We’re excited to share Visit OKC’s FY25 Annual Report, highlighting the achievements and impact of the past fiscal year.
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT VISIT OKLAHOMA CITY
OUR VISION Oklahoma City is celebrated as a vibrant and collaborative destination of national prominence and global intrigue that connects visitors with authentic moments.
OUR MISSION
We advance economic growth and vitality for Oklahoma City through innovative branding, inspiring travel and welcoming the world to explore our unique stories, flavors and experiences.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY 2025 .............4
OKC BY THE NUMBERS......................8
VALUE OF A VISIT...........................10
HOMETOWN HEROES .....................11
DESTINATION MARKETING ..............12
DESTINATION SALES & SERVICES ....16
SPORTS & EQUINE .........................18
ADMINISTRATION ..........................21
FY 2025 SCOPE OF WORK & PERFORMANCE MEASURES..............22
FINANCIAL STATEMENT...................25
CVC AND VISIT OKC STAFF .............28
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August 19, 2025 Mayor and City Council City of Oklahoma City
BUILDING MOMENTUM IN FY25 FY25 was a landmark year for Visit Oklahoma City and our city’s continued emergence as a premier travel destination. From major wins at the ballot box to unforgettable moments on the international sports stage, OKC continues to build momentum that positions us for even greater impact in the years ahead. Perhaps the most pivotal moment of FY25 came in August 2024, when Oklahoma City voters overwhelmingly approved an increase to the hotel tax for the first time in nearly 20 years. Beginning in FY26, this additional funding will allow Visit OKC to expand our marketing efforts, attract more large- scale events and reinvest in core tourism infrastructure. This year also brought unprecedented attention to OKC as a sports destination on the global stage. LA28 officially
ZAC CRAIG President, Visit Oklahoma City
designated Oklahoma City to stage two events during the 2028 Olympic Games. And just a few short months later, after the OKC Thunder captured their first NBA Championship, our team helped organize the state’s largest event, the Champions Parade. Fans filled downtown for the celebratory parade, showcasing Loud City’s energy and our ability to safely host major events. With Oklahoma City elevated to a global stage and new funding on the horizon, we finalized Visit OKC’s 5-Year Strategic Plan which will guide our work beginning in FY26. Core priorities include amplifying OKC’s brand, improving destination connectivity, enhancing the visitor experience and optimizing internal operations. Combined with the new hotel tax funding and our rising visibility, we have built momentum to take Oklahoma City’s visitor economy to the next level. As you review this FY25 Annual Report, I hope it leaves you proud of our city and excited for what’s to come. On behalf of the Visit OKC team, our commission and the entire hospitality community, thank you for your continued support and belief in the positive impacts of tourism on OKC’s future. Kindest regards,
Zac Craig, President Visit Oklahoma City
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 3
HIGHLIGHTS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2025
LA28 designated Oklahoma City to stage two events during the 2028 Olympic Games, recognizing the city’s world-class venues and strong track record of support in these events. This milestone brings the Olympics to OKC.
As part of the MAPS 4 initiative, the new OG&E Coliseum at OKC Fair Park, which opened in June, is a game-changing addition. Spanning 216,164 square feet, the multi-purpose venue features flexible seating configurations for up to 8,000 guests, three private suites, an upscale lounge and a variety of modern locker and hospitality rooms. The Coliseum elevates the experience for both spectators and event organizers, solidifying Oklahoma City’s status as the Horse Show Capital of the World.
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Situated along the Oklahoma River near downtown Oklahoma City, OKANA is a $400 million tourist destination designed to continue the momentum of economic development in the up-and-coming Horizons District. The OKANA Resort includes a riverfront hotel featuring 11 stories and over 400 rooms, resort day spa, outdoor adventure lagoon, amphitheater, indoor waterpark, over 12 food and bar options and retail outlets.
Oklahoma City voters approved an increase to the City’s hotel tax. The additional $11.6 million in projected annual revenue will significantly boost tourism by scaling marketing efforts, attracting large-scale events and funding improvements to key venues like the OKC Convention Center and OKC Fair Park. This marks the first increase in tourism promotion funding in more than 50 years and positions OKC to better compete with peer cities while continuing to grow its $4.6 billion tourism economy—without placing the burden on local taxpayers.
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 5
1. AMPLIFY OKLAHOMA CITY’S BRAND
2. IMPROVE DESTINATION CONNECTIVITY
3. SUPPORT 360° DESTINATION ENHANCEMENT
4. OPTIMIZE INTERNAL OPERATIONS
Visit OKC finalized its 5-Year Strategic Plan in partnership with The Coraggio Group, outlining four key focus areas beginning in FY26: Amplify Oklahoma City’s Brand, Improve Destination Connectivity, Support 360 Destination Enhancement and Optimize Internal Operations.
CLOUD EMBRACE CONCEPT RENDERING
Creative Machines was selected for an exciting new public
art installation for the reimagined United Way Plaza in the Bricktown Entertainment District. The art concept selected – called Cloud Embrace – was inspired by Oklahoma City’s incredible skies which frequently demonstrate how clouds are a canvas for light and color.
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During the day, colored filters cast multi-colored �
After winning the NBA Finals, the
Oklahoma City Thunder Championship Parade became the largest single-day event in state history as Loud City showed up in full force to celebrate. The historic event highlighted OKC’s passion for sports and its ability to safely host major celebrations.
