OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark

[jn1780]

Given they are around 90 miles apart, and a farther distance than White Water or OKC Rapids/Riversport have been to Clinton, decent odds can still operate it like is in a different market.

That's a good summer comparison, but not a good winter comparison. The water zoo may not really make that much money either though in the winter months. Pumps and Pools are expensive to operate.

[Laramie]

Check out the six largest indoor water parks in the U.S., including where they’re located, how big they are, and what they offer: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/discove...om=exit_intent

1. Dreamworks Water Park New Jersey 375,260
2. Kalahari Resorts Texas and Others 125,000 to 223,000
3. Aquatopia Pennsylvania 125,000
4. Tropic Falls Indoor Waterpark Alabama 100,000
5. Great Wolf Lodge Georgia 93,000
6. Avalanche Bay Michigan 88,000

How will OKANA rank among the six largest U. S. water park in size?

[jn1780]

The outdoor pool and slides are what will make the resort really standout.

[Laramie]

The OKANA resort also will feature a 33,000 square-foot family entertainment center, over 100,000 square-foot indoor waterpark.

I'm seeing !00,000 sq. ft., that's good for a tie for 4th among the six water parks. Impressive IMO.

[HFAA Alum]

The OKANA resort also will feature a 33,000 square-foot family entertainment center, over 100,000 square-foot indoor waterpark.

I'm seeing !00,000 sq. ft., that's good for a tie for 4th among the six water parks. Impressive IMO.

And note that we aren't taking about the water park elements OUTSIDE. This development is definitely a heavy hitter.

[Pete]

And note that we aren't taking about the water park elements OUTSIDE. This development is definitely a heavy hitter.

The lagoon itself is 5 acres which is more than double the entire indoor waterpark plus wibit course, slides, and all the other amenities.

[btmec]

The outdoor pool and slides are what will make the resort really standout.

They will really need some standout attractions so they can draw people from Central TX. If there is already a waterpark in TX that is comparable to OKANA I think the folks in TX will keep their money at home. There are a lot of people in central TX with more disposable income than any other state surrounding OK. OK residents alone won't support a park that size.

[kevin lee]

They will really need some standout attractions so they can draw people from Central TX. If there is already a waterpark in TX that is comparable to OKANA I think the folks in TX will keep their money at home. There are a lot of people in central TX with more disposable income than any other state surrounding OK. OK residents alone won't support a park that size.

Maybe, but not necessarily. I used to live in Louisville which has a Six Flags. We hardly ever went to it. There's a Kings Island in Cincy about 90miles away we would go to often. But the park we would go to most was Holiday World in Santa Claus, In. Mainly because you get free drinks, the water rides are better and you don't have to fight the Cincy traffic. There could be a litany of reasons for plenty of Texans to visit OKANA.

[Pete]

OK residents alone won't support a park that size.

I remember saying the same thing about the Thunder and I'm glad I was dead wrong.

For anyone who has spent much time living here, it's easy to lose sight of how the City has grown and huge amount of local discretionary spending.


I know they hope to lure tourists and I think they will to a certain degree but that will have to grow over time. I am still betting that this whole development will be a success. The Chicasaws have an excellent track record and really know how to market.

[Canoe]

I remember saying the same thing about the Thunder and I'm glad I was dead wrong.

For anyone who has spent much time living here, it's easy to lose sight of how the City has grown and huge amount of local discretionary spending.


I know they hope to lure tourists and I think they will to a certain degree but that will have to grow over time. I am still betting that this whole development will be a success. The Chicasaws have an excellent track record and really know how to market.

Do you think they will sell season passes?

[Pete]

Do you think they will sell season passes?

You'd think they would but they haven't announced any pricing or ticket packages.

Probably won't until they get closer to opening in 2025.

[BoulderSooner]

You'd think they would but they haven't announced any pricing or ticket packages.

Probably won't until they get closer to opening in 2025.

great wolf lodge does not have season passes ..

[bison34]

There is a significantly greater amount of water in the Oklahoma River in front of it. Are they not working on the pedestrian bridge?

