This secure new center provides Chickasaw Nation with secure, off-site storage of vital computer data. Storage of computer data, such as surveillance video camera footage, is an essential need for all large business operations, and FSB* met this need for the Chickasaw Nation through a new $8 million center, which provides data storage for the nation’s WinStar Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

Construction of this new facility allowed the tribe to move its data storage functions away from the casino itself to a separate site, a move which also enabled them to immediately double their data storage capability. Home to approximately 50 IT cabinets when opened, the Data Center has the ability to more than double that number to meet future storage needs.

The front portion of the center consists of an expandable steel building, which is home to offices and additional areas for staff, as well as mechanical and electrical support space. Behind this steel section is the actual Data Center storage area. Made of precast concrete including a concrete roof, it’s capable of withstanding 200 mph winds — approximately equal to an EF‑4 tornado. Multiple back-up systems ensure that data storage will be uninterrupted in the event of severe weather or power outages.

An elevated, grass-covered berm also was built up behind the center, adding an extra level of security by shielding it from view of travelers along Interstate 35.

*Project completed by Jason Holuby as part of FSB Architects + Engineers.