TAHLEQUAH, OK – Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, along with other tribal leaders and members of the Tahlequah community, gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the state-of-the-art, 75,000 sq. ft. Tahlequah Wellness Center.
The $30 million two-story wellness center has a fitness center with weight and cardio space, six group exercise rooms, locker rooms with saunas and showers, two batting cages, two basketball courts, a golf simulator, an indoor walking track, a child watch area, and office space.
“This facility is about more than fitness; it is an investment in healthier families and stronger communities for generations to come,” said Chief Hoskin. “It’s important that every Cherokee citizen has accessibility to live healthier lives and by creating these spaces, this gives them chances to support both physical and mental well-being. Through these facilities, Cherokee Nation is committing to a healthier tribe.”
The Tahlequah Wellness Center was funded through the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act of 2021, which dedicates 10% of the tribe’s annual third-party health insurance collected to physical and wellness programs. Additional funding from the American Rescue Plan Act was also used for the wellness center.
This wellness center replaces the tribe’s Male Seminary Recreation Center, also known as “Markoma,” which has more than 12,500 total members, with an average of more than 9,300 monthly gym visits, an average of more than 840 monthly childcare visits, and an average of more than 1,700 attendances to group class. With the new wellness center open, the numbers are expected to grow.
The Tahlequah Wellness Center is free for Cherokee Nation citizens and memberships are open to the community for $20 a month, which totals to $240 per year. The average private annual gym membership total adds to more than $1,100 per year.
“What a blessing it is to witness the opening of this magnificent building,” said Deputy Chief Warner. “This facility is a place where Cherokees can come together to improve their health and wellness, while also encouraging one another to build lifelong habits. This investment is not only for the Cherokees of today, but it’s for generations of Cherokees to come.”