I really hope this happens and American Heartland is successful. I would love making my way out to American Heartland some day, although I highly doubt it will open in 2026, maybe 2030-2035. But hey, I’d love to be surprised.
@meglass71320 Жыл бұрын
A few things. Using a map population tool there's about 37,000 people living within 20 miles of Vinita. While still a small population to pull from for the 4000 employees they said their hiring that's better than just the population of Vinita. Also this is being built in the Cherokee nation, so it wouldn't surprise me if a certain percentage for the employees are coming from them. Also Tulsa's metro population is a bit over a million. That being said I would still agree that eastern Oklahoma doesn't seem like the best place for a major destination resort and theme park. I agree that the 4.9 million guests is a pipe dream, even if that's a 5 year goal. I do wish them the best and would be interested in visiting the park.
@RCETown Жыл бұрын
That makes the numbers look a lot better. The problem is not everyone wants to make minimum wage working at a theme park. I have to think they are going to try and bring in workers from elsewhere and build housing and such but Idrk
@meglass71320 Жыл бұрын
@@RCETown There's a lot of unanswered questions. I would assume they'd be a seasonal park, but I saw one interview where they said they plan on opening in the fall of 2026, which doesn't make sense unless they're going to try to be open year-round.
@hollisjohnson5686 Жыл бұрын
Tulsa has a metro population of over 1 million people whereas OKC is 1.4 million they aren't that far off in size.
@stephenboshears4832 Жыл бұрын
Fun fact the concept art for the wooden coaster is a clone of the Thunderhead at Dollywood
@RespectTheReef Жыл бұрын
I live In Oklahoma, lots of oil money here. And apparently a few million and billionaires here I. Oklahoma are helping funding it
@WrestlerUmbra Жыл бұрын
The Tulsa state fair brings in over 1 million visitors every year and it’s only a 10 day event, if a low budget fair can bring in 1 million in 10 days, I guarantee this park will draw.
@brianfoss571 Жыл бұрын
Most people don't go to state fairs for the rides, though... You can't compare theme park attendance to a 2-week festival - they're very different business models.
@wideawakeinotown Жыл бұрын
@@brianfoss571 exactly, the reason the fair does so well is it's very short window creates a demand to get you to it before it's over. it's a "don't miss" situation. a year round theme park will be there when i get around to going.
@CouLands10 ай бұрын
Since when did Tulsa become a state
@-OAK- Жыл бұрын
This will be successful it’s just the location is bad
@MrSRArter Жыл бұрын
1:02 Will Rogers Archway, which was the world's largest McDonald's when it was built before the current world's largest McDonald's was built in Orlando.
@wayne7332 Жыл бұрын
Things to note, Western OK has a lot of people livinf in their rurals, and right outside of NWA which is growing RAPIDLY and Tulsa is Oklahoma's 2nd largest city located right outside of Vinita (no hard T)
@jimthar17 Жыл бұрын
Disney World was also built in the middle of nowhere and look at that nowhere now.
@RCETown Жыл бұрын
Very good point
@brianfoss571 Жыл бұрын
Except the Magic Kingdom was built so the majority of the US population didn't have to drive all the way out to Anaheim for a Disney park experience. This "American Heartland" concept isn't branded, and even Six Flags parks pay lip service to generic Americana themes. To become a destination, it'll have to rely heavily on multiple top-tier dark rides that don't feel like Disney knock-offs.
@wideawakeinotown Жыл бұрын
but FL has always been a major tourist destination. OK has never been. before disney, central florida had a few attractions that drew visitors and were very successful (cypress gardens, gatorland, silver springs, weekie wachie springs, etc.). although they weren't disney-sized, they still provided a road map and accommodations so the area was already primed to go.
@TheColtonStreeter10 ай бұрын
Exactly, it's the attractions that increase population
@NicholasUnger6 ай бұрын
I was going to mention Disneyland was built in Anaheim which at the time in the 1950s had somewhere around 15,000 people living there.
@brianfoss571 Жыл бұрын
If anything like this gets built, it'll probably be more like Tropic Falls near Gulf Shores, AL. One thrill coaster, maybe a couple family ones, 20 flat rides, and a decent interactive dark ride. The Tulsa area could use something like that, but I doubt they'd get anything bigger with SDC so close.
@diabeticbutterfly6 ай бұрын
Dont forget that its not too far from route 66 which used to be The Highway to drive and has had a bit of a researgence
@Mononoke18 Жыл бұрын
This seems like an awesome park! I hope it turns out like an upscale d version of lost island!
@RCETown Жыл бұрын
Yea it looks soooo good
@mixeltro6738 Жыл бұрын
Dude its insane the quality of this videos challenges the biggest coaster channels 🤯
@RCETown Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much!
@ProBangers Жыл бұрын
There are a lot of smaller towns around the area with people that are used to driving 15 to 20 minutes to get where they need to go, so I don't think population will be too much of a big problem. Also, it's right next to Grand Lake which is some of the best fishing in the country, and there are also many casinos in the area. These are just a few things that make me think this could be a pretty successful travel destination... BUT - By far, the worst factor that they're always going to face is the weather. The weather is just terrible and it's going to severely limit their ability to operate year-round. Vinita is right in tornado alley, so spring time is going to suck. Winters also get very cold and can have severe snow and ice storms, so winter is going to suck. Summer is sweltering, but I suppose people will be willing to cope with that. There are only a few weeks of nice weather per year in that area and it's around early fall. We'll see... I hope they succeed; I'd love to take my daughter there.