[jn1780]

I doubt they have season passes. They would either be too expensive for anything to be interested(Think Disney world prices) or too low where it would ruin the resort experience for everyone else(Six Flags, Frontier City, etc).

The one in DFW does have an outdoor lagoon, they have outdoor slides,they have an arcade and ropes course. They have a bar but not positive it is swim up...I don't think so, they have magiquest, they have restaurants. Some of them have bowling and laser tag as well I believe

Yeah, your paying more for just the waterpark at Great Wolf Lodge. I would personally only take my kid there for the 'full experience".

[Urbanized]

There is a significantly greater amount of water in the Oklahoma River in front of it. Are they not working on the pedestrian bridge?

As I mentioned a couple of pages upthread, the bridge work will be done in a full river via barges.

[soonerguru]

As I mentioned a couple of pages upthread, the bridge work will be done in a full river via barges.

That is crazy -- and awesome!

Sorry I missed that detail upthread. I often just breeze through these and miss important details like this. Thank you for spelling it out so simply and directly here.

[Pete]

Took these Saturday 2/10:

[Laramie]

Always something fascinating about watching construction projects in their development stages. Thanks for sharing, Pete.

[Teo9969]

I remember saying the same thing about the Thunder and I'm glad I was dead wrong.

For anyone who has spent much time living here, it's easy to lose sight of how the City has grown and huge amount of local discretionary spending.


I know they hope to lure tourists and I think they will to a certain degree but that will have to grow over time. I am still betting that this whole development will be a success. The Chicasaws have an excellent track record and really know how to market.

One additional difference between this and many other similar resorts is location. This thing is so close to downtown that it can potentially attract a very different type of traveler. Heck, think about having convention space combined with a resort: as a convention goer, you might tell your whole family to come while you're doing your convention stuff and they can enjoy the resort on site.

I've had several people tell me to try out the Great Wolf Lodge/Kalahari resorts, but I'll probably just wait until this opens to take my currently pre-school kid to a similar type resort state side.

Also, while season passes doesn't seem likely unless the resort is struggling, I do think they could do a multiple trip pass to create a more affordable package without giving away the farm.

[irishtate]

For the life of me I can't seem to find the thread about the pedestrian bridge that they drained the Oklahoma River for..... Isn't the bridge supposed to be built at/near OKANA? Or am I mistaken. Apparently the river was supposed to be drained from Nov to Mar, but I haven't heard anything else about the progress for this.

[Pete]

For the life of me I can't seem to find the thread about the pedestrian bridge that they drained the Oklahoma River for..... Isn't the bridge supposed to be built at/near OKANA? Or am I mistaken. Apparently the river was supposed to be drained from Nov to Mar, but I haven't heard anything else about the progress for this.

It's in this thread, just a ways back.

The river was drained to be dredged. As Urbanized has posted, the pedestrian bridge will be built from barges while water is in the river.

You can see it here:

[irishtate]

Have you (or anyone) heard how quickly this should be completed? I'm supposed to do corporate rowing this year, after several years' hiatus. And it's looking like we'll be erging for practice since we won't be able to get on the water until this is done.

[jn1780]

Have you (or anyone) heard how quickly this should be completed? I'm supposed to do corporate rowing this year, after several years' hiatus. And it's looking like we'll be erging for practice since we won't be able to get on the water until this is done.

Dam's should be back up next month(March 15th I believe?) and the river will return to normal when dredging work is completed. Since the bridge is being built by barge, that shouldn't have the same level of impact as a complete draining.

[HOT ROD]

I still think it is short sighted to have the garage in its location. that should be a nice highrise or the hotel itself, with the garage(s) being near the rail road. As this is laid out, the garage will have the best views of downtown, of the entire development. ....

[Rover]

I still think it is short sighted to have the garage in its location. that should be a nice highrise or the hotel itself, with the garage(s) being near the rail road. As this is laid out, the garage will have the best views of downtown, of the entire development. ....

It is there because it is the most convenient access for all the attractions, especially the hotel. Placing the hotel and attractions garage away from them wouldn’t make much sense imho.