Chickasaw Country Marketing Association
Become a member today! If you are interested in becoming a member of the Chickasaw Country Marketing Association, please download an application below.
In June 1968, the Oklahoma Industrial Development and Park Commission chaired by Lt. Governor George Nigh, approved a proposal to provide funds on a 50/50, one-for-one, matching basis to multi-county organizations for advertising projects promoting their region’s recreational resources with which certain criteria had to be met in order to qualify for the matching funds. These funds are determined by the State’s yearly Tourism budget and allocation is based upon promotional and administrative expenditures throughout the organization’s fiscal year.
What is currently known as the Chickasaw Country Marketing Association was originally incorporated on August 31, 2000 as Arbuckle Mountain Area Tourism Association, Inc. AMATA was a tri-county tourism cooperative representing Carter, Garvin, and Murray counties. Upon inception, the Murray County Development Authority entered into a management agreement with AMATA and operated as such until Chickasaw Country, LLC assumed administrative duties in 2015.
Oklahoma Lake & Trail Country represented nine (9) counties with three (3) of those overlapping into AMATA representation: Carter, Garvin and Murray. State legislation at the time allowed multiple associations to represent, market and receive state funding for the same counties. Over time OLTC failed to meet state criteria for matching funds and disbanded altogether. As a result AMATA briefly represented ten (10) counties due to the absorption of Pontotoc, Johnston, Marshall, Love, Cole, Atoka and Bryan from OLTC. In 2006, AMATA handed over Cole, Atoka and Bryan counties to Kiamichi Country (currently known as Choctaw Country) and underwent a second name change to become known as the Arbuckle Country Marketing Association representing Carter, Garvin, Johnston, Love, Marshall, Murray and Pontotoc counties.
In 2012, ACMA unanimously elected to change the organization’s name a third time to Chickasaw Country Marketing Association and was signed into incorporation on September 27, 2012. In 2015, the Murray County Development Authority discontinued its management agreement with CCMA and Chickasaw Country, LLC assumed management responsibilities. The organization is currently governed by a board of nine (9) directors; seven (7) county representatives and two (2) at-large members and is operated by the Executive Director.
CCMA promotes tourism within the same seven (7) county region in south-central Oklahoma. The mission of CCMA is to help regional destinations and attractions maximize their potential and exposure. The organization generates revenue from advertisement sales in their yearly Visitors Guide, fundraisers and by offering memberships to businesses and community individuals within the region.
Chickasaw Country Marketing Association board meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month starting at 1:00 p.m., located at the Murray County Workforce Center (3490 OK Hwy-7 West, Sulphur, OK 73086).
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Chickasaw Country Marketing Association or have any questions, please contact (580) 618-5979 or send us an email at chickasawcountryma@gmail.com.
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