Tourism and recreation commission votes to increase park fees

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state Tourism and Recreation Department doesn't have any fee increases on the horizon even though its<br>governing commission has raised the maximum fees for some type of

Friday, April 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state Tourism and Recreation Department doesn't have any fee increases on the horizon even though its
governing commission has raised the maximum fees for some type of facilities at state parks, a tourism spokesman said Friday.

The commission voted Thursday to increase the fees paid for group camps, enclosed group pavilions and tepees at state parks.

The new maximum rate for group camps increased to $500 from $250. For enclosed group picnic pavilions, the maximum rate
increased to $200 from $100, while the cost for tepees rose from a maximum of $15 to $50.

"The commission sets what they call a maximum rate. We seldom go that far frankly," said Ron Stahl, the department's director of marketing for parks and resorts. "It gives us more flexibility in fees and we don't have to come back to them as often as we need."

The fees were last raised for group camp sites in 1994. The last increase for the enclosed group pavilions was in 1997 and the tepee
rates haven't changed since 1992.

Stahl pointed to the example of group camps. He said of the state's 14 group camps, only the ones at Arrowhead, Fountainhead and Sequoyah were at the $250 level. Three were at $225 and the rest were at $200.

Stahl said the parks director and Tourism Executive Director Jane Jayroe would have to approve any increase.