National Indian Monument and Institute Continues Campaign
The National Indian Monument and Institute, Inc. (NIMI) continues to seek funding to meet a $3 million benchmark ser for June 30 to proceed with their plans to construct an American Indian Cultural Center on the west side of the Arkansas River at 71st Street and Elwood Avenue. NIMI has secured a 99-year lease from the Tulsa River Parks Authority for the 39-acre plat of land and has already received a pledge from Tulsa’s Vision 2025 initiative for $2 million for utilities infrastructure and roadways.
Thus far NIMI has received nearly half of its $3 million goal, and funding and support for the project continue to grow. This first monetary goal is only a fraction of the monies needed to complete Phase One of the project, which will include offices, classrooms, theater space as well as indoor and outdoor dining areas.
When construction is completed in whole, estimated to cost around $30 million, the cultural center will include an art gallery, indoor and outdoor theaters, dance grounds, a gift shop, tourist information center, library and restaurant. Such facilities within the center will provide a centralized location for cultural exchange and discourse on both a local and national level and will make available additional avenues to provide education through native languages, theatre, art, cuisine and history.
The American Indian Cultural Center and its surrounding grounds will incorporate a variety of environmentally-friendly “green-energy” and land conservation projects to minimize the facility’s impact on the area around the Arkansas River. Among those ‘green strategies’ to be considered include the use of low energy glass, natural water filtration methods, solar and wind energy and natural lighting. Landscaping will include native plants and grasses known to be hardy to the area.
For more information about NIMI, contact Cole Perryman, Chairman, Fundraising Committee, (918) 231-9677, or Monetta Trepp, C.E.O., NIMI Inc. (918) 838-3875. Information can also be found by visiting www.nimi.us.
NIMI was organized in 1991 as a tax-exempt, non-profit 501©3 corporation for charitable and educational purposes, whose mission is to honor, preserve, sustain and celebrate Native American cultures from around the nation. This mission has been pursued over the past 26 years by conducting various cultural arts, educational and community service activities including the Tulsa Indian Art Festival (now in its 21st year) and the American Indian Theatre Company. NIMI’s primary goal is to develop and construct a world-class American Indian Cultural Center.
Updated 06-25-2007
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