OKLAHOMA CITY-The Chickasaw Cultural Center recently received a RedBud Award as "Outstanding New Attraction" in Oklahoma.
The honor was announced by the Oklahoma State Department of Tourism and the Oklahoma Travel Industry May 8 during the annual RedBud Award ceremonies at the Oklahoma History Center.
Sponsored by the Oklahoma State Department of Tourism and the Oklahoma Travel Industry, the RedBud Awards are based on applications submitted in 16 tourism categories.
Located on 109 rolling acres near the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, the Chickasaw Cultural Center has hosted more than 100,000 visitors since opening in 2009. Devoted to sharing and celebrating the Chickasaw culture; the mission of the facility is to give visitors a deeper understanding of past and present Chickasaw customs, culture and heritage.
Interactive media station and hands-on demonstrations sets the Cultural Center apart for a traditional museum and provides visitors the closest connection with the Chickasaw Cultural.
The Chickasaw Cultural Center, which opened in 2009, is just one facet of the tribe's multi-million dollar tourism development in south-central Oklahoma.
The Artesian Hotel, the Bedre Chocolates Factory, a Welcome Center are all currently under construction in the Murray County area.
A new, larger Bedre' Fine Chocolate Factory and a Chickasaw Nation Welcome Center will be located at I-35 at exit 55.
Designed to enhance the visitor's experience and create a new destination for visitors to the area, the 34,600-square-foot Bedre' Chocolate Factory will feature visitor tours, a hands-on area for children and provide space for expansion of the Bedre' line.
The new Welcome Center will become a gateway for the many attractions in the Chickasaw Nation, including the Chickasaw Cultural Center, Turner Falls, and Boggy Depot Park.
Serving as a venue to encourage visitors to explore the pristine beauty, storied history and outstanding hospitality of the Chickasaw Nation, the Welcome Center will provide information about historic and cultural destinations, as well as the many recreational facilities and businesses.
The 5,500-square-foot Welcome Center will feature a gift shop which offers original Chickasaw artwork; public restrooms, a dog park and a playground. In addition, the Welcome Center will promote tourism throughout Oklahoma, providing travel information and brochures about local festivals, restaurants, hotels and other area attractions.
The new Bedre' Chocolate Factory is expected to open late 2012. Other investments include the soon-to-be open Artesian Hotel.
Located at the intersection of S.H. 177 North and Muskogee in Sulphur, the Artesian will be a natural complement to the Chickasaw Cultural Center and help usher in a new era of tourism in this part of the state.
A state-of-the-art facility, the Artesian will have 81 guest rooms and will include an indoor/outdoor pool, retail space, restaurant, exercise room and a banquet room which will seat more than 250 people.
The banquet room will be reminiscent of the original Artesian Hotel Ballroom, which served as the site for countless dinners, proms, and receptions for guests such as Oklahoma Gov. Roy Turner and Western film star John Wayne.
An indoor spa will utilize the same artesian well water which made the original hotel famous. The spa design incorporates significant natural elements including water, wood and rock features and will offer services for all ages, including children.
The hotel will also feature amenities such as first-class guest accommodations – a total of 81 comfortable rooms and uniquely themed suites, retail shops and vendor areas, an indoor bathhouse and spa featuring whirlpool baths, massage rooms and feature separate male and female dressing rooms and lounges.
Plans for parks, retail venues and a Chickasaw National Recreation Area Visitor Center in Sulphur are under development.
