OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark

[BoulderSooner]

After the dust settles with the excitement of Okana, most of the patrons will be tourists. Therefore, proximity hotels, especially in Bricktown will need to change their programming and provide shuttles to and from the park. I know when my family and I visited Sea World. Most hotels within a 5 mile radius renamed or coined Wyndham/Sea World Hotel or Marriot at Sea World etc. The hotel we stayed at was 5 miles away, but they had shuttles too and from the park every 30 minutes. This will be key, and help alleviate traffic on that thoroughfare and parking. I mean we already have the museum, now we are adding the resort, and possibly an aquarium, its gonna be packed.

most tourists that come to Oklahoma have cars to drive ..

[G.Walker]

Yes, I understand, we drove to Sea World, but didn't want to drive from the hotel to the park and deal with or pay for parking, etc. It was just easier to hop on a free shuttle and get dropped off at the front door. Amusement park or resort developments of this magnitude are usually not built in a city center. They are usually on the outskirts of the city, so it will be interesting to see the civil engineering around this.

[HOT ROD]

most tourists that come to Oklahoma have cars to drive ..

currently, today? yes. But we have to plan for a future that sees more tourists arriving by airplane and train.

[Pete]

[5alive]

This is gonna be so awesome!

[Pete]

As great as this is -- and I know this is water long passed under the bridge -- I sure wish this was happening at the Producers Coop site. Would integrate much more into downtown and would have been a great use for that property.

[citywokchinesefood]

As great as this is -- and I know this is water long passed under the bridge -- I sure wish this was happening at the Producers Coop site. Would integrate much more into downtown and would have been a great use for that property.

Unfortunately, I feel like we are going to wait about 20 years before anything actually gets done with the Coop.

[Plutonic Panda]

Money is approved:

Resort Funding

JoAnna McSpadden of the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust and Chad Clayborn representing the Chickasaw Nation gave a presentation to Council about the proposed OKANA Resort and Water Park project planned by the Nation.

Tuesday’s request was for $102,200,000 to aid the Chickasaw Nation in building a destination resort and water park adjacent to the First Americans Museum that opened late last year.

The money will come from two Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts, TIFs numbers A and 14.

The total estimated cost of the development is over $342 million, with the Chickasaw Nation covering the costs beyond the TIF funds.

The project, called OKANA, will include an 11 floor hotel with over 400 rooms, a 100,000 square feet indoor water park, an approximately 4.5 acre outdoor “adventure lagoon,” a large retail space associated with the museum, and 36,000 sq ft of leasable retail and dining space. The resort will also feature a ferry landing on the Oklahoma River.

The project will spend approximately $34 million on site amelioration and preparation, as the site was formerly an oil field.

Site preparation began in March. Groundbreaking is to be determined, with a hopeful opening date in the second Quarter of 2024.

Council unanimously approved the item as part of the Consent Docket at Tuesday’s meeting.

https://freepressokc.com/council-app...t-public-park/

[ABryant]

They did it well. Nobody had to buy used smokers. Positive progress can be open on Sunday.

[GaryOKC6]

Unfortunately, I feel like we are going to wait about 20 years before anything actually gets done with the Coop.

The problem with the coop the dirt is just too expensive for most projects.

[bigsmooth]

KOCO 5 NEWS ran a story and posted on FB that the Chickasaw Nation asked for $1.2 million in TIF funds. Facebook users are losing their minds with some of the comments. I posted the actual number but apparently nobody has read my post because I predict heads exploding when they see the actual number.As for me, I am all for it.

[Pete]

In a presentation to the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority, one of the engineers mentioned the plan was to tie ingress and egress into the existing intersection at I-35 and SE 15th.

It sounds like they will be making use of those on-ramps and off-ramps rather than constructing an entirely new exit/entrance from I-35. Which makes good sense.

[BoulderSooner]

In a presentation to the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority, one of the engineers mentioned the plan was to tie ingress and egress into the existing intersection at I-35 and SE 15th.

It sounds like they will be making use of those on-ramps and off-ramps rather than constructing an entirely new exit/entrance from I-35. Which makes good sense.

good deal .. the only extra cost with that plan is a bridge over the railroad ... but that should still be much cheaper then a new exit

[shawnw]

Something like this? So ODOT or Okana will have to acquire the land? Or maybe they already own it?

[sgt. pepper]

https://www.liquisearch.com/the_amer...0%28314%20m%29.

They should put this on the NW corner of the campus, at the SE corner of I-35 and I-40

[Pete]

Something like this? So ODOT or Okana will have to acquire the land? Or maybe they already own it?

Yes, although it sounds like the plan is to go straight to 15th, then make use of the existing intersection with I-35.

And it would probably just be a road easement, not necessarily a transfer of title.

[shawnw]

Oh I see, that makes sense. Still a costly bridge and dealing with the railroad.

[catch22]

That’s not a high use railroad line. I don’t think a bridge would even really be necessary. Per a 2018 Federal Railroad Authority crossing inventory of that same line across Eastern Ave show 5 trains a day. 2 daytime, 2 night, and 1 yard switcher. I bet that potential crossing is blocked no more than 15 minutes per 24 hours.

[shawnw]

I don't know why I didn't even think of an at-grade crossing

[Canoe]

The problem with the coop the dirt is just too expensive for most projects.

It is worth what someone will pay for it. The problem is rhe speculator is willing to pay more for dirt than the developer. We should tax the speculator and give the money to the developer.

[Pete]

You can see the outline of the new entrance road which will be built towards the south end of the development.

[G.Walker]

This is really going to spur more commercial development in the immediate area.

[Pete]

[Coleman]

https://www.liquisearch.com/the_amer...0%28314%20m%29.

They should put this on the NW corner of the campus, at the SE corner of I-35 and I-40

This is fantastic and would be definitely iconic for OKC and Oklahoma. Scissor tail Bridge on West end, this on East. I like it. Now for some creative new ideas north and south.

[Teo9969]

Which portions of this are expected to be part of the resort (i.e. no public access without staying at the resort)?