THACKERVILLE, OKLA. (Nov. 1, 2023)– A new era of live entertainment at WinStar World Casino and Resort began recently with the first live shows at Lucas Oil Live, the casino-resort’s new 6,500-seat performance venue.
Lucas Oil Live at WinStar World Casino and Resort is a 250,000-square-foot facility with cutting-edge technical capabilities. The arena serves as a multi-dimensional entertainment hub capable of hosting a wide array of audiences and events.
“Lucas Oil Live elevates our ability to provide the best live entertainment for patrons who want to make memories seeing their favorite performers and extends the unforgettable experience our patrons have grown to appreciate with every trip to WinStar,” said Jack Parkinson, WinStar World Casino and Resort general manager. “Lucas Oil Live features great sightlines in an intimate setting, along with a modern sound system and spectacular video screens. This world-class venue enables us to attract the biggest names in entertainment. We have deep appreciation for the naming rights partnership with Lucas Oil that helped make Lucas Oil Live a reality.”
In February 2023, officials with the casino-resort and Indianapolis-based Lucas Oil Products announced a partnership that included naming rights for the venue. Lucas Oil produces high performance automotive lubricants and additives with over 300 premium products and a distribution network across 48 countries.
“We’re very excited to celebrate the grand opening of Lucas Oil Live – a state-of-the-art entertainment destination that will host some of the world’s top music artists and entertainers,” said Lucas Oil Vice President of Marketing Melissa Wonser. “The Lucas brand strives to connect with consumers where their passions are. Whether it’s an mpg-boosting bottle of fuel treatment for a family road trip or a premium additive for more power – Lucas products are tested and trusted for all types of lifestyles and activities and this partnership allows us to share that message. It’s a thrill to unveil the Lucas brand in a new way, and we can’t wait for showgoers to experience the space.”
Parkinson said Lucas Oil Live features a 140-decibel loudspeaker system and two 32-foot-by-18-foot LED video screens. It also includes dedicated VIP, Club and Suite seating, including a flexible VIP lounge that can be sized to fit the needs of groups for concerts or events. Lucas Oil Live’s amphitheater-style construction gives concertgoers easy access to multiple concessions venues on each level to serve patrons’ needs conveniently.
Guests can easily access Lucas Oil Live’s concourse three ways: from a new exterior parking lot, through the existing casino/hotel or via a skybridge from a new parking garage with more than 1,200 parking spaces. Once inside the venue, guests can navigate to their seats using elevators, stairs or escalators as well as numerous wayfinding digital directories.
Lucas Oil Live connects with the casino-resort’s newest hotel tower, the 304-room Spa Tower. The venue also introduces a new restaurant called Session House Gastropub and a bar dedicated to enhancing the concert experience.
Legendary performer Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band performed in the first paid-ticket show at Lucas Oil Live on Oct. 13, following a pair of free concerts featuring country music stars Aaron Watson on Oct. 6 and Casey Donahew on Oct. 7. Scheduled to perform at Lucas Oil Live before the end of 2023 are well-known entertainers including the Beach Boys, Rod Stewart, Peter Frampton, Smokey Robinson, Tim McGraw, Kevin Hart, Adam Sandler, Johnny Mathis and Blake Shelton.
The opening of Lucas Oil Live is the culmination of a major expansion project at WinStar World Casino and Resort which also has included construction of WinStar Spa, a 26,000-square-foot, two-story spa with world-class aquathermal amenities; Cascades, a 5½-acre pool complex; and the Spa Tower along with major renovations to WinStar Golf Club, including a renovated clubhouse and new greens on one of the club’s two courses.
Last month’s shows are the first live performances at WinStar World Casino and Resort since early 2020. Lucas Oil Live replaces the Global Event Center as the casino-resort’s primary indoor concert venue. The Global Event Center was renovated in 2022 into a non-smoking gaming destination in the Rome Gaming Plaza.
