A City of Progress and Prosperity

Balancing Growth and Quality of Life in Southwest Oklahoma

 

Lawton Fort Sill, a city in southwestern Oklahoma, stands as a regional symbol of community strength and forward-thinking leadership.

As the city continues to grow, leadership is focused on issues like infrastructure revitalization, economic development, and ensuring the quality of life for its residents.

Naturally, many of the town’s efforts are centered around attracting new businesses and industries that create high-paying jobs, enhancing educational initiatives—particularly in STEM fields—to build a skilled workforce, and fostering a business-friendly environment to stimulate investment.

Strong partnerships between local government, businesses, and community organizations further support these efforts, creating sustainable economic opportunities that benefit all residents.

Always mindful of its residents, Lawton Fort Sill also prioritizes revitalizing its neighborhoods, ensuring that residential areas remain safe, well-maintained, and inviting.

The city’s consistency in demolishing dilapidated structures, cleaning up litter, and improving parks and public spaces speaks to a broader vision of creating an environment where families and businesses alike can flourish.

In this regard, infrastructure development, including road improvements, upgraded water systems, and traffic signal enhancements, has also played a key role in supporting growth.

The results of these developments have solidified Lawton Fort Sill’s reputation as a vibrant, economically diverse city with thriving businesses, modernized infrastructure, and engaged residents who take pride in their community.

In this city, opportunity meets innovation, families enjoy happy, healthy lifestyles, and businesses—both large and small—have the support they need to prosper. With its impressive balance of large-scale economic initiatives and everyday community improvements, Lawton Fort Sill is paving the way for a prosperous future.

A City Built on Tradition, Progress, and Community

Lawton Fort Sill, Oklahoma, a city with deep community roots and a strong military presence, is making powerful strides to position itself as the region’s epicenter of economic and infrastructure development.

With a strong connection to Fort Sill, a major artillery training post, Lawton Fort Sill supports both military families and long-term residents.

“The city’s a major army artillery training post, and with that, we have a lot of families that come to the Lawton Fort Sill area every year… so we want to make sure that they have somewhere that they can enjoy and look forward to when they get stationed here,” says Director of Public Works Michael Watrous.

In addition to its families, the city also greatly supports its businesses and encourages visitors. Through a combination of infrastructure investment, neighborhood revitalization, and economic initiatives, Lawton Fort Sill is determined to become an even more attractive place to settle down. “The future of Lawton Fort Sill is focused on becoming a “Community of Choice Where Families Thrive,” said Stan Booker, Mayor of Lawton Fort Sill, Oklahoma. “By enhancing infrastructure, fostering economic growth, and promoting inclusivity, Lawton Fort Sill is preparing for sustained success and a vibrant future.”

Lawton Fort Sill also prides itself on its civic engagement and strong public-private partnerships.

“We’re very sensitive to and reliant upon our partnerships in the community with businesses, different civic organizations, and the citizens themselves,” says City Manager John Ratliff.

Community input plays a central role in shaping city initiatives, with leadership actively involving residents in decision-making processes. The city fosters collaboration through numerous advisory boards, commissions, and committees composed of dedicated volunteers who help shape policies.

“They’re all volunteers doing this in their free time. They come in and do government work. It’s such a fundamental part of what we do. If we didn’t have that level of engagement with our citizens, we wouldn’t be able to function because it’s so key to how we operate as a government,” Ratliff explains.

Additionally, regular city council meetings encourage public participation, giving residents the opportunity to voice their concerns and contribute to the city’s development.

“Community input plays a significant role in shaping initiatives, ensuring that the needs and voices of residents guide decisions,” Booker said. “The city’s commitment to long-term planning, transparency, and measurable success demonstrates its dedication to creating a safe, vibrant, and inclusive environment where families and businesses can thrive.”

The reason for Lawton Fort Sill’s civic enthusiasm is evident in its healthy list of community-unifying events.

For example, Freedom Fest and the International Festival are two of Lawton Fort Sill’s largest occasions. Year after year, they bring the community and tourists together while showcasing the city’s rich cultural heritage.

Events like these attract considerable state-wide and national attention. Still, to further promote Lawton Fort Sill’s appeal beyond its borders, the city’s Communications and Marketing Department also leverages several partnerships and digital media channels.

“It’s our job to make sure that Lawton Fort Sill is marketed as best as possible. So, of course, we use social media like Facebook and Instagram. We also have our media channels; KSWO is our local TV station that also reaches down into North Texas and Wichita Falls,” says Communications and Marketing Manager Caitlin Gatlin.

Laying an Economic and Infrastructural Foundation for Success

Lawton Fort Sill’s leadership is proactive in engaging with platforms that highlight the city’s economic potential, ensuring that both residents and prospective businesses see Lawton Fort Sill as an opportunity-rich environment.

