COverview
As the federally recognized government of its tribal members, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation works to protect their culture, language, and self-government. Its departments provide housing, education, health care, child care, veterans, and career services to citizens and other Native Americans within its tribal jurisdiction. The Nation governs itself under a ratified constitution with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Money from the businesses it owns, including Grand Casino Hotel & Resort, FireLake Discount Foods, a bank, and an industrial park, helps pay for those services. The Nation is based in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where its FireLake campus includes a casino, hotel, arena, and softball fields.
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About Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Industries
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$5M
Headquarters
Shawnee, OK
Founded
N/A
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Simplify's take
What believers are saying
- CPN opened a new $33.99 million headquarters on May 28, 2026, ahead of schedule.
- The November 2026 Nature's Table deal expands Union Plaza tenant amenities and recurring foot traffic.
- OWRB approved $1,052,946 for water upgrades in February 2026, supporting growth in Macomb and Dale.
What critics are saying
- FireLake Arena closes after September 1, 2026, eliminating the Potawatomi Fire 2027 season.
- August 2026 moisture problems shut the Child Development Center, exposing facilities and maintenance execution risk.
- Prairie Band Potawatomi litigation over Kansas reservation boundaries keeps tribal land claims contested through 2028.
What makes Citizen Potawatomi Nation unique
- CPN owns FireLake, Union Plaza, and a $33.99 million administration headquarters in Shawnee.
- CPN controls childcare, courts, water systems, hospitality, and recreation, reducing outside dependence.
- CPN pairs sovereign governance with commercial real estate and community services under Chairman Barrett.
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Funding
Total Funding
$5M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
1 Rounds
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
Company News
Nature's Table to open first Oklahoma café at Union Plaza. OKLAHOMA CITY - Nature's Table is partnering with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation to open a café inside Barrett Tower at Union Plaza, bringing the restaurant brand to Oklahoma City. The café will be located in the Nation-owned high-rise at 3030 Northwest Expressway and will offer meals and smoothies to building tenants and other guests. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring special offers and giveaways. The first 50 guests will receive a free smoothie. The next 50 guests can purchase a smoothie for $1 with the purchase of an entree. The first 100 guests also will receive gift bags. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase a year of smoothies through an offer that includes one regular real fruit smoothie per week for a year. The package is redeemable only at the Nature's Table café inside Union Plaza. "Citizen Potawatomi Nation is committed to long-term ownership and investment in Barrett Tower. We are excited to partner with Nature's Table to add value for Union Plaza and its tenants and to offer them healthy, quality food choices," CPN Vice-Chairman Jason Smalley said. Nature's Table emphasizes ingredient sourcing and meals designed to be accessible while considering people, animals and the environment. "We're incredibly excited to partner with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation under Chairman Barrett's leadership to bring Nature's Table to Oklahoma," said Cody Pepper, CEO of Fast Fresh Brands. "This location represents an important first step for the brand in this market, and we expect it to be the first of many Nature's Table cafés opening across Oklahoma in the years ahead." The Citizen Potawatomi Nation is a federally recognized tribe headquartered near Shawnee. It represents more than 38,000 tribal citizens worldwide and owns Union Plaza in Oklahoma City. More information is available at potawatomi.org. Nature's Table offers meals guided by a focus on ingredient choices and accessible dining. More information is available at naturestable.com.
