OKMULGEE, Okla. – The softball tournaments, which include both slow pitch and fast pitch, will not be taking place in the Claude Cox Omniplex in Okmulgee like at previous festivals.
Instead, these tournaments will take place in two separate locations – one will take place at Hawthorn Park in Okmulgee, while the other will take place at the Jim Waller Sports Complex, also known as Preston Fields, north of Okmulgee.
Mvskoke Media reached out to the organizers of the tournaments to look into why this change was made.
In a statement to Mvskoke Media, MCN Press Secretary Jason Salsman explained that the fields at the Omniplex are currently unusable due to construction:
The softball fields are under construction to install new synthetic field turf playing surfaces. While it’s unfortunate that they are not ready for this year’s tournament, we are looking forward to next year’s competition on the new fields. We’re grateful to our partners at the City of Okmulgee and at Preston Public Schools for working with us to ensure that we can still hold this year’s tournaments locally.
As a result of the construction at the Omniplex, the softball fields will not be ready in time for the Muscogee Nation Festival, and alternate sites in Okmulgee and Preston will be used.
For those interested in learning more about this year’s festivities in the Muscogee Nation Festival, you may visit the Festival’s website, which includes a tentative schedule, at creekfestival.com.
Thanks for the clear and timely update, Thomas! Your coverage helps the community stay informed and prepared for the changes to this year’s festival. Really appreciate how you included direct sources and alternative venue details. Do you know if the new turf fields at the Omniplex will be ready for any other events later this year?