort to evolve in response to guest demand and future growth opportunities.
