American Heartland, America’s Next Theme Park – NBC Chicago

A massive $2 billion theme park and theme park destination, comparable to the size of Disneyland, will soon be built in Oklahoma, a state not often associated with large theme parks.

With an “Americana”-style environment, American Heartland will include a 125-acre theme park and a full trailer park as part of a 1,000-acre development along Route 66 west of Grand Lake, according to press release From Mansion Entertainment Group, which is leading the project.

The amusement park is located near the city of Vinita, about 65 miles northeast of Tulsa.

Along with family-friendly rides and attractions, the destination will feature live entertainment and waterways, as well as restaurant-quality food and beverage offerings. With six “signature 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 American history,” according to the group.

Visitors will be able to stay at the adjacent Three Ponies Camp, which will consist of 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins, making it the largest campground in the central United States.

Construction will take place in phases, with the RV park and cabins scheduled to open in spring 2025 as part of Phase One.

Including a 300-room hotel and a state-of-the-art indoor water park, the theme park won’t open until next 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 press release.

“American Heartland will be a place where families can come together to make lasting memories, and experience joy, laughter, imagination and wonder,” said Gene Bicknell, Founder and Creative Director of American Heartland, in the release. “There is so much to celebrate in our country: its landscapes, its culture, and, most importantly, its people. No matter where you come from, you will feel right at home in the American Heartland.”

Those behind the project insist it will raise Oklahoma’s profile in terms of tourism, specifically by creating more than 4,000 jobs and attracting new businesses to and around the state.

Kristi Adams, senior executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mansion Entertainment Group, said the park and resort will be partly a Route 66 tourist destination.

“The scale and quality of development will be unique to the region, making Vinita City, Oklahoma, a must-see destination for families around the world,” he added.