In Oklahoma, a state not often associated with large theme parks, a massive $2 billion theme park and entertainment venue, comparable in size to Disneyland, is soon to be built.
According to a press release from Mansion Entertainment Group, which is leading the project, “Americana”-themed American Heartland will include a 125-acre theme park and full-service trailer park as part of a 1,000-acre development along Route 66 west of Grand Lake.
The theme park will be located near the town of Vinita, approximately 65 miles northeast of Tulsa.
In addition to family-friendly rides and attractions, the destination offers live entertainment and waterways, as well as restaurant-quality food and drink offerings. Featuring six “distinctly American lands” — the 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 American history,” according to the group.
Visitors can stay at the adjacent Three Ponies Camp, which will have an estimated 750 RV sites and 300 cabins, making it the largest campground in the central United States.
Construction will be done in phases, with the RV park and cabins scheduled to open in the first phase in spring 2025.
The theme park, which includes a 300-room hotel and a modern indoor water park, won’t open until next year. According to the press release, once construction is complete, the destination will attract more than two million out-of-state visitors to Oklahoma each year.
“American Heartland will be a place where families can come together to create lasting memories, to experience joy, laughter, imagination and wonder,” said Gene Bicknell, founder and creative director of American Heartland, in the statement. “There is a lot to celebrate in our country: its landscapes, its cultures and above all its people. No matter where you’re from, you’ll feel right at home at American Heartland.”
The project’s backers insist it will upgrade Oklahoma in terms of tourism, particularly by creating more than 4,000 jobs and attracting new businesses in and around the state.
Kristy Adams, Mansion Entertainment Group’s senior executive vice president of sales and marketing, said the theme park and resort would be in part a major tourist destination on Route 66.
“The scale and quality of development will be unparalleled in the region and will make Vinita, Oklahoma a must-visit destination for families around the world,” he added.