28 minute read
Casinos ready to return as entertainment destinations
MIKE SIMONS, TULSA WORLD The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa is among the largest in the state. Cherokee Nation Entertainment was first to implement industry-leading safety standards in response to COVID-19 with its Responsible Hospitality plan, it said. Entertainment destinations LOOK FOR A COMEBACK
Like many businesses, area casinos forced to adapt in pandemic
MICHAEL DEKKER
Tulsa World
Like many businesses that were forced to shut down or curtail activities for months last year, Tulsa’s and northeast Oklahoma’s casinos are looking to rebound in 2021.
“I think it has been one of our more challenging years,” said Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association.
“We’re trying to make sure we are going above and beyond to make our customers feel secure.”
Three of the largest casino/hotels in the state are in the Tulsa metro — the River Spirit Casino Resort, Osage Casino Tulsa and Cherokee Nation’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa.
Among them are thousands of gaming machines, hundreds of hotel rooms and hundreds of thousands of square feet of space.
All three, along with many other gaming facilities in northeast Oklahoma — and many restaurants and bars — had to shut down at the onset of the pandemic and the end of most gatherings last March.
Most casinos were able to reopen about two months later, albeit with limited capacity and, in some cases, limited hours.
Morgan said, however, the challenges presented opportunities for many establishments.
Many were able to keep paying their employees even when employees could not work because of the shutdowns. Some were even able to give bonuses to help financially strapped employees.
Many casinos also adopted safety protocols when they reopened, such as temperature checks for patrons, mask mandates for employees and patrons, plastic separators between machines, keyless entry technology for hotel rooms and even new air-ventilation systems, such as ones that were installed at all Muscogee (Creek) Nation casinos, including River Spirit.
The installation of AtmosAir’s bipolar ionization technology neutralizes nearly all traces of COVID-19 in the air and on surfaces, the tribe said in December.
“The state-of-the art technology is proven to neutralize coronavirus in the air and on surfaces by 99.92%,” the tribe said in a release.
River Spirit experienced “unprecedented situations in back-
STEPHEN PINGRY, TULSA WORLD FILE River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa was among many businesses forced to shut down at the onset of the pandemic.
TULSA WORLD FILE
Ron Meyer plays a slot machine at Osage Casino in Tulsa.
to-back years,” with historic flooding in 2019 and the pandemic, said Pat Crofts, CEO of River Spirit Casino Resort and Muscogee (Creek) Nation Casinos.
“In both instances, we maintained payroll and full benefits for all employees while closed. Additionally, we committed to continued pay of employees during necessary absences due to the pandemic or if a high-risk health issue prevented an employee from working,” he said in an email.
Recently, the Associated Press reported that commercial gaming revenue was down 31% nationally in 2020, compared to the previous year, according to the American Gaming Association.
But casinos in Oklahoma are not considered “commercial” because they operate on tribal trust land.
Commercial gaming is operated by private sector for-profit companies under applicable state laws. Tribal governmental gaming is operated by federally recognized tribal governments under the federal law known as the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and applicable tribal laws for programs and services.
Morgan said he did not have specific figures of how much tribal casinos were down in 2020 but said it may not have been as bad as commercial casinos.
“I can tell you we are trending down based on exclusivity figures we are paying to the state,” he said.
“I think we fared better than some of the other commercial properties. When you think of commercial properties, you think of places like Las Vegas and the Gulf area in Mississippi. A lot of the commercial properties rely on folks flying in.
“We’re more of a local and regional destination here in Oklahoma.”
Morgan said casinos are doing everything they can to “get back to normal” this year, not only to provide entertainment for patrons, but also to benefit tribal citizens and local governments.
Tulsa-area casinos
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa
777 W. Cherokee St., Catoosa hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Osage Casinos
951 W. 36th St. North osagecasino.com
River Spirit Casino Resort
8330 Riverside Parkway riverspirittulsa.com
“All of our revenues we make go back to the tribes,” he said. Those funds include money for health, education and infrastructure — such as roads, water and sewer lines, and other needs.
