Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Thursday For Riversport Rapids In OKC

<p>A ribbon-cutting ceremony is being held Thursday afternoon for MAPS 3 Riversport Rapids whitewater rafting and kayaking center.</p>

Thursday, April 28th 2016, 3:08 pm

By: News 9


Oklahoma City’s Riversport Rapids doesn’t open for another week, but News 9 got a sneak peak of the 45-million-dollar facility Thursday afternoon. 

Riversport Rapids is a whitewater rafting and kayaking center for anyone age 8 and up. It has been in the planning stages for more than six years. Construction started in September of 2014. It is a part of a 57-million dollar plan the city’s made to improve the Oklahoma River.

The center, located near downtown Oklahoma City, officially opens May 7 and 8 with the U.S. Olympic Team kayaking trials. News 9 Reporter Steve Shaw will host the event.

Joe Jacobi won an Olympic Gold Medal for Whitewater Double Canoe in 1992, and has been a guiding force for Riversport Rapids.

“What makes today so great is that we don’t have to explain anymore,” said Jacobi with a grin Thursday. “This is the new landscape of Oklahoma City. Moving water. Giant moving water.” 

Mayor Mick Cornett said it’s a testament to the foresight of city leaders going back more than 20 years.

“Today we reap the benefits of those early ideas, and those early opinion leaders,” said Cornett.

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