"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - New Art Gallery & Theater Opens Soon

ROLAND, Oklahoma – Cherokee Nation Enterprises’ cultural tourism department will soon have a new venue to promote Cherokee art inside the Cherokee Travel Plaza in Roland. The art gallery and theater, originally opened to the public with the opening of the travel plaza last year, are undergoing a $60,000 renovation this month. Renovations start Monday.

“The travel plaza is a perfect place to house an art gallery of this caliber for visitors outside the Cherokee Nation,” said David Stewart, CEO of Cherokee Nation Enterprises, which operates Cherokee Casinos and multiple other retail businesses. “The gallery welcomes visitors to experience and purchase some of our finest Cherokee pieces, plus enjoy historical and entertaining movies in the art gallery theater.”

With the renovation, the art gallery will display Cherokee art in an efficient and eloquent manner with pedestals and intricately placed lighting. The gallery will be uniquely set apart from the travel plaza by elevated, frosted glass etched with southeastern designs.

Also as part of the renovation, the theater wall entrance will be redesigned to enhance the beauty and configuration of the gallery, allowing for more art to be displayed. The 10-seat theater plays Cherokee films on demand, using a self-serve touch screen. It is currently showing “Stories of the Cherokees,” a short film produced by Cherokee citizen K.A. Gilliland and directed by Andrew Sikora. Featuring Cherokee storytellers and actors David Scott, Robert Lewis and Chris Smith, the film is about how the Cherokees viewed European explorers and their customs upon arrival in North America. Shot entirely on location within the Cherokee Nation in both English and Cherokee, it is the first Cherokee language film featured at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

The renovation, slated to be complete in July, is led by Resource Design of Rogers, Ark., and Takoda Development of Ponca City, Okla.

The travel plaza opened Memorial Day weekend 2007. It is conveniently located at Interstate 40 and State Highway 64 on the same street as Cherokee Casino Roland and Cherokee Casino Inn. Featuring many amenities for car and truck travel alike, the rustic outpost-themed, 13,000-square-foot facility is outfitted with 12 multi-gas pumps of Valero brand gasoline, six transport diesel pumps, food and beverage items, gift and sundry items, Internet connections, a drivers’ lounge, truck parts, telephones, laundry facilities, showers and a Subway restaurant.