Wright wins OIGA Modern Day Warrior award. September 2, 2026 George Wright, Cherokee Nation citizen and attorney for Citizen Potawatomi Nation, received the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Modern Day Warrior Award at the 2026 OIGA Conference and Trade Show. The award recognizes professionals in the gaming industry who advocate for Oklahoma Indian gaming. OIGA members nominate individuals for the award, and the OIGA executive board selects winners based on those nominations. To Wright's surprise, he was one of three recipients of the award this year. Matthew Morgan, Chickasaw Nation citizen and chairman of the OIGA Board of Directors, presented the award to Wright. "It was very humbling and I'm grateful on behalf of the Tribe," said Wright. The annual conference and trade show brings together tribal leaders, attorneys and gaming officials from across Oklahoma to advance the Indian gaming industry. Because Oklahoma tribes operate under the same gaming compact, they often face similar challenges. Wright often serves as a liaison for CPN at regular OIGA meetings, where tribal representatives work together and discuss issues affecting Indian gaming. He sees communication as an important part of maintaining tribal gaming sovereignty and protecting what the Chairman and Vice-Chairman have built. He helps others understand why tribes operate gaming enterprises and how gaming revenue benefits tribal members. "Those of us on the legal side of Oklahoma Indian gaming have had to occasionally defend the tribes' sovereignty over the past few years," Wright said. "But it is so much more than that. It entails patience, communication and relationship building, and that is how I think it should work." Sheila Morago, OIGA trade show coordinator, said OIGA values recognizing those who have dedicated their service and support to the gaming industry. "Without people like George and the other award recipients, we would not have such a thriving industry," she said. "This is not a job about me, but it's about trying to make things work, so whatever the Tribe wants to do within the bounds of the law, we help them figure out how to do it," Wright said. "I am grateful to have the trust of my bosses and to do work I'm passionate about."
Run-off election results. August 26, 2026 Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal members voted by mail-in ballot and at the polls today, and the results are in. In the race for Vice-Chairman, Martha Kimberly Nootbaar received 436 (22.66%) votes, Charles Scott received 431 (22.40%), and Jason Smalley received 1,057 (54.94%). This means Jason Smalley will be the new Vice-Chairman for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. For the District 5 race, Lorrie Underwood received 86 votes (56.21%) and Ryan Hubble received 67 (43.79%), making Lorrie Underwood the next representative for that district. Jason Smalley and Lorrie Underwood were sworn in following the announcement of the Wednesday, Aug. 26, election results.
Child Development Center temporary closure & relocation. August 25, 2026 The Citizen Potawatomi Nation made the decision to temporarily close its Child Development Center located at 1601 S. Gordon Cooper Drive to protect the health and safety of the students and staff at the center after discovering excess moisture in the facility caused by the building's HVAC system. Find updates from the Nation regarding the closure, as well as the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions, here: Update: August 25, 2026. After School students were welcomed to FireLake Arena beginning Monday, August 24. Progress is being made to move the Child Development Center students to the Arena as well. Potawatomi expect to restore Child Development Center services very soon. FireLake Arena will be the new home for both programs, serving over 250 students. Potawatomi will continue to provide updates to its families, staff and the public as they become available. Update: August 21, 2026. CPN has a plan in place to accommodate the more than 250 children from both the East Child Development Center and the After School Program. Because the After School Program building is more suited to younger children, staff are actively modifying that building so the 125 East Child Development Center children can be moved there very soon. Children who are currently attending school will not lose any service days. Beginning Monday, Aug. 24, the 144 After School Program students will need to move out of the After School building as modifications are made for the younger children. FireLake Arena is the only building large enough to accommodate that many children, which has forced the Nation to make a difficult decision. FireLake Arena will be closed to public events after Sept. 1 until the new Child Development Center is complete. Unfortunately, this means there will be no 2027 season for the Potawatomi Fire basketball team. The new Child Development Center will be located on the FireLake campus and will greatly increase the capacity for both the Child Development Center and the After School Program. Construction is about to begin. Potawatomi will share concept art for the new facility soon. Update: August 20, 2026. