The Chief Looks Ahead at What 2025 Has to Offer

Published January 6, 2025

By Chief Gary Batton

Audio in Choctaw Language

Halito and welcome to 2025!

Each new year offers a fresh, clean slate that we can sketch our great plans for the Choctaw Nation and this year is no different as we have bold plans and new ideas to implement for our tribal members and associates throughout 2025.

I would like to extend a big Yakoke! to everyone who participated in our surveys this year and who offers me their feedback when we meet face to face. The feedback that we receive are a large part of why we create programs, services and create new initiatives to the services we currently provide.

We have bold plans for housing within the reservation. Healthcare, housing and employment are the main areas of concern for our tribal members, and we are listening to those concerns for 2025 with:

Housing – 384 homes

Affordable Rental Homes: 170 homes
LEAP homes: 154 homes
Independent Elderly: 60 homes

Hugo will also have a new government services building and Roots Café in 2025 to service the needs of tribal members in the Hugo area.

Two large projects that we are working on to bring in new streams of income to the tribe include a development on Lake Texoma we are partnering with and a new movie that will be filmed entirely on the Choctaw Nation reservation.

There is also a new slate of projects that have been approved for the new year and they include:

Durant multi-family open for leasing (The Haven; 216 Total Units)
UAS Ops Center
Boswell Country Market Fuel Expansion
McAlester Child Care Center
Choctaw Data Center
Broken Bow Walking Trails
Talihina Dietary Remodel
Talihina Wellness Center
Broken Bow Wellness Center Expansion
McAlester Wellness Center Expansion
Broken Bow Health Clinic Expansion
McAlester Clinic Expansion

The Preston Harbor Development is also coming along. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Craig International announced the closing of 3,114 acres for the $6 billion Preston Harbor project, which will include approximately 7,500 homes, including luxury single-family, active adult, and multifamily, retail, restaurants, an upscale marina, and a Margaritaville resort on Lake Texoma in Denison. When all is said and done, our partners and the Choctaw Nation believe this will have a big impact on Denison’s population and prove to be a big economic boost for both the Choctaw Nation and the entire region. Groundbreaking on the Preston Harbor project is targeted for late 2025.

Also, Choctaw Nation is opening its doors to an independent film that will be filmed on the Choctaw Nation reservation. The movie, “Brave” will be the first-ever film to be shot on Choctaw land, and the tribe has been closely involved in developing and pre-production. The dramedy feature will begin shooting in the summer of 2025 on the Choctaw Nation Reservation.

As you can see, we are not resting on our 2024 successes and our plans are big and bold for 2025. We strive to keep the Choctaw Nation at the front in services and technology and these plans will help maintain that. It is my hope that you will follow along with our progress, and we will reconvene in December 2025 to let you know how we did!

Yakoke and God Bless!

Chahta Okla i tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi isht vlhpisa ya Miko yvt tikbanlit pisa

Halito anonti tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi aiokpvchi!

Afvmmi himona aiyuka kvt aholissochi kashofa pimissa na Chahta Okla ya pim isht vlhpisa il i hlaffa hinla. Afvmmi ilvppa, pim okla micha ittiba toksvli ya isht vlhpisa aiyimita anonti amanukfila himona il im ishi.

Himak afvmmi, anukfilli ya hvsh apehvchi tuk anonti si afamvt hvchim anumpa hvsh vmissa tuka hvchi yakoke li! Anumpa il eshi cha, himak i toksvli ataha ya aiahni anonti isht ilaiyukpa himona il im ikbi.

Yakni ilatomba anukaka ya chukka im isht vlhpisa aiyimita il ishi. Pim okla ibafoka ya haknip achukma, aboha, anonti toksvli akosh isht ahalaia im i shahli.

Aboha – chukka tahlepa tuchina, pokoli untuchina akucha ushta

Chukka Pota Vlhpesa: chukka tahlepa achvffa, pokoli untuklo
LEAP chukka: chukka tahlepa achvffa, pokoli tahlapi akucha ushta
Asvnonchi Ilapunla: chukka pokoli hannali

Okla ibafoka yukpala chi ka Hugo yvt apehlicheka i toksvli aboha himona isha chi.

Aiahni hocheto tuklo il anumpuli kvt Lake Texoma achakvli moma i shahli micha holbvt toba ya Chahta Okla i yakni ilatomba aiikba chi.

Afvmmi himona ya, aiahni himona aiokpvchi aieninchi kvt:

The Haven – Durant (216 units open for leasing)
UAS Ops Center
Boswell Country Market Fuel Expansion
McAlester Child Care Center
Choctaw Data Center
Broken Bow Walking Trails
Talihina Dietary Remodel
Talihina Wellness Center
Broken Bow Wellness Center Expansion
McAlester Wellness Center Expansion
Broken Bow Health Clinic Expansion
McAlester Clinic Expansion

Denison, Texas bilika, Lake Texoma yvmmak o Preston Harbor aiahni pulla ka, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma micha Craig International vt yakni hokohli tukvt miha tuk. Chukka tahlepa sipokni untuklo, tahlepa tahlapi foka, aiimpa chukka, oka peni aiasha, micha aiittvnaha aienincha chi. Ilvppvt Denison im okla kanihmichi cha yakni fullota mominchit ilatomba i shahlicha chi ka Chahta Okla micha im ittvpela yvt yimmi. Preston Harbor i yakni kvhla yvt tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi achiba mak achi.

Holbvt toba, “Brave”, vt Chahta Okla i yakni atoba chi. Maya anonti ikbi tikba ya okla yvt ibafokka. Tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi toffa ya, yukpali ihlauvlli ikbi yvt ishta ia chi.

Pi tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha ushta aiahli il o foha kiyo. Il achunanchi na Chahta Okla yvt i toksvli micha ikhana ya tikba antta. Pi maya hvsh iakaya chi ka ahni li. Koi Chito Hvshi tahlepa sipokni tuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha tahlapi ya e kaniohmi tukvt ittvhobvt il ikhvna chi.

Yakoke anonti Chihowa hvt hvchi holitoblashke!