Hickman: No ‘Plan B’ For OKC Indian Cultural Center
House speaker: ‘There is no plan B’ for Native American cultural center
By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
OKLAHOMA CITY — House Speaker Jeff Hickman said there is no alternative plan for the mothballed American Indian Cultural Center and Museum.
His comments came Wednesday following an editorial in The Oklahoman in which city leaders were critical of the feasibility of running the facility.
Legislation passed last session, House Bill 2237, sets up a plan to provide $25 million more for the project and hand it to the city to operate. Hickman, R-Fairview, was the House author. Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, was the Senate author.
Creation of the center, located near Interstates 40 and 35 in Oklahoma City, was authorized in 1994. Construction started in 2006 but stalled as funding ran out. It was stalled in 2012 when lawmakers balked at providing additional state dollars.
“There is no plan B,” Hickman said. “This is plan B. There is no other option.”