Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

Half of Oklahoma’s state parks are in danger of closing because of a nearly $900 million budget hole.  Tourism generates more than $8.6 billion to Oklahoma, and it’s money the state desperately needs.

Leslie Blair of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation office says her agency was asked to come up with what would a 14.5 percent budget cut look like.

Blair said the 14.5 percent would equal about $2.5 million in cuts. Sixteen of Oklahoma’s 35 state parks could close or be handed over to municipalities to run.  Those cuts could affect Talimena, Great Plains State Park, Cherokee Landing State Park, Natural Falls State Park, Red Rock Canyon State Park, Great Salt Plains State Park, Lake Eufaula State Park, Lake Wister State Park, Alabaster Caverns State Park, McGee Creek State Park, •Foss Lake State Park, Osage Hills State Park,Greenleaf State Park, Lake Texoma State Park, Grand Lake State Park,Grand Cherokee Golf Course, and Boiling Springs State Park.  The department evaluated which parks have the fewest visitors and bring in the least amount of revenue.