“We also provide mutual aid for local governments. That money is all going toward those efforts.
“The quicker we can get back to normal, the better off the entire community is,” he said.
“I think we remain hopeful that we remain trending to where we were in the past,” Morgan said.
“As an entertainment offering, we will always look to what our competition is offering ... and also at surrounding states, also.
Gaming in Oklahoma, he said, is the “third largest in the country.”
“We want to stay there. We want to get better.”
He said individual tribes will be trying to find their own ways of increasing capacity and safety for patrons.
Morgan said some staples, such as concerts and conferences, could return.
“In 2021, the most highly anticipated return is lighting up the stage and again holding concerts in our Paradise Cove theater,” Crofts said.
“Over the next few months, we will begin to hold a limited number of smaller concerts and private VIP events with the seating at one-half capacity. Currently, we have a full schedule of concerts and events to begin in June and continue throughout the remaining months of 2021.”
Crofts added, “Based on the improved data in the Tulsa region, major meetings and conferences will return to River Spirit in the coming months and we have substantial bookings for the third and fourth quarters of 2021.”
“Everybody is working to make sure we can get back to normal as quickly as possible,” Morgan said.
The ABCs of Cloud Computing
JASON LUDWIG Tulsa Sales Director Cox Business
Cloud computing is not some future technology that’s still being developed; it’s a highly versatile IT solution that’s here now, and it’s bringing greater flexibility, enhanced security, increased agility, and unlimited potential to businesses of all sizes.
The adoption of cloud computing by more and more businesses today continues to soar in popularity, and it’s easy to understand why. With its low upfront cost and benefits that can include increased efficiency, anywhere access, improved cash flow and reduced risk during a disaster or cyber breach, it’s hard to imagine why any company would not consider making a move to the cloud. Cloud computing is a technology that uses a network of remote servers to store, manage and process data, rather than using the traditional local servers your business might have on-site today. Think of it as internet computing. With the cloud, your company’s critical data and computing resources are securely stored offsite in a remote location and delivered to authorized users through the internet. The “cloud” really means the same thing as the internet.
Why are so many businesses implementing a cloud solution?
Cloud computing is becoming the “go-to” solution for businesses of all sizes because it provides IT growth opportunities, reliable quality, affordable pricing, easy collaboration and simple data access. It also goes without saying that COVID-19 was an unexpected wake-up call for companies and organizations everywhere. The pandemic continues to be a weighty reminder of the importance of IT system resilience, agility, adaptability and scalability, and moving to the cloud is, without a doubt, one of the most efficient and effective ways to innovate and grow. Cox Business is helping companies define their cloud strategies through a myriad of solutions. Here’s a look at just a few of the benefits that can be gained through a cloudsmart approach to business.
Work anytime, anywhere
With the virtual desktop infrastructure a cloud solution provides, employees can work anytime, anywhere, as opposed to depending on a literal physical desktop. Cloud offers employees the capability to have all their files on hand and accessible from any device. The world has gone mobile, and with virtual desktops in the cloud, users can take their desktop environment with them on their tablets, smartphones, laptops and other devices. Along with this, add a highly productive application like Microsoft 365, and your team can communicate and collaborate seamlessly and virtually from anywhere. Cox Business can help build out a company’s Microsoft 365 environment in a custom manner, as well as provide a level of support that includes features like email back-up, digital enablement, Rapid Response support and 24/7 monitoring.
Manage costs with virtual servers
Virtual servers based in the cloud eliminate the maintenance requirements of in-house servers. This includes hardware, cabling, cooling devices, backup generators and more. Virtual servers provide flexible, standardized and seamless operating environments; this allows applications to perform at their peak without downtime. And most managed cloud resources can be delivered at a “pay-as-you-go” cost, which allows you to operate like an enterprise-level company, no matter what your business size.
