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Cherokee Casino Ramona Pays Colorful Homage to Oil Boom

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When Cherokee Nation Entertainment set out to build a new casino in Ramona, Oklahoma, it wanted an environment that both reflected the historic importance of oil drilling in the area and projected a sense of liveliness and fun that would help attract visitors.

Casino planners approved a design for a 10,000-square foot building that used 20,000 square feet of metal panels to create a curved exterior that represents the fluidity of oil and creates a vibrant, standout appearance from the nearby highway. To complete the project, products and expertise were supplied by Selser Schaefer Architects, Abbco Roofing, PAC-CLAD Petersen Aluminum and Valspar.

The oil boom is especially significant to the community of Ramona because the area’s first commercial oil well was drilled there even before Oklahoma became a state. To pay special tribute to this, the casino’s main entrance features two oil derricks that represent the roots of the oil industry in the area.

The dark oil derricks contrast attractively with the bright exterior of the building, which features metal panels coated with Valspar’s Fluropon in Copper Penny, Slate Gray, Colonial Red and a custom Bright Red. Both interior and exterior colors and materials were selected with an eye toward their cultural significance to the Cherokee nation, as well as to the oil boom period. The variety of colors used on the exterior creates even more dimensions on the curved surface and contributes to the building’s modern and festive appearance. In addition, Valspar’s Fluropon coating provides outstanding resistance to ultraviolet rays, long-term color retention, and has a high resistance to dirt and stains for decades to come.

“The architectural realization of the oil boom theme creates a feeling of energy and discovery,” noted the architects. 

The metal cladding on the casino’s exterior required not only multiple shades but multiple profiles of metal panels, which were creatively designed and installed by Abbco Roofing. The completed curvilinear walls have areas that are both convex and concave, which required careful work by the contractor—but paid off in spades for the appearance of the casino. 

Ramona Casino, 31501 U.S. 75, Ramona, OK 74061; http://www.cherokeecasino.com/