The state has sued a contractor after a fire caused damage to the Sequoyah State Park lodge and restaurant.
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services on Nov. 25 sued The Lookout Kitchen, RPW ENT, LLC, and RCC Ventures LLC on behalf of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.
The suit was filed in Oklahoma County District Court and alleges breach of contract and negligence and seeks more than $5 million.
The tourism agency had contracted with RPW to operate and manage restaurants in six parks, including Sequoyah State Park.
On Dec. 14, a fire at the Sequoyah Lodge caused $4.5 million in damages, according to the filing.
“Investigation into the Sequoyah Lodge Fire revealed the fire originated when an RPW employee disposed of a rag containing greasy and combustible materials into a container that ultimately caught fire and spread throughout the restaurant and lodge,” the suit said.
The fire damaged substantial portions of the kitchen and hotel rooms, the suit said.
Tourism officials said in July that the lodge, which has 104 rooms, had reopened in May. In a Facebook post at the time of the fire, the local volunteer fire department said the fire had been contained to the kitchen and dining area and nobody had been injured.
The contract required the restaurant contractor to obtain insurance, which it failed to do, the lawsuit said.
A spokesperson for The Lookout Kitchen could not be reached for comment Monday.
In July, JP Wilson, the owner of The Lookout Kitchen, told Oklahoma Voice that the restaurant was insured and the damage was minimal. He said it was up to the state to reopen the restaurant, which it had not done seven months later.
That same month, the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation announced that the restaurants in six parks were closed due to a contract dispute with The Lookout Kitchen. The restaurants reopened but closed again permanently in September.
The lawsuit marks the second time since 2022 that the state has sued a vendor it hired to run state park restaurants.
In 2022, the agency canceled its contract with Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen and sued the company, seeking to recoup millions for breach of contract.
Swadley’s counter sued, arguing the state owes it nearly $2.6 million.
In 2024, the state’s multicounty grand jury indicted three people, including Swadley’s founder Ronald Brent Swadley, in connection with the controversial state contract to operate park restaurants.
Swadley and the two others pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the state and five counts of presenting false or fraudulent claims against the state.
A trial is pending.
