Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department
FY 2027 Budget Hearing Presentation
Submitted by: Amy Blackburn, Executive Director and Sterling Zearley, Senior Advisor
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (74 O.S. §2202-2283) serves to:
agencies, municipalities, and to private organizations on matters pertaining to tourism and recreation.
Founded in 1972, the agency encompasses the following divisions: Administration,
Travel Promotion, Oklahoma State Parks, Capital Projects and Information Technology.
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department also oversees:
Amy Blackburn
Executive Director
Sterling Zearley
Senior Advisor
Agency Vision, Mission and Core Values
Vision: Making Oklahoma a premier destination for visitors around the world.
Mission: Promote and preserve Oklahoma for all to explore.
Core Values:
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Accomplishments
Top accomplishments for FY 2025 – FY 2026
See Supplemental Document
Savings & Efficiencies (Current or Planned)
Savings or Efficiency Name | Brief description of how savings were achieved | Savings in Unit of Measurement* | FY 2025 (Actual $ Savings) | FY 2026 (Projected $ Savings) | FY 2027 (Projected $ Savings) |
International Marketing Savings | Moved OTRD international marketing program management in-house | $ | $130,000 | $130,000 | $130,000 |
Deposit Tracking | Moved deposit tracking for park location to an internal Sharepoint system | $ | $67,500 | $97,560 | $97,560 |
OTRD CTO | Partnered with OMES for shared services for OTRD Chief Technology Officer | $ | $30,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
Streamlined Reconcilliations | Created a template to streamline reconciliations in the new reservation system, reducing the number of days to perform reconciliations from approximately 26 business days/month to 6 business days/month. | Hrs/mo. | 160 | 160 | 160 |
IT updates | Significant risk mitigation in cybersecurity, legal compliance, asset management, and WCAG 2.1AA (Federal Accessibility requirement for ADA); Cell phone and computer lease optimization; partnered with OMES ITAM services. | $ | $200-300K | $200-300K | $200-300K |
* Hours, FTE, square feet, etc.
| Analysis of Agency Challenges | | |||
| Challenge Description | Current Actions (Briefly describe how the agency is currently addressing the challenge.) | Planned Actions (Briefly describe how the agency plans to address the challenge going forward.) | ||
1 | Deferred Maintenance - $271.5M in needs | Identifying highest impact needs through asset valuation and working with staff/outside partners to address the best cost/benefit solution for the long term. | Continue to work within 8-year State Parks Emergency Maintenance plan to find additional funding to address deferred maintenance issues. | ||
2 | IT modernization | Modernizing agency technology through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) projects, computer and technological refresh to achieve cost savings and operational efficiencies. | Identify improved data analytics platforms to better inform decision-making; Continue to improve processes and communicate with all areas to ensure intended outcomes are achieved. | ||
3 | Staffing resources | Identifying appropriate staffing levels across state parks, lodges, and golf courses to determine what the minimum is to optimize services and revenue generation. | Strategic planning – internal team/consultants will identify benchmarks for each location by job description based on industry standards and best practices. | ||
4 | Marketing Budget to fulfill mission to promote Oklahoma tourism | Currently, the agency has $5.75M to promote tourism across the state. OTRD is engaging tourism partners across the state to optimize collaboration and marketing efforts. | Working to lift the cap on the Oklahoma promotional fund to be able to be more competitive with neighboring states where Texas receives $55M and Arkansas receives $31M. | ||
5 | Asset Management | Conducted a comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment through Terracon of all OTRD buildings across the state. | Implementation of the OMES asset management system to allow for better tracking and management of assets to assist in replacement/repair decisions. | ||
Agency Goals and Key Performance Metrics
Goal | Metric | FY 25 Target | FY 25 Actuals | FY 26 Target | |
1 | Increase park visitation by 6% with additional marketing campaign | Park Attendance | 10.5M | 9.6M | 10.2M |
2 | Increase Number of Nights Stayed at Lodging Facilities Annually | Occupancy Rates | 34% | 35% | 36% |
3 | Increase domestic travel to/in Oklahoma from 18.3 million in calendar year 2022 to 29 million in calendar year 2029 (*Research is available based in calendar year-2023 is the latest data provided) | Number of domestic travelers to Oklahoma (People In Millions) | 21.5M | * | 23M |
4 | Increase Oklahoma travel spending from $9.072B in calendar year 2020 to $17.8B in calendar year 2029 (*Research is available based in calendar year-2023 is the latest data provided) | Total dollars spent in Oklahoma on travel | $13.8B | * | $14.6B |
*Reporting completed on calendar year basis. Waiting on data to be reported for CY 2024 (FY25 actuals)
Projects for FY 2026
visitors attending events within and in surrounding states.
improvements include the addition of EV charging stations; and opportunities for local community engagement with travelers.
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Projects for FY 2027
and revenue generation.
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Total Historic Actual
Expenditures
(FY 2021-25) and Current Year Budget (FY 2026)
Explanation of Changes and Trends
Expenditures have been consistent across FY22-FY25 but saw increases in FY21 due to $48.6M bond funding and FY26 due to increased appropriations for capital deferred maintenance projects.
FY21 increases were due to CARES Funding (489) associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Welcome Center Capital Projects (272) and major maintenance improvements funded by the 2020E bond. OTRD implemented many public facing changes at our facilities to ensure that visitors were still able to visit in a safe manner.
FY24 Federal funds increase is based on the timing of distributions to the sub-recipients for both the Land & Water Conservation and Recreational Trails Program funding. In FY24, multiple sub-recipients drew down their federal funds for their approved projects.
FY25 increases are associated with the implementation of OCAMP Funds ($12.5M) for long needed Capital improvements at Parks, and
additional appropriations for park and administrative staff needed to meet the goals of the agency.
