‘Best of Chickasaw Country’ winners announced

With nearly 90,000 individual votes cast in the 2014 Best of Chickasaw Country poll, supporters for some of south-central Oklahoma’s most prominent tourism destinations have made their opinions known. Officials with Chickasaw Country today announced the winners in 12 categories for this year’s fan-based, two-phase poll.

Paige Williams, director of tourism for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Commerce, said there was a 300-percent increase in voting compared to last year’s vote count of close to 30,000. She counts the increase as a positive indicator that awareness of Chickasaw Country as a travel destination is growing.

“There are many factors that contributed to the significant vote increase,” said Williams. “We have focused heavily on growing our footprint not only among the communities within Chickasaw Country but also in digital communities that exist online to show tourists the depth and quality of attractions, restaurants and festivals this region has to offer. This strategic tourism initiative has been met with immeasurable support from business owners as well as many chambers of commerce all working together to enhance the local economies across south-central Oklahoma.”

2014 Best of Chickasaw Country Winners include*:

Best Attraction

Bedré Fine Chocolate – Davis (Murray-34%)

Best Barbecue

Pigskins BBQ – Ada (Pontotoc-39%)

Best Boutique

Prairie Rose Gifts & Collectibles – Duncan (Stephens-34%)

Best Casino

Newcastle Casino – Newcastle (McClain-39%)

Best Family-Friendly Venue

Lazer Zone Family Fun Center – Ada (Pontotoc-38%)

Best Festival

Okie Noodling Festival – Pauls Valley (Garvin-27%)

Best Golf Course

WinStar Golf Course – Thackerville (Love County-36%)

Best Lake

Lake Texoma – Kingston (Marshall-34%)

Best Live Performance Venue

Arbuckle Ballroom – Davis (Murray-31%)

Best Lodging

Artesian Hotel – Sulphur (Murray-58%)

Best Museum

Chickasaw Cultural Center – Sulphur (Murray-38%)

Best Overall Dining

Fork Café – Pocasset (Grady-30%)

The 2014 Best of Chickasaw Country poll began in early January with a nominations phase that was followed by a voting phase, which ended February 25. Votes were cast on www.ChickasawCountry.com as well as the organization’s Facebook page – facebook.com/ChickasawCountry.