As a region, northeast Oklahoma achieved remarkable progress in 2025.
With the continued support of our members, regional communities and tribal partners, the Tulsa Regional Chamber was proud to be part of that momentum and prosperity. From economic development…to regional tourism…to government affairs…to community development and enhanced membership value, here’s a closer look at some highlights from 2025.
YOur Partner in Growth: Economic Development
Tulsa’s Future is the regional economic development partnership led by the Chamber. In 2024, Tulsa’s Future and its partners brought more than $2 billion of new capital investment to northeast Oklahoma, and supported the creation of more than 2,800 jobs with an average salary above $64,000.
BUSINESS ATTRACTION
New companies announced transformational investments across multiple industries. Emirates Global Aluminum announced plans to build a $4B aluminum production facility at the Tulsa Port of Inola. The project is expected to create 1,000 full-time jobs and will represent the first new primary aluminum production plant in the United States in 45 years. Beale Infrastructure unveiled plans for a $3B data center in Tulsa County, a project expected to create ~150 full-time jobs with an average salary of $100k. CBC Global Ammunition proposed a $300 million manufacturing facility at MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor. The 550-acre campus will redevelop a historic World War II-era munitions site and is anticipated to create 350 jobs. SIXT USA opened a shared services center in downtown Tulsa, expanding the company’s operational capabilities across essential business functions. Agile Space Industries announced plans to invest $36M in a hot-fire rocket engine testing center adjacent to Tulsa International Airport. The facility will support advanced propulsion testing for aerospace and defense applications.
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION
In 2025, the business retention and expansion team engaged 440+ companies and provided business assistance to 70. It also supported 16 company expansions. The region also saw continued confidence from existing employers, with major companies reinvesting and expanding operations across northeast Oklahoma. Google announced plans to invest an additional $9B in Oklahoma over the next two years, including expansion of its Pryor campus and two new data centers planned for Muskogee County. Kelvion opened its largest facility in the world, adding 400 jobs north of Tulsa International Airport. Lufthansa Technik Component Services broke ground on a 25,000-square-foot expansion, reinforcing its long-term presence in Tulsa. Additional expansions by McElroy Manufacturing, EADS Cooling Solutions and Roxtec represented millions of dollars in new investment and hundreds of new jobs, strengthening the region’s manufacturing base.
WORKFORCE & TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Workforce and talent development remained central to the region’s economic strategy. Chamber leadership participated in an international delegation to Germany to study the dual training model that integrates education and employment, with visits to global employers across the aerospace, energy and automotive sectors. The Chamber convened more than 400 leaders through the State of Workforce and Talent event and the Education Leadership Summit, aligning education, workforce and employer partners around future industry needs and the impact of emerging technologies. Programs such as NEXTGEN-Tulsa, College Essentials and Career Exploration continued connecting students with real-world opportunities and building a strong local talent pipeline. College Essentials supported students across all Tulsa Public Schools high schools through a fully matched employer partnership model. The workforce and talent strategies team also launched a new initiative focused on retaining and attracting talent in high-demand occupational clusters, beginning with engineers and industrial machinery mechanics and expanding in 2026
Your Partner in Vibrancy: Regional Tourism
Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Tulsa Regional Tourism includes Visit Tulsa, the Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Tulsa Sports Commission and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture. Regional tourism and quality of life storytelling continued to elevate Tulsa’s national profile in 2025. During FY 24/25, regional tourism exceeded key performance goals, securing 218,138 booked definite room nights, generating more than $182M in direct spending and a total economic impact exceeding $316M.
LEISURE TRAVEL
Visit Tulsa generated widespread national visibility through major cultural moments. In October, the 3rd Hour of TODAY broadcast live for the first time from Oklahoma, originating from Guthrie Green and spotlighting Tulsa’s culture, districts and local businesses to a national audience. Visit Tulsa collaborated with Tulsa’s Future and local partners to take authentic Tulsa storytelling on the road, from the national launch of The Outsiders Broadway tour to cultural showcases in New York City with NYU and the Bob Dylan Center and curated Tulsa takeover experiences in Dallas for site consultants and national audiences.
MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS
Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau and citywide partners secured and hosted major conventions and events that drove visitation and economic impact. Tulsa continued to lead as an equine destination, welcoming national and international competitors for championship-level events at Expo Square. Large-scale conventions and recurring events reinforced Tulsa’s reputation as a reliable host city.
PRO & AMATEUR SPORTS
The Tulsa Sports Commission strengthened the city’s standing as a premier sports destination. Major wrestling, boxing and amateur sports events filled venues throughout the year. Tulsa also secured future NCAA championships and helped secure a PGA Championship return in 2032.
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
The Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture continued championing the region’s creative economy. Tulsa served as the backdrop for film and television productions including FX’s The Lowdown, filmed entirely locally. Initiatives such as Tulsa on Tour and Mix and Master supported local creators while drawing national attention to Tulsa’s cultural assets.
YOUR PARTNER IN SUCCESS: Government Affairs
The Chamber continued its role as a leading advocate for the regional business community through a robust OneVoice agenda.
OneVoice Day at the Capitol and the Washington DC Fly-In convened business and community leaders for direct engagement with state and federal policymakers. Advocacy efforts helped secure $8M in state funding supporting healthcare infrastructure enhancements and $75M for Tulsa County road and bridge repairs. Additional legislative wins advanced priorities related to workforce access, childcare, energy reliability, research and development incentives and long-term economic competitiveness. The OneVoice process mobilized regional partners through task forces and culminated at the OneVoice Regional Legislative Summit, where priorities were finalized for the year ahead. The Chamber’s government affairs initiative also showcased two of the largest business community gatherings in the regiona with the insightful and reflective State of the State featuring two former Oklahoma Governors, (Gov. Mary Fallin and Gov. Frank Keating) as well as the largest-ever State of the City featuring Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, dovetailing his first year in office.
YOur partner in progress: Community Development
Through Mosaic and TYPROS, the Chamber continued advancing quality of life and equitable opportunity across northeast Oklahoma.
Nearly 400 attendees participated in the annual State of Inclusion event, and seven Mosaic meetings provided practical guidance for strengthening inclusive workplace practices. Almost 800 business and community leaders gathered for the Chamber’s second annual State of the Tribal Nations event, highlighting collaboration with the Cherokee, Muscogee and Osage nations and their growing impact on the region’s economic and cultural vitality. The Chamber completed its 2025 Intercity Visit to Salt Lake City, welcoming more than 125 business, civic and education leaders from across the region. The visit focused on regional collaboration, infrastructure, talent development, public safety, housing, downtown revitalization and the role of tourism and major events in driving long-term economic momentum. TYPROS celebrated its 20th anniversary and continued programming that included 918 Lead, Lead Forward, All Access Networking and Pub Club events that connected hundreds of young professionals across the region.
Your partner in access: MEMBER VALUE & OPPORTUNITY
The Chamber advanced programs focused on access, connection and opportunity for small businesses and women leaders.
The Tulsa Small Business Awards recognized six award recipients, including the Tulsa Small Business Person of the Year, celebrating excellence across the region’s entrepreneurial community. Through Tulsa Small Business Connection, small businesses engaged year-round through networking, visibility and advocacy-focused opportunities. The Chamber launched its Women’s Programming Series in 2025 with strong participation. Building on early momentum, the series will expand to three events in 2026.
Looking ahead
As your partner in prosperity, the Tulsa Regional Chamber looks back proudly at all that was accomplished in 2025. The continued investment of Chamber members made these achievements possible. Thank you to our city, county, regional, state and tribal partners for their collaboration.