@MrSRArter Жыл бұрын
2:40 Denver, Houston, and Nashville are cities that could use a park like this.
@RCETown Жыл бұрын
Portland and Seattle too
@electricar9 Жыл бұрын
Or BC Canada. They will have to be built mostly as indoor theme parks due to the bad weather and to ne able to be open year round.
@NoHairofRedemption Жыл бұрын
@@RCETownPortland and Seattle wouldn’t appreciate this concept
@-OAK- Жыл бұрын
They really need to change the location, not out of state but move it closer to Tulsa or OKC, most the people working there are going to be from Tulsa, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for employees having to drive an hour to work
@N_g_er8 ай бұрын
RCE is another way to say racist or racism FYI
@LisasLife Жыл бұрын
I hope it works out ❤❤❤❤❤
@-OAK- Жыл бұрын
I feel like if it is built here it might be the start in the next big city in OK, there’s gonna be housing added for people to work there, it would also bring in a lot of money to improve the area. Business will also buy locations by this place to make more money. I think this could be good for Oklahoma for a new city. But it just makes more sense to move it closer to Tulsa or OKC
@davidnorman4786 Жыл бұрын
No one knew where Kissimmee was when Disney moved in. They completely changed the area. In theory, that could happen here. I think once it gets close to opening, you will see a bunch of motels open up. There will also be tons of construction for apartments. I think the guy creating this owned a bunch of Pizza Huts back in the day. He claims to have the two billion cash to build the park. The key to this park is going to be the execution. The theming looks great. But are the people who work there going to be great? They will need to be to make this a place that competes with the other destination parks.
@Eunacis11 ай бұрын
Disney picked the spot because the population was projected to boom and it was just off the interstate.
@apprentice_jedi9 ай бұрын
@@EunacisThis one is on Route 66
@TheColtonStreeter10 ай бұрын
Busch Gardens has a good theme and extreme coasters.
@yesorlando0511 ай бұрын
As a Statistical Analyst and Demographer since 1985, I really question if this is going to work. For a theme park of this size and stature, the location is too remote and its winter months are too cold to be a year round park. It HAS to be year round in order to even come close to competing with Universal and Disney. There isn't nearly enough local population to help the park in lean months and it's going to be very difficult to convince people in the east and west coast population centers to travel 1000+ miles to a rural area when they can travel to Orlando and LA for multiple world class parks that are much closer in distance. The concept is awesome and I do pray it works. But its location just doesn't make any sense at all. An area like Houston, TX would've given the park a much better change to succeed.
@dowfish12 Жыл бұрын
i think that heartland will have atleast 2 top 5 coasters
@kingsneed7765 Жыл бұрын
😂😂😂
@N_g_er8 ай бұрын
Race town
@kingsneed7765 Жыл бұрын
The theme park will close within 10 years of opening. Better off expanding frontier city
@WrestlerUmbra Жыл бұрын
Frontier city is trash
@jonathanhess4735 Жыл бұрын
Dumbest comment I’ve seen in years
@Punk_On_Demand Жыл бұрын
I think the plan at least is to build a park that’s more family friendly and patriotic in a red state and less “woke” than Disney or Universal.
@dougconley11 ай бұрын
As much as I'd love to see this theme park come to fruition....I dont see it happening or lasting..
@hollywiley5668 Жыл бұрын
I wonder if they’ve broken ground.. I live in Oklahoma.. I’ve heard of vinita.. they have a prison there
@tvlfansean6267 Жыл бұрын
I also think that the park ( if it even opens) won't get allot of international visitors, because it's so patriotic.
@TheNucaKola Жыл бұрын
That doesn’t make a lot of sense though. If you’re visiting the US as a tourist, wouldn’t you WANT to visit a park that exemplifies the very best qualities, tropes, and cultural characteristics that make America unique enough to be a tourist destination in the first place?
@shawnokeefe1580 Жыл бұрын
Do a little research bro..the old guy in your video is fully funding it as his swan song…he at one point owned hundreds of pizza huts..known as pizza king and ex ceo of the hut…fulling financing the project
@RCETown Жыл бұрын
Do your research. According to google Gene Bicknell’s net worth is ~500 mil. That would only be enough to fund a quarter of the park assuming he liquidates all his assets. Seeming how it is his swan song he will… However, even with this starting capital, the mansion entertainment group needs money from investors which will pull out of the project at any sign that this project goes south. So while calling the money “sus” probably wasn’t a good idea it’s completely ok to look with doubt at this project. I truly believe this will be followed through with (unlike most people), but no, he is not “fully financing the project.”
@wideawakeinotown Жыл бұрын
@@RCETown i wonder what his heirs are whispering in his ear. "grandpa, don't throw my inheritance away!"
@Sam_Blakley Жыл бұрын
Build nice rv park with with full hook up and that will be cool
@TheColtonStreeter10 ай бұрын
Tulsa is not much smaller than OKC
@TheColtonStreeter10 ай бұрын
And Eastern Oklahoma is the most densely populated.
@charleschris41236 ай бұрын
Just admit it, you work for Disney and you’re attacking this park.
@Celevie413 Жыл бұрын
sorry but the idea of a usa themed park in the usa is the most self flagelating american thing ever and the fact that their rv park is supposed to look like suburban cul-de-sacs is so funny to me😭😭😭😭😭😭