The Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma recently announced plans for a $400 million resort and indoor waterpark. The project will be near the Oklahoma River, as well as to the First Americans Museum.
The goal is to build a tourist destination and plans for the OKANA Resort to showcase an 11-story, 404-room hotel over 40 of the 140 acres. One of the selling points, according to a spokesman, is the room sizes, which will be from 420 to 720 square feet., larger than most properties.
A 4.5-acre outdoor adventure lagoon will be the focal point of the resort. It will feature a large body of water that the public will be able to enjoy with sandy beaches and two smaller bodies of water. A pedestrian bridge will be accessible from one end of the lagoon to the other.
Later phases will include a 12,000 square-foot entertainment center, a two-level 100,000 square-foot waterpark, conference center, spa, retail outlets, an amphitheater and local art gallery.
The Chickasaw Nation held a groundbreaking ceremony a little over a week ago, and Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby told the crowd that this would be a boon for the city’s economy.
“We expect the OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark to be a significant economic driver of job growth and opportunities for everyone in this region,” Anoatubby said. “Today we celebrate the continuation of strong partnerships among city and state officials and private entities that have been integral in bringing this significant tourism and hospitality venue to Central Oklahoma.“
Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Commerce Dan Boren estimated that the resort will employ about 400 people and make an annualized economic impact of about $97 million in its first year of operation. He added that the 10-year economic impact of the development will exceed $1 billion.
In subsequent years, approximately 800 jobs will be at the resort.
Eventually, full-time employment is projected to expand to as many as 800 direct and indirect jobs annually with a payroll of about $320 million over a 10-year period. Construction is expected to employ 1,400.
Boren also said that the state should see about $107 million in taxes.
