Atoka upbeat about economic growth – KTEN [Video]

ATOKA, Okla. (KTEN) — Downtown Atoka has been buzzing with the promise of growth as new businesses set up shop, but as the economic landscape changes, not everyone has been singing the same tune.

Cindy Wallis, Atoka Tourism Manager, believes the opening of Reba’s Place has elevated Atoka’s visibility.

“Since Reba’s has opened up, we have almost every building occupied with a new business,” Wallis said.

With more businesses taking space, more money is coming in.

“When businesses move in, that ups the taxes that your city gets,” Wallis noted. “Every person that comes to visit and spends a dollar, we get a little bit of tax money off of that, so it’s all good for Atoka.”

Some long-term residents, though, have expressed concerns with the shift.

“It’s brought a lot more traffic, and that makes you very uncomfortable, because you don’t know what the highway is going to look …