Etzanoa Visitor Museum Receives Sprint Funds

Etzanoa Visitor Museum & Immersion Center in Arkansas City was one of 18 recipients awarded funds made available through the State Park Revitalization & Investment in Notable Tourism (SPRINT) program launched by the Department of Commerce earlier this year.

On May 11, 2023, Gov. Laura Kelly announced that $30 million was awarded to 18 recipients statewide for developing and improving tourism sites. Etzanoa Visitor Museum & Immersion Center will receive $500,000.

Etzanoa, a historical city of the Wichita people, located in present-day Arkansas City near the Arkansas River, flourished between 1450 and 1700. Dubbed "the Great Settlement" by Spanish explorers who visited the site, Etzanoa may have housed 20,000 Wichita people. The historical city is considered part of Quivira. 

"We are excited and honored to receive funds through the SPRINT program," Sandy Randel, Director of Etzanoa Conservancy, Inc., said. "We know that visitor spending generates a total annual economic impact of $11.2 billion in Kansas, and those funds have yet to return fully to pre-pandemic levels. Receiving funds from the SPRINT award will help support major projects at the museum that will attract new visitors to our community and our state."

SPRINT recipients will use funds toward infrastructure enhancements, renovation, and repair of facilities, general construction, public land development, recruitment costs for permanent and semi-permanent exhibits, and fees for national museum affiliation. Awardees will have two years to complete their projects and utilize all awarded funds.

The Etzanoa Conservancy is at 31639 US-77, at Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum.