VINITA, Okla. — There's a new talk of the town throughout much of northeast Oklahoma, one that will likely change the city of Vinita itself for decades to come, according to Hometown Real Estate's Jackie Palma.
"I’m really looking forward to seeing what some investors are going to do, reach down into their pockets," Palma said. "They’ll be making money but they’ll be doing a service to the community. This whole area is going to really grow and develop. It’s going to be wonderful.”
Business owners like Dennis Patrick of Clanton's Cafe said the addition of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort announced Wednesday shows the city's potential.
"It’s also great for the whole area, and also for the state to have that kind of a facility to draw people from all over the world,” Patrick said.
Vinita native Mary Welch isn't along for the ride just yet. She worries for the growing pains and accommodations for such a massive development.
"I just have a real hard time believing it," Welch said. "Whether I would be a fan of it -- I’ve been to Disney world. I wasn’t a huge fan of Disney World. So there you go.”
Vinita isn't shy of attracting attention. The wall at Clanton's shows just that.
One thing everyone in the town may agree on is that the town will keep its charm regardless of the spotlight of a major amusement park.
"The best thing going for Vinita is the people are friendly," Welch said. "You can say hi to a complete stranger on the street, smile at them; they’ll smile back at you.”
"Vinita is just going to embrace the challenges and really make the thing positive for Vinita, for all of us," Patrick said.
"This is a really great community and everybody, I think, has been waiting and hoping for change," Palma said.
"And I think this change is really going to do everybody good.”
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