Director: Hickman Is ‘Only Hope’ For Future of Indian Cultural Center
Future of Indian cultural center may be in hands of House speaker
By Rick Green
Last legislative session, a bill to fund completion of the long-stalled American Indian Cultural Center and Museum died when House Speaker Jeff Hickman declined to bring it to a vote, even though it had the support of the governor and the Senate.
Now, he may be the last hope of resurrecting the issue this session.
In a year in which state lawmakers are trying to find a way to patch a $611 million budget hole, there hasn’t been much talk of providing the $40 million needed to complete the center along the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City. The money would be paired with $40 million in matching private funds.
Blake Wade, director of the center, said he’s trying to stay optimistic about Hickman’s chances.
Folks let Hickman know WE don’t want to fund this mistake. Get the state out of this mess.