Durant Residents Prepare For President Obama's Arrival

Residents in the Choctaw Nation are now set for the arrival of President Barack Obama. Wednesday, the President will speak on expanding economic opportunity.

Residents in Durant feel that's just the topic for their area.

Within the next two years, a state of the art medical center will be on this very lot of land.  Just one of the many constructions sites part of what some call the Choctaw Nation's building boom.

Something residents in Durant have clearly noticed.

"We've seen Aerosmith, we've seen Luke Bryan and President Obama all within a month and that's due to the Choctaw Nation," said Stewart Hoffman, Durant Mayor.

Residents like Hoffman and local barber Doyle know both are a direct reaction to the economic surge in Durant and the Choctaw Nation.

"The growth of Durant and the surrounding area is phenomenal," Hoffman said.

"Them peoples busy all the time," Doyle said.

While Hoffman said Durant has been gaining momentum for some time, the Choctaw Nations designation as a "Promise Zone" has only helped.

Within the last year, Choctaw Nation officials have partnered with federal officials for advise and financial aid.

To date, federal assistance and grants have awarded $58 million to the Choctaw Nation.

Money that goes directly to medical facilities, early learning, and job creation all across the Choctaw Nation's 11 counties.

"It's not a Durant or Bryan County or southeast Oklahoma, it's a Oklahoma initiative," Hoffman said.

And even if he doesn't always agree with the president, Doyle can't help but admit there's a lot of other growing in this area.

"Well it's brought a lot of jobs to Durant," Doyle said.

The President's speech has now moved to 5:45 p.m. Wednesday.