Aww, shucks for the haters.
Posted on 07/20/2023 3:53:46 PM PDT by DFG
A massive, $2 billion “Americana-themed” amusement park is opening in 2026 — and it's thousands of miles from the typical theme park hubs.
The American Heartland Theme Park and Resort will include an amusement park comparable in size to Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida or Disneyland in California — but it won’t be in either state.
Instead, the park and resort are planned to be built on a 1,000 acre property in the heart of northeast Oklahoma, just off Route 66.
The 125-acre theme park was designed by a team including more than 20 former Disney Parks builders and Walt Disney Imagineers
A massive, $2 billion “Americana-themed” amusement park is opening in 2026 — and it's thousands of miles from the typical theme park hubs.
The American Heartland Theme Park and Resort will include an amusement park comparable in size to Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida or Disneyland in California — but it won’t be in either state.
Instead, the park and resort are planned to be built on a 1,000 acre property in the heart of northeast Oklahoma, just off Route 66.
“Oklahoma is excited to welcome American Heartland Theme Park and Resort,” Oklahoma State Rep. Rusty Cornwell said in a press release. “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 hometown values America has to offer.”
The plans for the park include classic amusement park rides, live shows, family attractions, waterways, and restaurants that will collectively create an “Americana-themed environment.”
The state of Oklahoma was selected as the location for the project because of its “business-friendly approach and innovative partnership efforts,” according to American Heartland CEO Larry Wilhite.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Indian casinos around as well and they will expand. You can bet on that.
Aww, shucks for the haters.
Maybe they want to pick another spot? Stopped for a restroom break one time on the Will Roger's Turnpike. Oh boy! Porta Potties. I held on to the motel!
Mexicans?…
I’m still waiting for Freedomland USA to come back to The Bronx, but I guess this will do until them.
Thanks for the map. Considering moving in a few years. I grew up in “tornado alley” (never saw one) but still don’t know if I want to deal with them.
Looking on the map, the new park location is in the very NE corner of the state and outside of the zone. Obviously still a chance of tornadoes and severe storms.
And the area did feel “strong” shaking from the New Madrid Fault in SE Missouri in the 1800s.
Its not far from Disney. Both are around Grand Lake.
Don’t believe it till you see it happening. Thirty years ago Disney was supposed to be building a theme park in Carroll County Arkansas. It never happened.
Surely Disney has no skin in this game. They are as broke as
US; maybe not just as, but looking to sell some assets. Timing might be better, considering the economy is collapsing
as we speak.
I wish them well, but if the Midwest is Americana, would they need to go to a theme park to see more of what they see around them?
Most theme parks in colder areas (e.g. Idaho) close around October 1st, with adjacent waterparks closing after Labor Day. It looks like this park might be big enough to keep some attractions (i.e. indoor ones) going all year long.
I'm in Tulsa. As I understand, they used to have rest stops. Because of budgetary issues, they closed them all. (Oklahoma is a comparatively poor state.)
As I understand, they were supposed to open them back up as soon as they got on their feet. I've been here ~20 years. They still don't have rest stops.
The facilities were “wanting” shall we say. Can’t remember exactly when it was but roughly 2007-2013.
Branson didn’t become a big tourism destination for entertainment until Roy Clark opened a theater there in 1983.
Obviously, you are not eleven years old.
The state of Oklahoma has generally deferred to local interests, who want to support businesses on the existing highway and the speed traps. However, the Oklahoma DOT has made improvements to US 69/75 near the Indian casinos just north of the Texas state line. Hopefully, this proposed theme park will motivate them to build at least bypasses around Muskogee and a few other towns.
Check out the area. Grand Lake is a big tourist area with a 66 mile long lake, and many other attractions.
Marriott had the concept of taking on Disney with big-budget Americana-themed amusement parks in the 1970s. Three parks were planned to open for the 1976 bicentennial: northern California, suburban Illinois and northern Virginia. Only the first two were built, as NIMBY-type residents in VA successfully blocked the development. Marriott was disappointed with earnings at the two extant parks and dumped both after about 8 years.
Ugh. In 1974 that was the first time I ever paid to drive on a road. I was transferred by the Marine Corps from California to New Jersey and wound up on that road. I was in New Jersey for about seven months and paid a lot of tolls there. After that I only paid to be on a toll road twice. Ironically it was I-44 again both times, in 2020. Nowadays I drive from Alaska to Arizona without ever having to drive on a toll road. Hopefully I'll never see one again.
Thank the LORD
Thank the LORD
Thank the LORD
What can I add?
Make Oklahoma Great Already ….. MOGA!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.