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Study Suggests OKPOP Museum Would Have $18 Million Impact

An artist's rendering of the proposed Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture (OKPOP) in Tulsa.
Oklahoma Historical Society

A new study estimates that the proposed Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture in downtown Tulsa would have a nearly $18 million impact in its first year of operation.

The study by the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce also estimates the museum would provide additional benefits, such as creating nearly 400 permanent jobs, a 650-space parking garage in downtown Tulsa and boost tourism.

“Once the OKPOP is operational, the museum will generate an estimated $820,000 a year just in sales tax revenue,” says former House Speaker Chris Benge, who's now the senior vice president of government affairs with Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce. “With an annual attendance of 100,000, the museum’s economic impact will exceed $19 million.”

The planned museum has been in the planning stages for several years. It will be a 75,000-square-foot, four story building dedicated to Oklahoma artists and their impact on popular culture.

Supporters of the project say the museum is contingent on approval of funding from the state Legislature, but it appears a long shot this term as the legislative season is close to ending.

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