Ensure business continuity
Losing critical data is detrimental to any business, and housing data in-house poses the highest risk of complete loss in the event of a disaster. This risk can be avoided with the cloud. Cloud disaster recovery and business continuity solutions will secure business data and ensure minimal downtime in the event of a disaster. With the cloud, a company’s business applications and data are always safe and accessible.
Reduce business expense
The time and money that go into traditional IT operations are essentially eliminated with the cloud. Given that the cloud provider manages the hardware and software for you, it’s virtually a capital-expenditure free solution. Cox Business Cloud Solutions allow a business to pay for what it uses, so you don’t spend money on unneeded services.
Scale up or down as needed
Scalability essentially means the ability to manage network needs and IT resources — for example, more or less computing power, storage and bandwidth — when and where it’s needed in a highly flexible manner. In the cloud, businesses can scale easily, drive operational efficiency and manage shifting computing needs with the cloud’s flexible resources. Having the ability to scale is essential for most organizations, big and small. Infrastructure is expensive, and cloud computing helps businesses avoid these costs while maintaining the ability to scale up or down in any situation.
A simplified IT solution
With the constant advancement of technology and applications, businesses want solutions that are easy to use, no matter what device employees are working from. Not only is the cloud a simple environment to use and navigate, it’s also reliable, convenient and constant. The cloud’s virtual environment provides a familiar interface that’s universal across all devices. Cox Business Cloud Solutions is a managed service, which means we handle the design, testing, migrations and implementations ongoing upgrades. This lets you and your team focus more on running your business, and less on managing your IT infrastructure.
Functional and practical mobility
Having multiple devices — laptop, tablet, phone and more — is now a normal occurrence for employees. Having different data on each one is not only impractical and inefficient, it’s also massively insecure. Cloud computing removes this burden by providing an all-in-one business solution. With the cloud, you and your employees can access information from any device through a Web browser or application. Everything is stored in an accessible, safe and secure cloud environment, so users won’t ever be without access to their files.
A trustworthy and secure platform
All companies want and need high levels of security, especially those that have highly confidential or delicate information. Cloud computing assures the highest security because it uses enterprise-class solutions for all physical and network security measures. Many of our Cox Business Cloud Solutions meet and exceed standards like HIPAA and PCI. In addition to protecting a business from things like viruses, malware, hackers and rogue employees, most cloud security measures include full redundancy, encryption, 24/7 surveillance and monitoring, firewalls and more. Any one of the fundamental benefits presented here should be enough to convince many business owners about the importance of a cloud migration strategy. But when you look at all the potential benefits the cloud has to offer, it’s really a nobrainer. That’s why more and more companies are using the cloud to help push their business to higher levels of performance, profitability and sustainability. For more information about Cox Business Cloud Solutions, reach out to your Tulsa Cox Business account executive, or visit
coxbusiness.com/cloud.
HireTulsaTech
Grads.com connects local employers to students with the skills to succeed.
