OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark

[LRSooner]

Is there a concern to what this will do to White Water Bay? Not sure how two very similar parks within miles of each other can co-exist?

[therhett17]

Is there a concern to what this will do to White Water Bay? Not sure how two very similar parks within miles of each other can co-exist?

I'd like to think we're large enough now to support two water parks, especially with a lot of people coming from across the state and out of state. Plus they're on opposite sides of the metro. But I guess we'll see how it all pans out

[jn1780]

Is there a concern to what this will do to White Water Bay? Not sure how two very similar parks within miles of each other can co-exist?

They are really catering to two different demographics. Unless your staying at the resort the price point is going to be unfavorable for most residents except maybe one visit every year or two. OKANA is not going to want a bunch of day passers to crowding their resort.

[mugofbeer]

They are really catering to two different demographics. Unless your staying at the resort the price point is going to be unfavorable for most residents except maybe one visit every year or two. OKANA is not going to want a bunch of day passers to crowding their resort.

I would have to say they will price it high enough so there aren't hoards of people but l bet they want a good flow to sell concessions to. Plus, l bet they will have tribal discounts.

[BoulderSooner]

I would have to say they will price it high enough so there aren't hoards of people but l bet they want a good flow to sell concessions to. Plus, l bet they will have tribal discounts.

Great Wolf lodge day pass is 100 half day is 90 for weekends

50 and 45 mid week ..

different markets

season pass for hurricane harbor and frontier city is 115 ..

[Rover]

I would have to say they will price it high enough so there aren't hoards of people but l bet they want a good flow to sell concessions to. Plus, l bet they will have tribal discounts.

This isn't an amusement park.

[mugofbeer]

This isn't an amusement park.

Ummm, yeah it kind of is ..... but l guess that depends on your definition.

[Pete]

Keep in mind, there will be many more places that want dollars from visitors: arcade, axe-throwing, escape room, tons of restaurants and bars, retail shops, a huge spa, the hotel, the huge lagoon, the museum itself...

Okana will need to attract tons of people well beyond the indoor waterpark.

[Pete]

BTW, regarding the river being drained, I had assumed the City would haul tail to get the pedestrian bridge complete so they could refill the water and commence rowing activities on that section; all the boathouses are now out of commission except OU which is farther west.

But, they are also going to be constructing the new riverboat landing, so the river is likely to stay empty for a while.

[kevin lee]

Is there a concern to what this will do to White Water Bay? Not sure how two very similar parks within miles of each other can co-exist?

Cincinnati has their Great Wolf Lodge right next to Soak City (Kings Island) and they both are booming so much that KI expanded. They used to have a third water park across the interstate called the Beach. He didn't make it, but they had a big water leak issue and management changed hands and so on. So it can very well be done successfully.

[PoliSciGuy]

Is there a concern to what this will do to White Water Bay? Not sure how two very similar parks within miles of each other can co-exist?

This is a good question, and I also wonder if this will impact Frontier City as well. It'll be interesting to see if the Six Flags properties push for new attractions/rides or find other ways to compete with this, or if this market is indeed big enough to keep all these amusement places active.

Tulsa not having anything of this same caliber definitely helps as well.

[shavethewhales]

I don't think it will affect WWB or FC much at all. This is a much more fancy resort that will be more of a destination for slightly upper end clientele, whereas WWB is a locals' water park. The OKC metro could support a third water park pretty easily anyway. We are actually starved for entertainment properties in this state. It's not like WWB is that big. FC is tiny and Six Flags barely puts any effort into that place besides general maintenance and swapping out old rides with old rides from other SF parks.

The Vinita park will have a far greater impact on the OKC parks. Hopefully that one kicks some competition up a bit.

[HOT ROD]

yes, I do hope Six Flags will insert some more life into the 2 OKC parks. OKC is on a roll so they hopefully will show up and compete.

