Big plans for a $2 billion − with a “b” − theme park and resort in northeast Oklahoma sound like something out of Branson, Missouri.
That's because the developer of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort, just west of Grand Lake near Vinita, Oklahoma, is a subsidiary of Branson-based Mansion Entertainment Group.
The project, announced Wednesday by developers and state and local officials, will be built in phases starting with a large RV park with cabins opening in the spring of 2025, followed by a world-class theme park and resort opening in 2026. The location is about 170 miles northeast of Oklahoma City and about 130 miles west of Branson.
The 125-acre Americana-themed park, “comparable to the size of the Magic Kingdom theme park and Disneyland park,” is just part of the 1,000-acre development and will include rides, live shows, family attractions, water rides and fine dining restaurant and beverage offerings, the developer said.
Issues; Great Plains, Bayou Bay, Big Timber Falls, Stony Point Harbor, Liberty Village and Electropolis.
The development will also include a 300-room “upscale” hotel and indoor water park.
Theme park creator: Oklahoma 'crossroads of the heart' is its own attraction
“At the crossroads of the heartland, Oklahoma is an attractive location for a family entertainment destination. The state's business-friendly approach and innovative collaborative efforts helped make this possible,” said American Heartland CEO Larry Wilhite. “We look forward to bringing unforgettable generational experiences to Oklahoma.”
Adjacent to the theme park, the 320-acre Three Ponies RV Park and Campground will be the nation's largest downtown, with 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins plus amenities, designed by OKC-based ADGBlatt.
“Located on historic Route 66 just west of Grand Lake, the development will attract visitors from around the world to experience and celebrate the rich cultures and homeland values America has to offer,” said State Representative Rusty Cornwell.
The project's design team, led by executive producer Steve Hedrick, includes more than 20 former Disney Parks developers and Walt Disney Imagineers. Design firms include; Thg, FORREC and Cunningham“whose portfolios include the world's leading theme park brands, including Six Flags, Disney Parks and Universal Studios,” the developer said.
The state welcomes the venture, said Hopper Smith, interim director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.
“We are pleased that American Heartland Theme Park and Resort has taken the first step and chosen Oklahoma to create a world-class entertainment destination,” said Smith. “We look forward to helping with this project as it develops.”
The American Heartland will be an anchor tourist destination, the developer says
It's going to be amazing, said Gene Bicknell, founder and chief creative officer of American Heartland.
“American Heartland will be a place where families can come together to create lasting memories, experience joy, laughter, imagination and wonder,” Bicknell said. “There is so much to celebrate about our country: its landscapes, its cultures and most importantly, its people. Wherever you are, you'll feel right at home in the American Heartland.”
Why the Grand Lake area?
“It's the right place to be,” Bicknell said. “We're here to develop something that will help all the people, not just in Northeast Oklahoma, but in all the surrounding states and throughout the Midwest, because what we bring here often can't be found anywhere but east and west. coasts”.
American Heartland will be an “anchor tourism destination” expected to attract more than 2 million out-of-state visitors each year, said Kristy Adams, senior executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mansion Entertainment Group, American Heartland and the Three Ponies. “The scale and quality of the development will be unlike anything else in the region, making Vinita, Oklahoma a must-see destination for families around the world.”
Vinita Mayor Josh Lee pointed to the jobs and taxes American Heartland will generate and then took a long view.
“What excites me most about the project is what it's going to do for the people of Vinita, the people of Craig County, Grand Lake, all of Northeast Oklahoma and even the four-state area,” Lee said. “The impact this will have will make life better for all of us and will have an impact for generations.”
Senior Business Writer Richard Mize has covered housing, construction, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and The Oklahoman.com since 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com.