The search for the perfect-fit position or a highly qualified employee often requires career-seekers and prospective employers to jump through several hoops before they’re matched, but educational institutions such as Tulsa Tech aim to streamline that process with the help of specialized career services programs. Established in 2018, Tulsa Tech’s HireTulsaTechGrads.com job board offers students, graduates and alumni the opportunity to connect with employers in an environment tailored specifically to their training and expertise. The job board is a one-stop shop for both career seekers and employers, said Karen Johnson, director of Tulsa Tech Career Services. Rather than requiring prospective employers to sift through resumes of job-seekers who may not possess the necessary skills for a particular position, HireTulsaTechGrads.com allows them to zero in on highly trained students and graduates. “It’s customized to Tulsa Tech in that employers come to us knowing that the students have specialized skills,” Johnson said. “Participation (in the job board) for employers gives them access to students and their resumés and an opportunity to create an online profile for their company.” Students also benefit from registering at HireTulsaTechGrads.com through networking opportunities, but also through a variety of informational and educational tools and programs provided by the career services department. “There is a wealth of information on the site,” Johnson said, adding that access is free to all Tulsa Tech students, graduates and participating employers. In addition to reaching potential employers and job listings, students and graduates can access items such as salary calculators and career exploration tools, as well as connect with career services coordinators for resumé assistance and interview practice. “Students are automatically registered with an account and we visit with them in the classroom about it, “ Johnson said. “Our career services coordinators are always available to them.” And though the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about some changes in day-today operations at many educational institutions, including Tulsa Tech, it hasn’t stopped Tulsa Tech Career Services from preparing students to join the workforce after graduation. The Career Services department also connects students to employers through classroom visits and field trips. All services to help connect students to the world of work. Due to the pandemic, some activities have been temporarily modified or scaled back, and the job board is helping to virtually fill in some of those gaps. “We are still doing a lot of career-readiness activities,” Johnson said, adding that large gatherings such as in-person career fairs are temporarily on hold due to the pandemic. “We have hosted virtual career fairs and Q-and-A sessions with employers, and we are able to host individual employer engagements for students to engage oneon-one with them.” HireTulsaTechGrads.com and the opportunities it affords students and graduates are key tools in helping prepare them for success in the workplace, and that success is evidenced by the school’s high placement rate. Tulsa Tech graduates have found placement in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, health care, hospitality, aviation, transportation, information technology, culinary, the military and construction. Some students have chosen to continue their education. “We have a 96% positive placement rate for our programs,” Johnson said. The number of businesses participating in HireTulsaTechGrads.com is continuing to grow, and that has been a boon to both employers and students, Johnson said. “Employment needs had taken a turn last spring and fall due to the pandemic and now we are seeing a return (to normal business),” she said, adding that employers participating in HireTulsaTechGrads.com range from small family businesses to Fortune 500 companies. “We’re continuing to look for new partners and we want to post any opportunities our local employers have and assist them with candidate needs.” Businesses looking for motivated students can create an account at hire.tulsatechgrads.com, For more information, contact Tulsa Tech Career Services at careerplacement@tulsatech.edu or call 918-828-5000 and ask to speak with the career services department.
ONE Gas technician Kevin Nestelroad fills a company vehicle with compressed natural gas.
Tulsa recycling fueled by clean energ y
If you answer “yes” to the questions below, then natural gas vehicles could be a good fit for your business: Do you own fleets of vehicles? Is your current transportation fuel gasoline or diesel? Do you have plans to purchase additional vehicles in the next 1-5 years? Do you have onsite fueling at your site? Do you currently fuel onsite? Does your fleet vehicle travel more than 25,000 miles each year? Does your fleet vehicle use more than 2,000 gallons of gasoline or diesel each year? Do your fleet vehicles have a regular route centralized around a specific location? Does your organization have a sustainability goal?
How green can your fleet be?
Calculate the emissions reduction potential of your fleet at www.cleanenergyfuels.com/ emissions-calculator Sometimes when a company goes green, they save green, too. This was the case when Northeast Waste Solutions LLC, also known as NeWSolutions, converted its fleet of 60 refuse and recycling trucks to operate using compressed natural gas, or CNG. Since 2012, NeWSolutions has collected residential refuse and recycling for the city of Tulsa. The company’s services unified the city’s collection system, offering curbside recycling collection and the use of wheeled polycarts for nearly 120,000 homes. On average, the company transports 22,000 loads of refuse and recycling to processing facilities in Tulsa each year resulting in less waste in city landfills. “Driving vehicles powered by CNG not only reduced our vehicle emissions, but it also reduced engine noise and saved the company money,” explained NeWsolutions President Jason Kannady. “We provide environmentally friendly solid waste disposal solutions to our customers,” Kannady said. “So it made sense to ensure our company was doing all we could to limit our impact on the environment, too.” CNG is a fuel source that is made from compressing natural gas to high pressures. It can be used in place of gasoline, diesel fuel and propane in light, medium and heavyduty natural gas vehicles (NGV). CNG is also one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels today, producing the fewest emissions of any motor fuel. “A desire for cleaner, cost-effective energy solutions is increasingly on the mind of companies in all sectors,” said Emily Reh, manager of market development for ONE Gas. “Every business has unique goals, and more businesses are including sustainability goals, which is why listening and understanding those goals comes first when we discuss a company’s energy needs,” Reh said. “For companies with a fleet of vehicles, we recommend looking at CNG as a way to cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.”
