American Heartland Theme Park and Resort
The new $2 billion entertainment destination is scheduled to open in phases throughout 2025 and 2026, according to a national release. Courtesy of Jacqueline Sit (Gooden Group)
They say everything is bigger in Texas, but our neighbors to the north had something to say about that on Thursday, July 20. After hearing the excitement for a the potential North Texas theme park that could rival entertainment giants such as Disney or Six Flags, the state of Oklahoma announced a competing project, the American Heartland Theme Park and Resort.
The new Disney-sized entertainment hub — a $2 billion entertainment destination scheduled to open in phases throughout 2025 and 2026 — will be located in northeast Oklahoma, in the small town of Vinita, according to a national release. Just west of Grand Lake on Route 66 and roughly 220 miles from the Texas border, the theme park and resort will be less than 600 miles away from San Antonio, which is about a nine hour drive.
The park will feature an "Americana-themed" environment for visitors with a variety of entertaining rides, live shows, family attractions, waterways as well as restaurant-quality food and beverage offerings. Courtesy of the Jacqueline Sit (Gooden Group)
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American Heartland Theme Park and Resort
American Heartland will be built upon a 1,000-acre development that will also include a large-scale RV park and campground. The 125-acre theme park will also be comparable in size to Magic Kingdom, the release added.
The park will feature an "Americana-themed" environment for visitors with a variety of entertaining rides, live shows, family attractions, and waterways, as well as restaurant-quality food and beverage offerings. Families will find thrilling rides and heartwarming shows as they discover planned attractions such as the Great Plains, Bayou Bay, Big Timber Falls, Stony Point Harbor, Liberty Village and Electropolis, the release says.
Those who question whether or not the theme park will be Disney-esque will need to look no further than the people assigned to the job. More than 20 former Disney Parks builders and Walt Disney Imagineers are working on the project. The design team for American Heartland is made up of the "world’s best theme park designers," according to the release.
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But wait, there's more. The resort will also house a 300-room hotel and a modern-day indoor water park. For alternative lodging, the project has other options planned.
The Three Ponies RV Park and Campground will be the largest campsite in the central U.S. with 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins that come with extra amenities. Courtesy of the Jacqueline Sit (Gooden Group)
Three Ponies RV Park and Campground
The Three Ponies RV Park and Campground will be the largest campsite in the central U.S. with 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins that come with extra amenities, according to the release. A 320-acre campground will be designed by Oklahoma architects ADG Blatt.
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The RV park and campground is scheduled to open in 2025, while the adjacent theme park and resort is scheduled to open in 2026.
American Heartland to create thousands of jobs
On Wednesday, July 19, Oklahoma State Sen. Micheal Bergstrom said the $2 billion investment will create more than 4,000 jobs in the state.
Source: mySA
