A gigantic, $2 billion theme park and entertainment destination, comparable to the size of Disneyland, will soon be constructed in Oklahoma - a state not typically associated with large theme parks.
Boasting an "Americana" themed-environment, American Heartland will feature a 125-acre theme park and large-scale RV park as part of a 1,000-acre development along Route 66 west of Grand Lake, according to a news release from the Mansion Entertainment Group, which is leading the project. The theme park will be located near the town of Vinita, approximately 65 miles northeast of Tulsa.
Along with rides and family attractions, the destination will feature live shows and waterways as well as restaurant-quality food and beverage offerings. With six "distinctly American lands" - Great Plains, Bayou Bay, Big Timber Falls, Stony Point Harbor, Liberty Village and Electropolis - the park will welcome visitors "on a journey through the best of the American Story," according to leadership.
Visitors will be able to stay at the adjacent Three Ponies RV and Campground, which will consist of an estimated 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins, making it the largest campground in the central U.S. Construction will take place in phases, with the RV park and cabins scheduled to open in the spring of 2025 as part of the first phase.
Including a 300-room hotel and modern indoor water park, the theme park won't open until the following year. Once construction is complete, the destination estimates it will attract more than two million out-of-state visitors to Oklahoma each year, according to the news release.
“American Heartland will be a place families can come together to create lasting memories, experience joy, laughter, imagination and wonder,” American Heartland Founder and Chief Creative Officer Gene Bicknell said in the release. “There is so much to celebrate about our country: its landscapes, its cultures and most importantly, its people. No matter where you’re from, you’ll feel right at home at American Heartland.”
Those behind the project insist it will elevate Oklahoma as it relates to tourism, specifically by creating more than 4,000 jobs and drawing new businesses to the state and surrounding area.
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Kristy Adams, senior executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mansion Entertainment Group, said, in part, the theme park and resort will be an anchor tourist destination on Route 66.
"The scale and quality of the development will be unlike anything else in the region, making Vinita, Oklahoma a can’t-miss destination for families around the world," she added.
