The Alabama Department of Commerce’s 2016 New and Expanding Industry Announcements, released in May, cites OWA as the leading job creator for the state of Alabama. The project is on track to create 620 new jobs this year alone.
The report also recognizes OWA’s $361 million investment as the second-largest in the state.
“The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is so proud that our business endeavor OWA is making such a positive economic impact,” said Stephane A. Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO of Poarch Band of Creek Indians. “OWA is generating revenue for the local community, the tribe, and the state and has created hundreds of good-paying jobs. We are thrilled to continue our relationship as a good neighbor to Alabama and to be an integral part of the area’s landscape.”
OWA is a world-class entertainment destination owned and operated by the PBC. Its design celebrates its rural roots and the area’s natural beauty. The name was inspired by the 14-acre lake at the center of the project. The complex will have the feel of a small Southern town that evolved through time with distinct districts, such as the Warehouse District, Downtown District and “The Park at OWA,” its Amusement District.
The Park at OWA recently held a series of “auditions,” hiring 494 applicants in less than two weeks. The amusement park will be open to the public next month, with the retail, dining and entertainment sectors opening in phases throughout the summer and fall. Included in the initial tenant openings is the highly anticipated, celebrity-owned Wahlburgers – a casual dining restaurant featuring fresh ground beef burgers.
The total capital investment for all phases of the project is expected to exceed $500 million, including future development of a luxury RV resort, four hotels, conference center, water park and resort level condominium.
“Based on our extensive studies of the visitor patterns in the Alabama Gulf Coast market, we have spent a great deal of time planning OWA’s additional amenities,” said Greg Rawls, Director of Business Development for Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority, the economic development arm of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. “By strategically positioning the development as a multi-year buildout, we are creating opportunities that allow us to better anticipate and respond to our guests’ future demands and market trends.”
To learn more about OWA or its employment opportunities, visit WorkAtOWA.com.