[Bellaboo]

I drove by this on I-40 today and it's a massive development. Appreciate it more in person.

[Rover]

Ummm, yeah it kind of is ..... but l guess that depends on your definition.

I guess a car can be called a pickup truck if you take the trunk lid off.

Point is it is a resort and their business model is different.

[Bellaboo]

BTW, regarding the river being drained, I had assumed the City would haul tail to get the pedestrian bridge complete so they could refill the water and commence rowing activities on that section; all the boathouses are now out of commission except OU which is farther west.

But, they are also going to be constructing the new riverboat landing, so the river is likely to stay empty for a while.

Oklahoma River To Be Drained To Build Pedestrian Bridge

News 9
https://www.news9.com › story › oklahoma-river-to-b...
Jun 20, 2023 — The river will be drained from November to March. “You open the dam, and the water goes,” said Mike Knopp – Executive Director of Riversport

Hopefully it will be completed in 5 months ?

[Pete]

^

Let's hope everything goes to plan and it reopens after only 5 months.

Even that is a long time for the rowers to be out of the water.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^
Rowing continues in the Western basin, where they have a more modest boathouse facility. Also at Overholser.

[Pete]

^^^^^^^^^
Rowing continues in the Western basin, where they have a more modest boathouse facility. Also at Overholser.

Only OU has a boathouse in that area of the river.

Are the other rowers driving their boats over to that launching area?

[Urbanized]

Only OU has a boathouse in that area of the river.

Are the other rowers driving their boats over to that launching area?

Riversport owns that boathouse, not OU, who is simply a tenant. While OU had fully taken over the building due to the size of their program, as a Riversport partner they were quick to assist with a temporary solution. Riversport made arrangements with OU to co-locate during bridge construction/river draining. Due to the fact that mostly only larger boats will be used during cold weather, multiple smaller boats were relocated to make room.

Riversport also relocated half of its flatwater operation to Overholser; for example, UCO is rowing at Exchange while OCU is rowing at Lake Overholser. Riversport also worked with EMBARK to place more of their coaching launches in EMBARK’s inlet, and have moved boats around to accommodate practices in winter months.

They will even continue to do a national level camp over the winter utilizing Exchange and the indoor facilities in the Boathouse district.

I know your question was a sarcastic one, but my original post was 100% accurate.

[Snowman]

Riversport owns that boathouse, not OU, ...

IIRC technically the city owns the land/buildings downtown and at exchange, who have a long term partnership with the Boathouse Foundation on the operation of facilities. Not as sure on the ones at Overholser since those are from the OAR era (Oklahoma Association of Rowing), and at least from stories I have heard around the time the low water dams downtown went in was when they made major contacts within the city and chamber of commerce.

[Pete]

I know your question was a sarcastic one, but my original post was 100% accurate.

It wasn't sarcastic in the least.

[Urbanized]

IIRC technically the city owns the land/buildings downtown and at exchange, who have a long term partnership with the Boathouse Foundation on the operation of facilities. Not as sure on the ones at Overholser since those are from the OAR era (Oklahoma Association of Rowing), and at least from stories I have heard around the time the low water dams downtown went in was when they made major contacts within the city and chamber of commerce.

Riversport owns the buildings. The land is owned by the river trust/City. Overholser is different. Water Trust is involved, and Riversport manages all of those facilities and has made significant renovations as part of a long-term plan there.

[Urbanized]

It wasn't sarcastic in the least.

If it wasn’t, I apologize. The way your post read to me was dismissive of the idea that Riversport could possibly be operating out of that building due to OU’s presence. I also felt the suggestion that the only way rowing could be happening there was if rowers transported their ~30’, 44’ or 62’ rowing shells to that basin anytime they wanted/needed row was intentionally silly, in order to make a point. Again, sorry if I read that wrong, but if it wasn’t sarcastic I have no idea how else to read it.

Happy to talk more about Riversport in the Riversport thread.

[Pete]