Page 6 - Jackpot Magazine Tunica ~ October, 2026

Slingshot Fest Drawings at Gold Strike
TUNICA — Gold Strike Casino Resort will give players a
shot at a Polaris Slingshot or Rewards Play during Slingshot
Fest Drawings on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2 and 3.
Drawings run from 9 to 10 p.m. each night, with a winner
selected every 15 minutes, according to promotional materials
from the casino. Prizes are a Slingshot or Rewards Play.
Players earn one drawing entry for
every 100 points. The promotion is limited
to guests 21 and older, consistent with
casino gaming rules.
Gold Strike Casino & Resort is at 1010
Casino Center Drive in Tunica Resorts.
Details are available at GoldStrike.com.
In other Gold Strike news:
• Cherokee Nation Entertainment,
the gaming and hospitality company of
the Cherokee Nation, is revolutionizing
the way guests engage with its gaming
destinations with the official launch of
STATUS+ Rewards. The enhanced
rewards experience introduces personalized benefits, accelerated
earning power for members, and a seamless digital platform
across its participating locations, including Gold Strike Casino
Resort.
STATUS+ Rewards replaces CNE’s One Star Rewards
program, and offers an innovative platform. The cornerstone
of STATUS+ Rewards is a new mobile app designed to put
personalized rewards directly into guests’ hands. Members
can instantly access exclusive offers, track tier progress,
manage rewards activity and stay connected to personalized
promotions in real time. By enabling location services and push
notifications, guests can receive offers tailored to their activity
for a more connected and seamless entertainment experience.
STATUS+ Rewards also introduces
an enhanced tier structure designed to
recognize and reward loyalty at every
level of play. Members will have more
opportunities to unlock meaningful
benefits as they progress, with elevated
perks and increasingly personalized
experiences built around how guests
choose to play.
For current One Star Rewards
members, existing accounts will transition
seamlessly into the new program, allowing
guests to continue enjoying benefits while
unlocking new ways to earn with many of
Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s casino destinations.
Destinations include: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa,
Gold Strike Casino Resort and participating Cherokee Casino
locations at West Siloam Springs, Roland, Sallisaw, Tahlequah,
Fort Gibson, Grove, Ramona and South Coffeyville. Learn
more about STATUS+ Rewards and prepare for the launch by
visiting www.statusplusrewards.com.
Oct. 3 marks 20 years since opening of I-69
MISSISSIPPI — Interstate 69, which now connects U.S.
For Tunica County and its five casinos, the direct link from
61 to Interstate 269 at Interstate 55, opened 20 years ago
Interstate 40 in Tennessee to U.S. 61 in Tunica County via I-269
this month. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the I-69 segment
created a quicker route from points east and allowed drivers to
was held Oct. 3, 2006, and the highway opened to traffic that
bypass Memphis traffic.
day. I-69 made it easier to reach the Tunica
casinos from I-55.
The first vehicles to travel the route
were Studebakers from a classic car club.
After they completed the drive, the highway
opened to all traffic.
This month also marks another
anniversary. Travel to Tunica became even
easier when the “Fast Track to Tunica”
opened eight years ago. Motorists in
northwest Mississippi gained access to
I-269 after the Mississippi Department
of Transportation opened the final 9-mile
segment with a ribbon-cutting on Oct. 26,
2018.
Map illustrates easy access to I-269 from points east.
6 JACKPOT! MAGAZINE • October 2026 THE SOUTH’S LARGEST GUIDE TO GAMING & FUN • www.jackpotmagazine.com