A small town in NE Oklahoma. They will be receiving a new white water course along the Illinois River.

“A new whitewater park in the works for a site on the upper Illinois River is expected to draw 85,000 kayakers, surfers, tubers and other visitors annually when it opens in 2023, officials said.

On Thursday, representatives from the Grand River Dam Authority, along with other stakeholders from Oklahoma and Arkansas, will officially announce the start of construction on the WOKA Whitewater Park, to be located on the Oklahoma-Arkansas border in northeastern Adair County.

In lieu of a groundbreaking due to COVID-19, the announcement will be made virtually, officials said.

GRDA is partnering with the city of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, on the project. Funding for most of the $33 million construction will be provided by the Arkansas-based Walton Family Foundation.”

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/construction-to-begin-on-national-caliber-whitewater-park-made-possible-by-oklahoma-arkansas-partnerships-officials/article_9b272fa8-1883-11eb-97e8-5397ef87fd82.html

A rendering and site plan

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/tulsaworld.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/f9/2f921134-194d-11eb-86ff-9372262801d5/5f99bbb75d7e6.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C600

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/tulsaworld.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/2a/62a91ba2-196c-11eb-b182-4b67c2804fee/5f99efd90c8ba.image.jpg?resize=1188%2C1082

Update on the white water project near Watts and WSS:

https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/officials-tour-world-class-whitewater-park-construction-site-talk-about-its-impact/article_70930366-d836-11eb-b090-7751a059f3a4.html

Hopefully this on top of a new interstate bypass in West Siloam Springs will bring more development to this town. I plan on coming here when this is complete.

Isn't Tulsa adding something like this?

This IMO will have minimal impact to Oklahoma because the infrastructure needed to make this trip worthwhile is missing. Too far, remote with no significant lodging. Oklahoma’s roads to far eastern and SE Oklahoma are inadeqo which hampers tourism to the prettiest part of the State. Don’t see this being a huge draw

I think you are discounting the number of active outdoor people in the NWA/NE OK region. It might not draw them from far away, but it doesn't have to.

Tulsa’s whitewater flume will be similar but smaller

This IMO will have minimal impact to Oklahoma because the infrastructure needed to make this trip worthwhile is missing. Too far, remote with no significant lodging. Oklahoma’s roads to far eastern and SE Oklahoma are inadeqo which hampers tourism to the prettiest part of the State. Don’t see this being a huge draw

West Siloam Springs is just 45 minutes from Tulsa on US412, which is a four lane divided highway today and has a bill in Congress right now to upgrade it to an Interstate highway.

This IMO will have minimal impact to Oklahoma because the infrastructure needed to make this trip worthwhile is missing. Too far, remote with no significant lodging. Oklahoma’s roads to far eastern and SE Oklahoma are inadeqo which hampers tourism to the prettiest part of the State. Don’t see this being a huge draw

This will be in Watts, OK, about 4 miles south of HWY 412 /Cherokee Turnpike. Cherokee Hotel and Casino is right at the turn from 412 to Highway 59, where this will be located. While a not the easiest trip from OKC, it can easily pull from Tulsa, Northwest Arkansas and outliers like Springfield, Joplin, and Fort Smith.