Durant, Oklahoma -- The Grand Theater inside Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant was nominated for the Academy of Country Music’s “Casino of the Year – Theater” award.
The Grand Theater has taken home this award twice in the past. The 2024 ACM Awards will take place on Thursday, May 16 with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts as the official casino sponsor.
Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running Country Music awards show and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in partnership with Prime Video. This year’s show marks its return to Texas for the second consecutive year after the 2023 show was one of the most watched awards shows of the year.
“It’s an honor to be nominated for this award,” said Jeff Penz, senior director of casino operations at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Durant. “Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant is one of the premier tour stops for the top country music entertainers in the industry, and we strive to elevate the concert experience every year. We continue to find new ways to make the Grand Theater a special place for both fans and performers, and we’re thrilled to be recognized by the Academy of Country Music for that effort.”
The Grand Theater is a 3,000-seat venue that draws crowds from across Oklahoma and Texas for top-notch performances from big names and exciting up-and-comers. Exciting acts scheduled for 2024 include: Three-time ACM award winner Ashley McBryde, one-time ACM award winner Jon Pardi, two-time ACM award winner Kelsea Ballerini, one-time ACM award winner Brett Young and two-time ACM award winner Sam Hunt.
Other nominees for the Academy of Country Music “Casino of the Year – Theater” award include:
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Deadwood Mountain Grand –Deadwood, SD
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Foxwoods Resort Casino –Mashantucket, CT
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Lucas Oil Live at WinStar World Casino and Resort –Thackerville, OK
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Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas –Las Vegas, NV
About Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Okla.
Located an hour north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant is a AAA Four Diamond casino resort, entertainment and convention destination in southeastern Oklahoma. The casino has more than 7,400 slot machines, table games, a poker room, and a large non-smoking casino. The resort offers more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and convention space and seats more than 3,000 at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) award-winning Grand Theater. The resort also includes more than 1,600 luxurious rooms and suites, 20 restaurants, 21 bars and lounges, six retail stores, two fitness centers, a spa, and two outdoor pools and a water park. The family-friendly District offers guests 20 bowling lanes, a 6-screen premier movie theater, 70 arcade games and dining options. Additionally, guests can enjoy the Choctaw RV Park located across from the casino. For more information, visit choctawcasinos.com.
About the Academy of Country Music
Founded in Southern California in 1964 as a regional trade organization, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) has grown in the almost-60 years since into a leading association for the Country Music industry. Now headquartered in Nashville, TN and boasting record-high membership of more than 5,000 worldwide, the Academy serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business, as well as a supporter of philanthropic work through charitable partner ACM LIFTING LIVES, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music and providing aid in times of need, with a focus on health initiatives. 2023 was another monumental year for the Academy, with the 58th ACM Awards, hosted by global superstars Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, ranking as one of the most-watched awards shows of the year. 2024 will see the ACM Awards return in May to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys in Texas for a second consecutive year and stream live for a global audience on Prime Video. The Academy also remains relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in Country Music, from the boardroom to the stage, and proudly presents both ACM LEVel Up, a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders, and OnRamp, a guaranteed income program for Black members of the Nashville music community, in partnership with the Black Music Action Coalition. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com or ACMLiftingLives.org.
