Horse Track & Casino Coming to The Valley
by I. B. Lyon
Pete Pitchlynn and his wife Jan have always had dark skin with a red tint, and both have always wondered if they Native American blood. Pete was even given the nickname of Geronimo as a youngster. Neither ever looked into their heritage until about a year ago. They received 23 and me tests for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts, and they both found out they have Choctaw Indian DNA. They dug a little deeper, and discovered that they’re both 1/16 Choctaw. Jan joked, “I’m more Native American than Elizabeth Warren.”
They started reading Choctaw Indian history, and they found out there was a band of Choctaw Indians that lived in The Valley called the Six Towns. More than likely, Pete’s ancestors were Six Towns. Not long after learning about their Indian heritage and reading about the Six Towns, the Pitchlynns had an epiphany. Pete said, “We can make a fortune. Let’s build a horse racing track and a casino. We can probably get funding because we’re Indians.”
The Pitchlynns made some calls and did some research on tribal lands. They own land on Hwy. 94 in between Six Town Hollow and Valley City, and they were able to get the State of MS and the Choctaw Tribal Council to recognize their property as tribal land. Since it was recognized as tribal land, they could build a horse track and casino. Additionally, the Pitchlynns got the MS Band of Choctaw Indians to finance their venture in exchange for 75% of the profits in perpetuity.
Pete and Jan immediately started planning to build the facility. The planning process has taken about 11 months, but they’re finally ready to start construction this month. Pete said, “The past 11 months have been hectic, but we’re ready to get this party started. We’re so excited to bring this facility to The Valley. It’s going to be called Six Town Downs & Casino.”
The horse track is going to be a mini version of Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, the home of the Kentucky Derby. The track will seat around 15,000 spectators, and they look to add multiple races. The Pitchlynns hope the horse racing will draw spectators from across the Southeast. Jan said, “The track is going to be sweet! There’s not going to be another facility like it in the state. It’s going to be a big draw.”
The casino is going to be small compared to the casinos on the MS Gulf Coast, Tunica, and the Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia. But, it’s going to have plenty of amenities and gaming options just like the larger casinos in the state.
Both facilities combined expect to add about 75 jobs to The Valley, so the development should have a big economic impact on The Valley. Many residents in The Valley are excited about the development. One resident said, “I can’t wait for this man. I’m going to be able to play blackjack and bet on horse racing in The Valley! This is so awesome!”
The construction is expected to take 12-15 months. Motorists traveling along Hwy. 94 in the coming weeks and months will be able to monitor the progress.