A 45-acre resort consisting of cabins, treehouse style lodging, converted rail cars and a recreational vehicle park is set be built in a heavily wooded area of Adventure District of northeast Oklahoma City.
Developers David Aduddell and John Wooley unveiled plans for Block-405 RV&B Resort last week to a committee reviewing a request of $3.8 million to assist in construction of the $35 million development at Interstate 35 and NE 36th Street.
“It’s an ideal location and we believe this will be a win-win,” Mr. Aduddell commented. “It’s ideally suited for those getting off the highway. We consider this to be a full-fledged resort.”
Aduddell told the committee, which unanimously recommended approval of the request to the City Council that he is negotiating an agreement to brand the resort as a Hilton Tapestry, which would run the resort and provide access to its reservations system.
Mr. Aduddell said every effort will be made to retain the trees on the property.
The land includes a stream and a 4-acre lake with a fountain will be added that will be surrounded by cabins and the welcome center.
A fishing dock will extend from the welcome center.
Recreational amenities will include pickleball, basketball and tennis courts, a pool, zip-line, arcade, fitness center, putting greens, walking trails, paddle boats and multiple dog parks.
Lodging options will include 200 RV slips, 45 cabins, eight converted train cars and six treehouse-style residences designed by Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters.
Mr. Aduddell said planning for the resort began two years ago with a lengthy review completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is limiting the development to two vehicular crossings over the stream. Additional covered pedestrian crossings will be provided via converted train cars.
The mix of lodging styles is designed to accommodate group trips and gatherings where some are traveling by RV while others will want the cabins, train cars or treehouses, Aduddell said. The cabins will include fireplaces, kitchenettes, living areas, outdoor seating and firepits.
The resort also will include restaurants, a 13,000-square-foot retail strip and an event center that will accommodate up to 400 people. Aduddell said he envisions the resort and event center being a popular choice for weddings, award ceremonies, chapel services, anniversaries and family reunions.
Wooley said planning involves the current array of attractions in the Adventure District, including the Oklahoma City Zoo, Science Museum Oklahoma, the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex and Stadium, Remington Park Racetrack and Casino, Lincoln Park Golf Course, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, and the neighboring Oklahoma Railway Museum.
Guests will have access to rental cars and 50 electric carts to travel around the resort and access nearby attractions. He said the resort also is across the street from the city’s Katy Trail, which serves more than a dozen of the area’s 35 attractions.
Wooley said some cabins will be designed to reflect the area’s attractions.
“We want to be very communal with the Adventure District as much as we want the Adventure District to be communal with us,” Wooley said.
Aduddell said he wants to start construction this winter with an opening in 2025 despite ongoing interest and construction costs that are challenging commercial developments across the country.
“We don’t want to delay this,” Aduddell said. “We believe it’s best to move forward now.”
