Sapulpa Mayor Craig Henderson was decidedly upbeat during his talk at the Sapulpa Chamber’s Joint Civic Luncheon on Wednesday.
“Sapulpa is growing, evolving, and strengthening in ways that reflect the resilience, pride, and determination of our residents,” he began. “Today, I want to highlight where we’ve been, what we’ve accomplished together, and where we are headed.”
Henderson began with a surprising growth statistic: that since 2020, Sapulpa has grown by almost 9%, reaching a population of nearly 24,000 in just five years.
He then chose to focus on a less-known but important milestone the City reached this year—improving residential streets. While many are familiar with the larger road construction projects ODOT completed that affected the city’s main arteries, Henderson pointed out that city crews also made major improvements. “I’m proud to report that we completed nearly 7 miles of street repairs and overlays across all five wards of Sapulpa,” he said. “In addition, we advanced several major reconstruction projects, investing more than $4.5 million directly back into our streets—not including the work completed through ODOT contracts.”
Updates on the 2020 GO Bond
The 2020 GO Bond remained a major priority for the year, and Henderson celebrated the completion of the “ReDewey” project and the start of the new Booker T. Washington Community Center.
“The downtown streetscape was challenging for everyone, non more so than our downtown business owners,” he said. “Their patience, perseverance, and support for one another carried us through a difficult construction period.”
Aside from the BTW breaking ground in December, Henderson also pointed out several other new updates from the bond.
“Bond work also wrapped up at the Bartlett Sports Complex soccer fields, and we completed new improvements at the lake, including a bathroom and shower facility and an overlay of the park entrance,” he said. “The Golf Course continues to make upgrades to car paths, fairways, roughs, and greens.”
Henderson says projects like these are important because they “reflect the quality-of-life amenities that serve families, youth, and visitors.”
Economic Development Updates
- The City purchased key properties on Main Street, now being marketed for retail and restaurant opportunities.
- Development started a new industrial park, with construction starting soon.
- In 2025, 42 new businesses opened in Sapulpa, with 8 existing businesses changing ownership.
- Housing developments are underway, providing 600 single-family homes and 150 multi-family homes coming online.
- AXH—one of the new businesses—constructed a 49,000-square-foot facility at 71st and Hwy 97, with another 100,000 square feet to follow. The project is creating 300 jobs in our community.
- The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has broken ground on a 160,000-square-foot medical facility at Hwy 117 and 49th W Ave. New jobs, as well as increased dining and shopping traffic is expected.
Community Clean Up & Code Enforcement
City Inspector Mark Stephens took the mic and spoke on the progress that city Code Enforcement made last year:
- Over 1,000 visits, resulting in 22 dilapidated structures being removed
- More than 400 properties entering abatement
- 100 of those cleaned by the city, remaining complying with the abatement order and cleaning
- Removal of 40 inoperable vehicles
The City continues to offer two free trash-dump days for utility customers. The next one is Saturday, April 18th.
Revenue Growth
Sapulpa largely relies on utility revenue and sales tax to fund the city, but in the last two years, it has secured more than $15 million in grants. In 2026, they expect to receive nearly $5 million in grant funding already awarded.
What’s Next?
“So much has changed, and so much has improved the way Sapulpa is viewed by visitors, tourists, and fellow Oklahomans,” the Mayor said. “The question is now, ‘what’s next?'”
“The answer is simple,” he said. “We keep the momentum going.”
“This year is a celebration year—100 years of Route 66 and 250 years of American Independence on July 4th. Sapulpa is ready to honor the past, celebrate the present, and build a future that reflects the pride and potential of our community. What a great year to show off our beautiful city and all it has to offer.”
He ended his speech with a strong resolution. “Sapulpa is strong. Sapulpa is growing. Sapulpa is united in purpose and rich in opportunity. Together, we will continue building a city that honors its history, invests in its people, and embraces its future.”