FY26 increases are associated with the implementation of additional OCAMP Funds ($22.5M) for needed Capital improvements at Parks, and additional funding provided by the State Park Trust Fund ($5M).
Estimated Impact of Federal Funding Changes
Program Name | Federal Agency | Description of expected change (s) (i.e. change in state match, admin costs, program requirements or client eligibility, etc.) | Actual FY 25 Total Federal Funding Received ($) | Projected FY 26 Total Federal Funding To Be Received ($) | Estimated FY 27 Total Federal Funding To Be Received ($) |
Land and Water Conservation Fund | Department of Interior | Increase of 1.4M for FFY25 awarded 9/04/2025 | $5,880,000 | $5,880,000 | $5,880,000 |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
| | | $ | $ | $ |
* Only list programs with federal funding that are expected to change. Refer to the agency’s Federal Funds Schedule in the Budget Request document.
FY 2026
Budgeted Full Time Equivalents (FTE)
12
| FY 2026 Budgeted FTE |
Total FTE | 892 |
Supervisor FTE | 139 |
Supervisors to Total FTE Ratio (%) | 15.6% |
Current Budgeted but Unfilled FTE | 141 |
Appropriation History
| Five-Year Appropriation History | ||||||||||||||
$27.0M $26.5M $26.0M $25.5M $25.0M $24.5M $24.0M $23.5M $23.0M $22.5M $22.0M $21.5M | | ||||||||||||||
$26.4M | |||||||||||||||
| | $26.0M | |||||||||||||
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| | $24.0M | $24.1M | | | | |||||||||
$23.5M | | | | | | | |||||||||
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| | FY 2023 Appropriation | FY 2024 Supplemental | SRF | | | |||||||||
| FY 2022 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | ||||||||||||
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Fiscal Year | Legislated Appropriation ($) (Includes supplementals and SRF/ARPA.) |
FY 2022 | $23,461,601 |
FY 2023 | $23,988,776 |
FY 2024 | $24,130,726 |
FY 2025 | $26,436,011 |
FY 2026 | $25,969,386 |
*Includes Supplemental and Statewide Recovery Fund (ARPA) appropriations.
Financial Resource Analysis
Carryover | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
Total appropriated carryover amount expended ($) | $0 | $434,165 | $453,798 | $2,132,301 |
Revolving Class Fund # (Unrestricted only) | Revolving Class Fund Name (Unrestricted only) | Current cash balance ($) | Projected FY 2026 year-end cash balance ($) |
21500 | OTRD Revolving Fund | $5,029,966.85 | $980,737.48 |
# | | $ | $ |
# | | $ | $ |
# | | $ | $ |
# | | $ | $ |
# | | $ | $ |
| Total Unrestricted Revolving Fund Cash balance: | $ | $ |
Historical Cash Balances | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
Year End Revolving Fund Cash Balances (All Revolving Funds) | $23,907,070 | $26,257,392 | $33,185,844 | $49,333,941 |
Unrestricted funds are those that are not limited by state or federal law, rule, regulation, other legally binding method, or donor restriction.
FY 2024 – 2025 Appropriation Change Review
Purpose of appropriation increase or decrease | Amount FY 2024 | Amount FY 2025 | Total amount received FY 2024 - 25 | Total amount expended by 11/20/2025 | Included in FY 2026 approp? (Yes/No) | If not expended fully, please explain. |
Pass-through for Hochatown for planning and development of community recreation programs | $150,000 | $ | $150,000 | $150,000 | No | |
Targeted salary increases for State Park staff to close gaps with market rates. | $ | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | Yes | |
OCIA Debt Service Reduction | ($8,050) | ($44,715) | ($52,725) | N/A | Yes | |
| $ | $ | $ | $ | | |
| $ | $ | $ | $ | | |
| $ | $ | $ | $ | | |
| $ | $ | $ | $ | | |
| $ | $ | $ | $ | | |
Totals | $141,950 | $2,455,285 | $2,597,275 | $2,650,000 | | |
*Do not include SRF / ARPA appropriation increases.
FY 2026 Appropriation Change Review
Purpose of appropriation increase or decrease | Amount of increase or decrease ($) | Does this need to be included in your FY 2027 appropriation? (Yes/No) | If yes, included in appropriation for same purpose? (Yes/No) | If not included for same purpose, please explain. |
1.76% Appropriation Reduction | ($465,772) | N/A | N/A | |
OCIA Debt Service Reduction | ($853) | Yes | Yes | |
| $ | | | |
| $ | | | |
| $ | | | |
| $ | | | |
| $ | | | |
| $ | | | |
Total adjustment | ($466,625) | | | |
*Do not include SRF / ARPA appropriation increases.
Incremental & Supplemental Request Summary
Request Name | FY 2027 Incremental Appropriation Request Amount ($) {or FY 2026 for Supplementals} | Type of Request: Recurring, One-time, or Supplemental | |
1 | State Park Deferred Maintenance | $42.5M | One-time |
2 | | $ | |
3 | | $ | |
4 | | $ | |
5 | | $ | |
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(1) Incremental Budget Request
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Name of Request: State Park Deferred Maintenance | |
Type: One-Time | $ Amount Requested for FY 2027: 42.5M |
Describe why these funds are needed. Short-term, the parks will be able to address critical or emergent maintenance/repair needs that will potentially shut down parks if not addressed. It will also allow all parks to remain operational, and in turn, to maintain the revenue currently being collected. Long-term, the goal is to operate with a routine, ongoing maintenance budget so that safety is improved, the lifespan of equipment and facilities are extended, and park closures and business disruptions are minimized, and to be able to capture the maximum amount of revenue. | |
Continued Cycle of Deferred Maintenance
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