Choctaw Nation's new headquarters will show tribe's culture | News OK (http://newsok.com/article/5476179)

New renderings were revealed of the Choctaw Nation's new headquarters to be built in southern Durant set to start in March. The video in the article interviews the project architect, Jason Holuby, who is Muscogee. The tribe has outgrown their current 100-year old campus (formerly Oklahoma Presbyterian College) and has spread across Durant in about 30 other buildings. The headquarters will sit on about 80 acres. It will be about 500,000 square feet, will cost $219 million, and will house about 75 different tribal business units and programs. About 900 employees will be moving into the headquarters. This is exciting, especially for me because Durant is my hometown and Choctaw is my tribe.

Choctaw Nation's new headquarters will show tribe's culture | News OK (http://newsok.com/article/5476179)

New renderings were revealed of the Choctaw Nation's new headquarters to be built in southern Durant set to start in March. The video in the article interviews the project architect, Jason Holuby, who is Muscogee. The tribe has outgrown their current 100-year old campus (formerly Oklahoma Presbyterian College) and has spread across Durant in about 30 other buildings. The headquarters will sit on about 80 acres. It will be about 500,000 square feet, will cost $219 million, and will house about 75 different tribal business units and programs. About 900 employees will be moving into the headquarters. This is exciting, especially for me because Durant is my hometown and Choctaw is my tribe.

I like it.

One thing I wish the tribes would do more of is revitalize the older Main street historic buildings in their cities rather than building new. I don't know how feasible that is, but I see loads of potential in older OK towns like Tahlequah and Durant, but typically the tribes build new facilities. It would be incredible if they could renovate more of the historic centers of these towns, but maybe it's not realistic.

The Chickasaws have done a pretty good job in Sulphur. The Artesian Hotel is new but is an approximation of what was burned down years ago. The rest of downtown has come along since the hotel was put in a few years back. I was there just last weekend and was surprised by how many new businesses are there.

The Chickasaws have done a pretty good job in Sulphur. The Artesian Hotel is new but is an approximation of what was burned down years ago. The rest of downtown has come along since the hotel was put in a few years back. I was there just last weekend and was surprised by how many new businesses are there.

Sulphur is a good example. The Chickasaws have done a good job down there, but have built several new facilities.

One town I was thinking of that would be a prime candidate for what I'm envisioning would be Pawhuska. They have several beautiful old buildings that I could see the Osage possibly restoring if they wanted to. As I said, I have no idea how feasible it would be, but it just seems like a golden opportunity to revitalize and really bring a lot of life and activity back to the center of some of these smaller cities/towns. Many of the tribes have good leadership and the revenue to do it right. Perhaps like a Main Street program but with the tribes as the catalysts and centerpieces in the towns they're headquartered in.