Powered by clean energy
As a company, ONE Gas has seen its own benefits to using CNG in its service vehicles. In 2019, ONE Gas displaced 50,519 metric tons of CO2e with its fleet of NGVs, which equated to removing more than 10,914 passenger vehicles from the road. Vehicles fueled by natural gas are 90% cleaner than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) standard and emit up to 21% fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than comparable gasoline and diesel vehicles. When fueling with renewable natural gas, GHG emissions can be reduced even more — up to 125%. “NGVs are great for every vehicle class, but especially for medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles,” Reh said. “High-mileage, centrally fueled fleets that operate within a regional area can see the most benefits of using natural gas vehicles.” Some examples of businesses that often benefit from natural gas vehicles include school districts with buses, large manufacturers with fleet and forklifts, distribution companies with delivery trucks and municipal services with multiple vehicles — to name a few. In 2020, ONE Gas customer programs for natural gas vehicles resulted in an estimated 47,292 metric tons of CO2e displaced, which is equivalent to removing 10,215 cars from the road.
Reducing emissions, saving money
In addition to being a cleaner fuel, the affordability of CNG has many benefits that have made it an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional fuels. Historically, CNG pricing is less sensitive to changes in the world oil market and provides significant fuel savings year after year. On average, CNG has been priced consistently lower compared to alternative fuels like gasoline and diesel. “Over the past decade, natural gas prices have remained relatively stable while diesel fuel prices have fluctuated,” Kannady said. “Along with environmental benefits to air quality and noise reduction, we know we have had substantial fuel cost savings using CNG.” Each NeWSolutions refuse truck is driven about 13,000 miles per year, which adds up over time. After the initial vehicle purchase or conversion, the cost-savings are realized within months. “Natural Gas Vehicles can have a payback period as short as 18- to 24-months for heavy-duty, high-mileage fleets,” Reh said. “Converting large trucking fleets to natural gas can save millions of dollars each year in reduced operating and maintenance costs.” Additionally, many states have incentives and tax credits available for NGV purchases, conversions or refueling station infrastructure. Oklahoma Natural Gas offers rebates to commercial, industrial and individuals. More than 200 NGV rebates were provided in the past two years. “At ONE Gas, we’re actively looking at all aspects of our business to assess how we can be part of addressing climate change and help our residential, commercial, industrial and transportation customers meet their sustainability goals,” Reh said. “CNG vehicles are just one of the many ways we can help our customers reduce their business carbon footprint.”
NeWSolutions converted its fleet of 60 refuse and recycling trucks to operate using compressed natural gas.
A great place to establish a business
Having other manufacturing companies nearby also makes the industrial park a great place to run a business, Moss said. Not only do they provide opportunities to trade services ... but they also look out for one another.
