Choctaw Resort Development Enterprise held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday on a new travel plaza to be located on South Church Street in Louisville. The 18,000-square-foot facility will have 150 slot machines, a Sportsbook lounge, 3,000 square feet of retail space, a family-friendly restaurant and fueling stations for commercial and passenger vehicles.

“This project has been discussed for some time, and today it is great to see it come to fruition as we break ground,” said Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben. “This is a new project for CRDE that represents business growth for our Tribe. I am excited for both the Crystal Ridge community nearby and for the Winston County/City of Louisville community. We have a wonderful working relationship, and as tribal chief for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, it is a great moment for me that we can work together to collectively better provide for our people.”

In addition to tribal dignitaries, representatives from the city of Louisville, Governor Tate Reeves’ office and Congressman Michael Guest’s office were in attendance.

The Louisville Travel Plaza is a preliminary project name only. Chief Ben announced a tribal-wide contest to give a permanent name to the new facility.

The 24/7 travel plaza will be set on 18 acres of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians reservation land, the Crystal Ridge Community, located in the city limits of Louisville. The $25 million dollar project is expected to employ approximately 100 people. The target opening is summer 2024.