EDC: Chickasha posts record sales tax, pushes retail recruitment and manufacturing pitch
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Summary
Jim Cowan of the Chickasha Economic Development Council told the council the city recorded its largest fiscal‑year sales tax collection to date and that two‑week collections topped $1.4 million; the EDC highlighted retail leakage, visitor spending and state manufacturing incentives as recruitment tools.
Jim Cowan, representing the Chickasha Economic Development Council, told the Chickasha City Council the city recorded its largest fiscal‑year sales tax collection in history and that a recent reporting period recorded over $1,400,000 in sales tax receipts. "That was the highest sales tax collection ever in the history of Chickasha," Cowan said, adding that while the numbers are encouraging the EDC is watching to see if the trend continues.
Why it matters: The EDC presentation framed recent retail wins and visitor traffic as evidence that Chickasha is becoming a regional draw, boosting revenue that funds city services. Cowan said the city's trade area is now about 120,000 people and the city population is more than 17,000, information the EDC uses to attract national retailers and manufacturers.
What the EDC presented: Cowan summarized three sets of data the EDC distributed to council: a year‑end sales tax summary, a January 2026 'Chickasha by the Numbers' two‑week report (sourced to the Oklahoma Tax Commission) and a media recap of 2025 coverage. He said the EDC estimated $9.6 million in retail leakage tied to trips to big‑box stores outside Chickasha and roughly $5 million in grocery purchases made outside the city. Cowan also presented visitor spending estimates of more than $26 million for people who come to Chickasha for events, hospital or courthouse business and other visits.
On data methods and recruitment: Cowan described Placer, a location‑analytics provider the EDC has used since 2021, saying it assigns a "home location" to mobile devices based on where a phone spends nights and that allows the EDC to distinguish visitors from local workers. He said the EDC uses those data points in marketing to retailers and told council that a state Department of Commerce incentive—structured as a withholding‑tax rebate over 10 years—can return as much as about $3,000,000 to a qualifying company that creates at least 50 jobs with an average payroll of $43,000 and provides health insurance.
Council questions and access: Council members asked how Placer distinguishes local residents from visitors and whether citizens can attend or join the EDC board. Cowan said Placer determines a device's home location by repeated overnight presence and that EDC meetings are open to the public; citizens who want to join the board should contact the EDC.
What's next: Cowan invited further questions and said the EDC will continue outreach to recruit retail and manufacturing. The packet materials Cowan referenced are available to council and the public.
