Wildhorse Resort & Casino Selects Seattle Entertainment Group to Lead Entertainment Strategy and Concert Programming

PENDLETON, Ore., Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 

Key Expansion & Entertainment Highlights

• 325% increase in concert capacity, from approximately 400 to over 1,700 guests
• More than 410% increase in live concerts, from approximately 3.5 concerts annually to 18 or more.
• First Native American Casino and one of the first in the US to introduce a dynamic Multipurpose Hall by Gala Systems™.
• 40,000 sq. ft. event center offering a 110% increase in meeting rooms, with 13 more rentable breakout meeting rooms and additional VIP spaces.
• 105.9% increase in hotel room inventory, with the addition of 214 new guest rooms and suites, more than doubling Wildhorse's accommodations.
• Over $100 million in resort expansion investment.

Wildhorse Resort & Casino (Wildhorse) has selected Seattle Entertainment Group (SEG), a 100% Native-owned entertainment, production, and talent-buying company, to lead development of an entertainment strategy including national headliner programming and operational planning for the resort's major expansion and new event center scheduled to open in spring 2027.

Owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), Wildhorse establishes itself as Eastern Oregon's premier family and entertainment destination. Located four miles east of Pendleton, the property combines gaming, hospitality, dining, entertainment, and recreation in a single destination.

"The expansion will add a second hotel tower, expanded dining options, significant convention facilities, and an elevated entertainment venue capable of hosting more than 1,700 guests," said Diane Long, Marketing Director of Wildhorse.

"The expansion substantially increases our opportunity to provide amenities to our community members and support local businesses through vendor relationships, further reinforcing the pillars of our community," said Long.

Wildhorse prefers working with local and Native owned companies to supply many of its business services.

Featuring a 24-hour casino with more than 1,100 Vegas-style slot machines and 14 table games, along with poker, bingo and keno, the resort also offers twelve restaurants and eateries, hotel accommodations, an RV park and two 18-hole golf courses. The property also features a five-screen Cineplex and the locals' favorite Family FunPlex, which includes a 24-lane bowling center, arcade, and food court.

A New Entertainment Strategy

Seattle Entertainment Group will strengthen the depth and excitement of the Pendleton area by delivering a consistent lineup of entertainment offerings. Collectively, the expansion and intentional programming are designed to stimulate tourism by invigorating the local economy and further elevating employment opportunities.

Headliners already under consideration include Jay Leno, Aaron Lewis, Theresa Caputo, Jabbawockeez, Tyler Henry, Big & Rich, Stone Temple Pilots, David Spade, and The Price Is Right Live.

The innovative strategy will also explore international entertainment opportunities including K-pop, Canto-pop, Mando-pop, K-trot, Vietnamese and Filipino entertainment, as Wildhorse further connects regional and destination audiences.

Wildhorse will be the first Tribal Casino and one of the pioneers in the United States to feature the innovative Gala Venue® flooring and seating system, allowing Wildhorse to support a combination of seated concerts, general admission events, mixed martial arts, game shows, touring productions, conferences, banquets and specialty events, enriching overall entertainment amenities.

"There was substantial competition to fill this position for talent buying and production services, and I am happy for the opportunity to work with Wildhorse and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation," said Troy Wyatt, tech entrepreneur, CEO and founder of Seattle Entertainment Group and GetAvails.com. 

Wyatt understood Wildhorse's mission: it was less about booking cool artists, and more about relationships, systems, production, infrastructure, operating procedures, and crafting a long-term strategy to solidify the position of the premier entertainment resort destination for Eastern Oregon and beyond.

Casino Operations and Experiential Entertainment

Beyond SEG's substantial ticketing, production, and entertainment experience, Wyatt is uniquely qualified given his proven operational aptitude, while maintaining a gaming license throughout a myriad of tribal gaming leadership roles historically.

Technology Beyond Typical Talent Buying

Wildhorse will also have access to GetAvails.com, an artificially intelligent entertainment booking project management software. Wildhorse gains access and leverage with a no-charge subscription, with premium features available on GetAvails.com. GetAvails is the only software platform to leverage proprietary, intuitive technology designed to identify available entertainment acts and available artists before a venue reveals its interest to agents or managers. The platform analyzes and combines audience and social media data, including Spotify listenership, social media followers, subscribers, as well as the top 10 geographic areas of interest within an artist's fan base. This data provides venues with compelling insight into an artist's reach and market potential, helping entertainment teams make more informed talent-buying and programming decisions and a lot more.

Native Ownership and Indigenous Entertainment

SEG, also known as one of the only 100% Native-owned entertainment companies, brings a history of working with Indigenous artists, Tribal organizations, and culturally focused programming.

SEG has an established reputation for leveraging culturally relevant performances with indigenous entertainers, including performers such as Supaman, Halluci Nation, The Wood Sisters, Stella Standingbear, Acosia, Drezus, David Boxley, and the Git-Hoan Dance Group, to name a few. This is important because venues outside of Indian Country severely lack equal opportunities for native performers.

Community Impact

Wildhorse's regional impact extends well beyond gaming and entertainment. 

Established to formalize charitable giving on behalf of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Wildhorse Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants since 2001. Last year alone, the foundation awarded more than $1.8 million through 157 grants supporting public health, public safety, education and environmental protection across seven counties in Eastern Oregon and Southeast Washington, the homeland area of the CTUIR.

About Seattle Entertainment Group

SEG is a 100% Native-owned entertainment, talent-buying, production, and technology company working with artists, managers, talent agencies, promoters, tribal casinos, venues, and private event clients throughout North America and abroad.

SOURCE Seattle Entertainment Group