District 10, March 2022

Halito,

Chim Achukma from District 10. I hope all is well with you and your families. I hope everyone enjoyed the snow while it lasted, and I’m looking forward to the warmer weather ahead.

In January, Council passed the Hochatown development bill to start construction on the Hotel, Casino, and Mercantile. We have been planning this development for quite some time and are very excited to complete it. For those unfamiliar with Hochatown, this area is growing by leaps and bounds as a tourist destination with over 3,000 luxury cabins for rent and growing daily. One of the largest attractions is the Broken Bow Lake, 22.19 square miles of lake enjoyment nestled in the Ouachita Mountains system in the southeastern portion of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. The Lower Mountain Fork River is another attribute of the area for its year-round trout fishing and summer float trips.

The city of Atoka, The Choctaw Nation, and Reba McEntire are very excited to announce the partnership for the development of “Reba’s Place,” which will be completed in the fall of 2022. This newly renovated historic building will be the new home to Reba’s restaurant, bar, music venue, and retail store showcasing Reba’s memorabilia. The excitement of this project will continue to grow the expected tourist activities visiting downtown Atoka. I’m excited for this business opportunity for its estimated profitability and continued growth, which in turn allows more growth for the whole area to benefit economically.

I would like to give a big shout-out to the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority for continuing to expand our housing offerings all over our reservation area. We continue to open affordable housing, leap homes, and independent elderly housing. I want to encourage every tribal member that may qualify for these housing options to apply. These applications are the data source needed to determine where to build. In addition, I will continue to advocate for the commercial housing development throughout the Choctaw Nation reservation, emphasizing housing units in every independent school district.

As I conclude my article, I would like to give a big shout-out to the Strategy and Analytics team for facilitating our strategic planning session. This opportunity helps guide our paths for the future and improves the lives of our tribal members and the communities in which they reside. I’m so excited about the progress that we have made and continue to build upon those successes and correct the areas that we fall short of expectations.

As we are rapidly transitioning from winter to early spring, I encourage everyone to start turning soil on their gardens for those early spring vegetable plants. I just love the spring season when things start really blooming and coming alive. This time of year gives us the opportunity to get back outside and enjoy nature.
The future continues to shine bright for the Choctaw Nation.

Yakoke!