City of Collinsville
106 N. 12th St. Collinsville, Ok 74021 918-371-1010 cityofcollinsville.com
For many area business owners, the Collinsville Industrial Park provides the perfect location to build, grow and maintain a business. Located off 126th Street North between North Mingo and North Garnett roads, the industrial park is home to such companies as Victory Energy, Baskins Machined Products (BMP), Stress Tech Thermal Processing, American Bus Sales, Shelton Redi-Mix Inc. and H & H Muffler & Manufacturing, all of which have established headquarters or branch facilities there. With 30 years’ experience working in the heat treating industry for corporations such as Hinderliter and Precision Heat Treating, Stress Tech Thermal Processing owner Jim Moss knew the industrial park was a solid choice for locating his own company, which he established in 2018 on a 4½-acre lot there. Heat treating is a process by which metal parts and equipment are heated and cooled according to precise specifications, improving their strength, durability and performance. These metal parts are used in a variety of applications and industries, such as automotive, heavy equipment and the oil and gas industry. Moss cites proximity to suppliers, growth potential and a shorter commute as benefits to having an operations base in Collinsville. A longtime Collinsville resident, Moss formerly commuted 32 miles one-way to work prior to establishing Stress Tech’s headquarters, which he said is just five minutes from home. “We wanted to be close to home,” he said, adding that oilfield equipment and refinery parts comprise a significant amount of the products that are serviced by Stress Tech’s heat treating process. Stress Tech currently maintains a client base in Collinsville, Owasso and other Tulsa-area communities, and plans are in the works to eventually expand operations to include clients in other states. “We are slowly but surely growing,” Moss said, citing a downturn in the oil and gas industry as a reason for the current slower growth rate. “We want to expand but grow slowly.” Collinsville’s sense of community also factors into making the industrial park a great place Baskins Machined Products is part of the Collinsville Industrial Park.
to run a business, Moss said. A growing population, booming housing industry, top-notch school system and multiple opportunities for businesses to set down roots and expand make the Collinsville area an ideal business setting. Having other manufacturing companies nearby also makes the industrial park a great place to run a business, Moss said. Not only do they provide opportunities to trade services — another company may require Stress Tech’s heat-treating for its products, for example — but they also look out for one another. Often working late at night or up in the predawn hours to make deliveries to clients across the Tulsa metro area, Moss said he appreciates his nearby neighbors keeping an eye on his shop, some of whom have noticed activity during those off-hours and checked to make sure everything is all right. Also maintaining a large presence in the Collinsville Industrial Park is Victory Energy, an established 22-year manufacturer of industrial boilers and heat recovery systems. The company’s products, which are shipped to clients all over the world, are used to produce steam that powers multiple industries, including oil and gas, ethanol production, paper and plastics manufacturing, as well as in institutional settings, such as hospitals and schools, said Bill Field, Victory Energy’s public relations director. “Victory manufactures the majority of their products in-house — they’ll do everything from concept to completion,” Field said, adding that the company employs the latest in IoT technology, using internet-based technology to map and understand the performance of their products on a daily basis. Victory also maintains extensive aftermarket services with a team of specialized technicians who help with upkeep and and repair of Victory products for clients, helping keep costs down. “A lot of these boiler units will take anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks to build — that’s a big capital investiture for a company,” he said. Creating and delivering quality products and services to clients is key to running a business, but having the support of the community also is essential to helping that business grow, according to Field and Moss. “Victory Energy has a great relationship with everyone in Collinsville,” Field said, noting the addition of an 80,000-square-foot addition to Victory’s Collinsville facility in 2017 and the community support the company has received. “There’s a real partnership that’s been with the city.” Moss agrees. Opportunities are available in Collinsville for anyone who wants to establish a business. “Come to Collinsville and help us grow,” he said.