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation has made the decision to temporarily close its Child Development Center, located at 1601 S. Gordon Cooper Dr., to protect the health and safety of the students and staff at the center due to excess moisture in the facility caused by the building's HVAC system. The testing was originally requested to determine the viability of reusing the former administration building to expand the daycare. With the health and safety of the children and staff in mind, Potawatomi is closing the daycare at the end of the day on Friday, August 21, 2026, until a new location is prepared for them. After School students will continue their regular schedule but will move to FireLake Arena. Potawatomi know that this will be difficult for families and staff to navigate, and Potawatomi will do everything Potawatomi can to keep parents and staff updated as soon as Potawatomi has more information. Plans are already in place to construct a new childcare facility that would be able to accommodate more students than the current building. Potawatomi will share updates about that facility as they become available. FAQs. Q: When did the CPN Child Development Center close? A: The CPN Child Development Center located at 1601 S. Gordon Cooper Drive closed at the end of the day on Friday, August 21, 2026. Q: Why did the Child Development Center close? A: The Nation decided to temporarily close the Child Development Center due to excess moisture in the facility discovered through environmental testing conducted as part of CPN's plans to expand the facility to accommodate more students. The closure reflects the Nation's commitment to the health and safety of its students and staff. Q: How long will the Child Development Center be closed? A: While no date has been announced yet for the re-opening of CPN's Child Development Center (East), the Nation is working quickly to prepare alternative facilities for the students and expects to restore services very soon. The Nation will communicate directly with Child Development Center families about any updates as they become available. Q: Were any other programs impacted? A: Service continues as usual at the Nation's West Child Development Center location. The After School Program temporarily relocated to FireLake Arena beginning on Monday, August 24, 2026, but did not lose any service days. Q: What is the long-term plan for relocating the Child Development Center (East)? A: CPN has plans already in place to construct a new childcare facility that will accommodate more students than the current building. Construction will begin on that facility as soon as possible. The new Child Development Center will be located on the FireLake campus and will greatly increase the capacity for both the Child Development Center and the After School Program. The Nation will share concept art for the new facility in the coming weeks. In the interim, the Nation is working to prepare alternative facilities for Child Development Center students and expects to restore services very soon. Q: What about other events and programs at FireLake Arena? A: FireLake Arena is the only building large enough to accommodate the 144 After School Program students. This has forced the Nation to make a difficult decision. FireLake Arena will be closed to public events after September 1, 2026, and until the new Child Development Center is complete. Unfortunately, this means there will be no 2027 season for the Potawatomi Fire basketball team.
Veterans report: July 2026. July 23, 2026 Bozho (Hello), Whew! Another Citizen Potawatomi Nation Festival with lots of changes for the future. There are some changes in the CPN Veterans Organization as well. I will be stepping down as commander and Daniel Castaneda will be moving up to commander and Joe Zientek will be stepping into the position of vice commander. Potawatomi welcome Joe and Daniel into these offices, and they will have challenges ahead for a busy year. After Bill Wano retired following many years as the CPN Veterans Organization's secretary, for which Potawatomi is truly grateful, Potawatomi now have its new CPN Veterans Organization's secretary, and new member, Lauren Samsel, who has proven to be very capable. Potawatomi also have Chris Lenggenhager as its new CPN Veterans Organization position of facilitator, which has proven to be very helpful. Potawatomi welcome new members to its monthly meetings, and any CPN veterans, whether members or not, and their families. Remember, its monthly meetings are on the fourth Tuesday at 6 p.m. (or as soon as you can get there) in the CPN Cultural Heritage Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma. A meal is provided, thanks to Chris Lenggenhager, its facilitator. The meeting dates are listed below: * July 28 at 6 p.m. * Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. * Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. * Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. * no meeting in November * December date to be arranged. Migwetch (Thank you), Daryl Talbot, outgoing Commander Daniel Castaneda, outgoing Vice Commander, New Commander, 209-207-2317 Joe Zientek, New Vice Commander, 337-378-8544 David Barrett, Treasurer, 405-613-7313 Lauren Samsel, Secretary, 253-970-2900 Chris Lenggenhager, Facilitator, 405-878-5840
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About Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Industries
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$5M
Headquarters
Shawnee, OK
Founded
N/A
Citizen Potawatomi Nation is Hiring for 64 Jobs on Simplify!
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today
Don't see your dream role? Check out thousands of other roles on Simplify.Browse all jobs