Additionally, collaborations with regional business groups and civic organizations, such as the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce, help create a business-friendly atmosphere that supports new enterprises and investment opportunities.

A critical aspect of Lawton Fort Sill’s long-term success is its focus on workforce development and job creation.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve really strived to make sure we have good human capital management. The City Council has looked at the pay scale and updated both of our pay scales to be more aligned with all of the cities across Oklahoma,” Watrous states.

The city also actively supports small business growth and provides resources to entrepreneurs looking to establish themselves in the region.

“For a while, we’ve been holding small business workshops to arm business owners with the tools they need to be successful here. We let them know what kind of permits and licenses are required, as well as what our government expects of them. They get that all in one place,” Ratliff explains.

These workshop initiatives are in addition to others, like mentorship programs, which are often held in collaboration with organizations like Rotary and Lawton Fort Sill Businesswomen.

Lawton Fort Sill is also investing heavily in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. Programs designed to expose students to STEM fields from an early age are expected to provide local graduates with a competitive edge in the job market.

By fostering an educated workforce and attracting industries focused on technology and innovation, Lawton Fort Sill is laying the foundation to attract large companies like the already established Goodyear Tires, Republic Paper Board, and Westwin Elements Nickel Refinery.

Recognizing the importance of modern infrastructure in the economy, Lawton Fort Sill has taken bold steps to improve roads, utilities, and public spaces.

“We have several different projects going around the city right now, and our citizens are really pushing to get more done. In August, we recently passed our Capital Improvement Project Fund (CIP), which has pushed forward a lot of infrastructure needs the citizens have asked for,” Watrous comments.

The CIP has allocated substantial resources toward upgrading the city’s aging infrastructure. This includes $10 million in street rehabilitation and an additional $7 million toward complete road reconstruction projects.

A key focus of Lawton Fort Sill’s city leadership is downtown revitalization and neighborhood improvement. The city recently completed a major upgrade to Second Street, the main downtown corridor, enhancing accessibility and aesthetics.

Further enhancements are planned for the west side of Second Street, reinforcing the city’s intention to make its downtown a vibrant commercial and social hub.

Adaptive Initiatives that Secure Tomorrow

Beyond downtown, Lawton Fort Sill is embarking on an ambitious neighborhood revitalization campaign.

“Over the next year, we are going to take on a very aggressive campaign of knocking down 40 dilapidated structures a month, whether those be commercial or residential,” Ratliff says.

The initiative intends to help remove all vacant buildings that contribute to urban decay. By addressing blight, the city aims to increase property values, improve safety, and create more attractive neighborhoods.

Enhanced litter removal efforts and beautification projects are also part of the plan, reinforcing the idea that well-maintained neighborhoods foster stronger communities.

One of the most innovative projects in Lawton Fort Sill, symbolizing the benefits of such revitalization, is the repurposing of its local shopping mall into the Fire Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator (FISTA).

As malls across the country struggle with declining foot traffic, Lawton Fort Sill saw an opportunity to transform a struggling retail space into a thriving economic hub.

Now home to Department of Defense vendors and contractors, FISTA has become a cornerstone of Lawton Fort Sill’s downtown area, serving as both a business incubator and a driver of economic growth.

This successful adaptive reuse strategy sets Lawton Fort Sill apart and offers a model for other cities looking to reinvigorate underutilized commercial spaces.

By strategically placing FISTA in the heart of the city, Lawton Fort Sill has ensured that what could have become a symbol of economic decline is instead a catalyst for innovation and business expansion.

Over the next five years, Lawton Fort Sill’s leadership is focused on ensuring long-term economic sustainability through continued investment in business development, infrastructure, and workforce education.

Attracting companies with high-paying jobs remains a top priority, as economic prosperity will, in turn, improve the overall quality of life for residents.

By creating a business-friendly environment, Lawton Fort Sill hopes to generate a ripple effect—increased employment opportunities lead to higher consumer spending, stronger schools, and an enhanced public services sector.

Lawton Fort Sill’s leadership understands that a city’s success is measured not just by its economic indicators but by the well-being of its residents.

Through a combination of strategic investments, community engagement, and forward-thinking initiatives, Lawton Fort Sill is positioning itself as a model for mid-sized cities aiming to balance growth with quality of life.

As Lawton Fort Sill continues to evolve, its pursuit of progress remains unwavering.

With a clear vision, dedicated leadership, and active community participation, Lawton Fort Sill is well on its way to becoming an even more dynamic and prosperous place to live and work.

At a Glance

Who: City of Lawton Fort Sill, Oklahoma
What: A dynamic city focused on economic development, infrastructure revitalization, and quality-of-life improvements
Where: Southwest Oklahoma
Website: www.lawtonok.gov