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 SOW - Lake Eufaula
Lake Eufaula Association needs your help to appeal to the State Legislature and the Tourism Commission to keep Fountainhead Golf Course open until an ownership transition can be made. Please call and/or email the attached Tourism & Wildlife and Natural Resources Committee members, Tourism Commission members as well as Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, chairman of the Tourism Commission and Speaker of the House Chris Benge before the March 26 Tourism Commission Meeting. State Tourism plans to close Fountainhead Golf Course by April 30, 2008 unless the Muscogee Creek Nation or private investors take it over. Negotiations are underway with the Creek Nation but their National Council will not meet until the end of March. We want you to let the legislators know that Fountainhead Golf Course is a vital part of tourism in the Lake Eufaula area. We need time to negotiate a solution so we don't lose this golf course. The first priority is to keep it open until a decision can be made by the Creek Nation. The fiscal year for the state is July 1 to June 30 but if funding is needed in order for State Tourism to keep the course open during this time then we need to request it too. We need you to email and/or call and tell these legislators that we want time and funding if necessary to keep the golf course open while a solution is put in place. Tell them we've only known since the middle of February and we need time to have a smooth transition in ownership. Lt. Gov. Jari Askins -
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405-521-2161 Speaker of the House Chris Benge -
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405-557-7340 Dale DeWitt, Natural Resources Chair -
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800-522-8502 X332 Terry Hyman Tourism & Recreation Chair -
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800-522-8502 X383
Tourism & Wildlife & Natural Resources CommitteeSenators John Ford 405-521-5632 -
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Earl Garrison 405-521-5533 -
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Roger Ballenger 405-521-5588 -
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Don Barrington 405-521-5563 -
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Harry Coates 405-521-5547 -
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Judy Eason McIntyre 405-521-5598 -
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Ron Justice 405-521-5533 -
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Jeff Rabon 405-521-5614 -
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Jim Reynolds 405-521-5522 -
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Mike Schulz 405-521-5612 -
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Joe Sweeden 405-521-5535 -
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Charles Wyrick 405-521-5561 -
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Representatives 800-522-8502RandyMcDaniel, Vice Chair X409 -
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Mike Brown X408 -
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Ed Cannaday X375 -
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Doug Cox X415 -
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George Faught X310 -
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Ken Luttrell X355 -
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Skye McNiel, Vice Chair X353 -
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Don Armes X307 -
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Brian Renegar X381 -
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Phil Richardson X401 -
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Dale Turner X306 -
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Purcy Walker X311 -
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Terry Harrison X376 -
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Tourism Commission Members: Melvin Moran, Vice Chair 405.382.6001 Tony Benson - 580.286.1957 Jerry Dow -918.630.4621 Joe Harwood - 918.782.3292 Jim Schlimpert - 405.743.0133 Frank Sims - 405.214.9494 Becky Switzer - 405.573.9773 T.L. Walker - 580.762.1514 Tourism is Big Business in Oklahoma and the No. 1 Industry for the Lake Eufaula area. As the No. 3 Industry in the state, we believe it’s time for the Legislature to fully recognize the importance of this industry to our state. The Tourism and Recreation Department is seriously underfunded. The state has built beautiful Welcome Centers , parks, lodges and golf courses across our wonderful state to invite people from all over the world to visit us. However, funding of the department that brings nearly $900 million in tax revenue to our state is extremely minimal. The Tourism Department only receives 44% of necessary funding from the legislature and self-generates the other 56%. All this information brings us to our immediate concern. The closure of Fountainhead Golf Course. Meetings have been held in Checotah and Eufaula. Concerns from area citizens have been heard but may be falling on deaf ears, or maybe on bankrupt budgets. Possible solutions have been presented but need time to transition. It has only come to our attention since the middle of February that the state is planning to close this facility. 1st Scenerio: The Muscogee Creek Nation is proposing to take over Fountainhead Golf Course. However, their National Council must approve the proposal and will not meet until the end of March. In order to give the Creeks sufficient time to make a decision, we need legislators to take action to assure the citizens of the Lake Eufaula area that Fountainhead Golf Course will remain open. The Tourism Department has indicated the course could close as soon as April 30. We desperately need more time. According to Tourism Director Hardy Watkins an item will be on the Tourism Commission Agenda on March 26 for action concerning Fountainhead Golf Course. Tourism needs funding to keep the golf course open to make a smooth transition to the Creek Nation. 2nd Scenerio: Should the Creek Nation not take the course, other private investors have shown an interest in purchasing or taking over the course. Again, more time is needed to make a transition. It is absolutely vital to tourism in the Lake Eufaula area to keep Fountainhead Golf Course OPEN until a transition can be made. Should Fountainhead Golf Course close it would absolutely KILL?IT! In a month’s time with no maintenance, the course would be lost.
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