cityofcollinsville.com
P A R T N E R S I N P R O G R E S S
A home to growing companies
MidAmerica Industrial Park
Located between Tulsa, Oklahoma and Fayetteville/ Bentonville, Arkansas Toll-free 1-888-627-3500 | 918-825-3500 | maip.com
“Ilooked at some property here in Oklahoma at the Industrial Park and we moved out here. It’s the best move we ever made.” These are the words of HE&M Saw founder, the late Gerald R. Harris. Harris shares the sentiments of many MidAmerica Industrial Park companies. Whether they were founded in the park or moved to it, many would agree, it was the “best move they ever made. ” HE&M Saw is one of the 80 companies located within MidAmerica Industrial Park, the third-largest industrial park in the United States and in the top 10 globally. The park and its companies have seen unparalleled growth in the past eight years — not just “new business” growth, but specifically organic growth. Companies such as HE&M Saw, which has grown from 20 to 200 employees and one to three facilities since 1976. Or RAE Corporation, the family-owned HVAC and refrigeration equipment manufacturer that has seen continuous growth in sales and employment nearly every year since it was founded in 1971. G.A.P. Roofing, Inc. is another example — the company was founded in 1990, and its organic growth has led to two expansions in its 30 years of business. TACK Designs, one of Oklahoma’s largest screen-printing companies, has seen a 350% employee growth rate and has expanded from 9,000 square feet of manufacturing space to 26,000 square feet since it was founded 2015. Or Brent Electric, an industrial, commercial and residential electrical company founded in 1996 and located in the park since 2001, has grown to 18 employees and a building expansion is currently in process. Each of these companies is among the many MidAmerica-based companies that have experienced growth and expansion created by their leadership’s dedication to success and the resources MidAmerica has made available to help its companies succeed. “MidAmerica-based companies benefit from our ongoing investment in infrastructure, roads and safety, but also our work to recruit and train the skilled labor needed to make their expansion a reality,” said David Stewart, chief administrative officer of MidAmerica. “We strive to deliver the whole package onsite, which is why our investments in regional education, new housing options and quality of life initiatives support the growth of our current and future employers.” Todd Fannin, owner of TACK Designs, reflects on his personal experience of working with the MidAmerica staff. He said, “MidAmerica Industrial Park has a special way of helping its current businesses. I know the MidAmerica staff puts a lot of time and energy into recruiting new businesses, but they put just as much time, if not more, into helping the businesses that are already here. The MAIP staff are tremendous to work with. Here at TACK, they helped process growth and expansion decisions, allowed us to buy additional land for our second expansion and have bent over backwards to help us be successful.” MidAmerica’s growth directly benefits the companies currently located in the park, not just companies considering MidAmerica. The park offers career force training through the onsite Center of Excellence and helps develop the next generation of workforce with more than $3 million invested in career centers and state-of-the-art STEM labs in 18 area school districts. The park is continuously improving infrastructure, such as land, water systems and wastewater treatment; has shovel-ready sites available for expansions and offers abundant power generation. Finally, MidAmerica has heavily focused on the quality of life of its businesses’ employees and in their families. The District — the 162-acre development that incorporates retail and restaurants, a 100-unit multistory living complex, 100 residential homes, 10 acres of parks and outdoor spaces, and trails — is set to open this year. With these priorities in mind — workforce development, resources and quality of life — Stewart believes MidAmerica is on a trajectory to be one of the most innovative and pro-business environments in the nation for corporate growth — organic and new business. “Whether you are our largest employer or the smallest, every day, our team at MidAmerica begins the day thinking about our companies. Their success is our success,” Stewart said.
ON-SITE RESOURCES
• Park-Owned Wastewater Treatment • Park-Owned Water System • Tenant-Centric Management • Power Production and Direct Delivery • Emergency Medical Services • High-Speed Data Services
ON-SITE TRAINING + CAREER CENTER
• Northeast Technology Center • Rogers State University • MAIP Center of Excellence • Onsite Conference Center for Job Fairs • Best Practices for Workforce Recruitment
Call us today 1.800.627.3500 | www.maip.com
North, South, East or West.
Our four-state region is in the very heart of America serving Northeast Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas.
ON-SITE FINANCING
• Competitive • Quick Action Incentives Fund
ON-SITE TRANSPORTATION
• Union Pacific Rail • Airport with 5,000 foot of runway • Quick access to I-35, I-44 + I-40
ON-SITE COMPANIES
• 80 employers • 4,000+ workers • 5 Fortune 500 companies including the 2nd largest Google Data Center in the world.
UNRIVALED SPEED-TO-MARKET
3000+ acres of prime, shovel-ready land, complete with infrastructure. We build to your specifications.
THE LARGEST industrial park in the Central U.S. and THE 8TH LARGEST in the world.
2020
