Scores of people waited patiently outside Cherokee Casino Ramona May 28, as the casino opened its doors for the first time.

The 24 hour operation in Washington County is Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s eighth casino in northeast Oklahoma, employing about 100 people. The new positions are in gaming operations, marketing, security and  food and beverage.

“By building a casino in Ramona, we’ve created job opportunities that haven’t existed before in Washington County,” said David Stewart, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses, the parent company of Cherokee Nation Entertainment. “All of our positions are stable, career path jobs that come with an excellent benefits package.”

Cherokee Casino Ramona encompasses 10,000 square feet and has just over 200 games. The casino houses a 24 hour café, featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

Cherokee Nation Businesses offers an exceptional compensation and benefits package to all full-time employees, including medical, vision, dental and life insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with matching and immediate vesting, flexible spending accounts and tuition reimbursement.

For the past three years, Cherokee Nation Businesses’ gaming and hospitality company has been voted the number-one company to work for in Oklahoma by Oklahoma Magazine. In 2008, the company also earned the top Stars of the Industry award for community service projects by the Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association.