Shangri-La Resort paves the way for innovation and recreation on Grand Lake
In 2021, Oklahoma’s premier golf destination will soar to new heights as a destination with a lot more than golf. Construction is nearing completion on a new $10.5 million activity park adjacent to Shangri-La Resort’s luxury resort hotel. Best known for its 27-holes of championship golf and luxury 119-room resort hotel, Shangri-La is continuing to expand its amenities to provide the ultimate year-round destination
The new activity park, opening May 2021, will include a new racquet club facility with outdoor tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball, sand volleyball, fire pits, a fishing pond, an outdoor event area, and a mini-Fenway Park replica which will offer Wiffle Ball, providing fun for kids of all ages.
Another important outdoor feature is a replica of one of the original anchors from the USS Oklahoma battleship, which was the inspiration for the name of the new activity park, called The Anchor. It will stand proudly across from the new facility and display the names of the 429 personnel who served our country on this vessel when it was attacked at Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The outdoor facilities are just part of the picture, though. The 11,000-square-foot indoor facility will feature Hologate’s state-of-the-art virtual reality golf simulators, shooting simulators, escape room games, arcade, pop-a-shot basketball, billiards, ping-pong tables, shuffleboard, darts, several sporting event video screens, and the most inviting indoor-outdoor lounge area on Grand Lake.
The golf simulators allow golfers to play all 27 holes of Shangri-La’s legendary course. There’s no need to worry about sudden inclement weather. If the weather does inhibit outdoor play, the entire Shangri-La course will still be available for play indoors!
The Activity Park construction will bring the total investment of the resort facility to more than $75 million since Eddy Gibbs purchased the property in 2010. This addition of facilities at The Anchor will enable the resort to offer corporations more indoor space after their meeting sessions for team-building activities, entertainment, and extreme year-round enjoyment without being impacted by the weather. Currently, Shangri-La has 9,000 square feet of meeting space with a variety of outdoor venues for weddings and events.
“We are expanding the recreational offerings to add to our popular championship golf course,” said Shangri-La President and CEO Barry Willingham. “We are also focused on providing more indoor entertainment options for our members and our hotel guests to make Shangri-La an attractive year-round destination for business groups and families.”
Shangri-La’s hotel facilities are busy throughout the year with its luxury hotel rooms, meeting, and convention space. Additionally, we offer a full-service medical spa, fitness center, steam room, and sauna, indoor pool, and a huge sprawling outdoor resort pool with splash pad, tanning ledge, hot tub, food and beverage services, and fire pits.
Pool and lake from roof
The resort also offers casual family-dining food and beverage services at Doc’s Bar & Grill, fine dining at The Summit Restaurant and Buffalo Bar, alfresco lakeside food and beverage service at the seasonally-operated Eddy’s Lakeside Bar, and a relaxed atmosphere at the Monkey Grind coffee shop, a proud purveyor of Starbucks coffee.
At the full-service Shangri-La Marina located adjacent to the resort hotel, Sail Grand also offers yacht charters, boat and personal watercraft rentals, and parasailing adventures.
Shangri-La has been honored as Oklahoma’s #1 Golf Destination by Midwest Golfing Magazine and to the list of Outstanding Lodging in Oklahoma by the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association. The addition of The Anchor activity park in May 2021 makes it the perfect destination for any corporate event, golf outing, weekend getaway, or family vacation. There is truly something for everyone at Shangri-La Resort!