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 7
OKC BY THE NUMBERS
ANNUAL OUT-OF-STATE VS. IN-STATE VISITORS
VISIT OKC OPERATING BUDGET
$7,000,000 $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $0
62% Out-of-State Visitors
38% In-State Visitors
FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25
DEFINITE HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS GENERATED
450,000 500,000 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0
$71.09 RETURN ON FUNDING
FY25
FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24
Convention Sales and Sports Equine Tourism Sales
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24.5 Million ANNUAL VISITORS
POTENTIAL FUTURE ROOM NIGHT PIPELINE BY CONVENTION AND SPORTS EVENTS 1,016,741
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING FOR VISIT OKC DESTINATION SERVICES 98%
$4.6 Billion TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT
$2.8 Billion IN VISITOR SPENDING
35,303 TOTAL JOBS SUPPORTED THROUGH TOURISM
TRAVEL WRITERS AND CONTENT CREATORS HOSTED 40
MOTORCOACH GROUP TOURS HOSTED IN OKC 790
MEETING PLANNER, SPORTS AND GROUP TOUR OPERATOR SITE VISITS HOSTED 160
GROUPS, CONVENTIONS, SPORTS AND EQUINE EVENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED WITH REGISTRATION/SERVICING 266
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 9
When people visit OKC, they spend money that fuels the local economy and generates tax revenue, easing the burden on residents while supporting businesses. Beyond economic impact, tourism helps shape the city’s brand, enriches its cultural identity and enhances quality of life. Visitors who enjoy OKC often become ambassadors for the city—or even future residents. It all starts with a visit, but the ripple effects lead to a city thriving with activity, job creation and infrastructure investments that benefit everyone. 1. VISIT OKC INSPIRES TRAVEL. Destination promotion cultivates culture and community by integrating the city’s unique voice into its messaging, attracting visitors whose spending helps sustain a higher quality set of amenities. 2. VISITORS SPEND MONEY IN OKC. Spending at restaurants, retail, attractions and hotels boosts the local economy, benefiting both tourism-related and non-tourism industries. 3. TOURISM GENERATES REVENUE FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. Visitor spending directly contributes to OKC’s general fund, supporting government and community services. The economic benefits extend far beyond tourism-related industries. 4. REINVESTMENT STRENGTHENS OKC. A vibrant city attracts businesses, entrepreneurs, college students and creatives, reinforcing OKC as a desirable place to live, work and visit. VALUE OF A VISIT
1. Visit OKC inspires travel.
4. Reinvestment
2. Visitors spend money in OKC.
strengthens OKC.
3. Tourism generates revenue for public services.
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HOMETOWN HEROES
Visit OKC honored 11 Hometown Heroes in May 2025. The honorees were selected based on their passion for OKC, leadership in the industry, collaborative spirit and ambassadorship of the destination.
The Hometown Hero awards were given to individuals and organizations that have exceedingly supported and promoted Oklahoma City tourism.
AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO THE FOLLOWING:
FIESTAS DE LAS AMÉRICAS JAKE KEYES
CURBSIDE OKC KRYSTAL YOSEPH Konjo Concepts SCIENCE MUSEUM OKLAHOMA COURY HOSPITALITY
AUBREY MCDERMID City of OKC HERITAGE PLACE MICHAEL BYRNES
Skydance Brewing ANGELA SMITH Oklahoma City Convention Center – ASM Global CAROLAN BLEDSOE Patch Sewer of WCWS
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 11
DESTINATION MARKETING TELLING DIVERSE STORIES FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY THROUGH ADVERTISING, MEDIA RELATIONS AND ENGAGING CONTENT
NATIONAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT Visit OKC’s public relations efforts secured 239 pieces of earned media coverage in FY25, highlighting Oklahoma City as a must-visit travel destination across regional and national outlets.
“THIS U.S. CITY HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR YEARS—BUT IT’S HOME TO WORLD-CLASS MUSEUMS, LUXURY HOTELS, AND AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANTS” —
“25 OF THE USA’S MOST UNDERRATED DESTINATIONS” —
“15 NEW AND RENOVATED PROPERTIES
SET TO IMPRESS GROUPS IN 2025” —
“THE 25 BEST PLACES TO GO IN THE SOUTH IN 2025” —
“SEVEN EASY WEEKEND GETAWAYS FROM DALLAS” —
“40 MOST UNDERRATED SUMMER DESTINATIONS IN THE US” —
“OKC BRINGS THE ‘THUNDER,’ AND A SIDE OF BLACK CULTURE” —
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CLICKING WITH VISITORS
360˚
Launched a virtual tour powered by SKYNAV, a cutting-edge, self-guided Web3 platform that allows users to visually explore the destination before arriving.
VisitOKC.com drove over 500,000 clicks to our partners’ websites VisitOKC.com received nearly 1.9M total users in FY25 500k 1.9 M
The Insider’s Guide blog saw 15% higher avg. engagement time per user YoY 15%
Partnered with AudioEye, a leader in ADA compliance technology
13%
VisitOKC.com's Events pages saw 13% higher avg. engagement time per user YoY
Visit OKC's Diverse OKC web pages saw 382% more views and 331% more active users YoY
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 13
BEHIND THE SCREENS
This year, Visit OKC saw tremendous growth across our social media channels, driven largely by engaging short-form video content and strategic partnerships.
Produced two Thunder-themed videos celebrating the NBA Championship and parade that went viral on Facebook and Instagram; the championship video achieved our highest engagement ever on both platforms.
Partnered with the newly opened OKANA for a summer giveaway that generated 6.6K entries and 5K new email subscribers—a 111% increase in registrations over last summer’s giveaway.
MAKING EVERY IMPRESSION COUNT Our paid media strategy focused on smart, data-driven placements that delivered strong ROI and positioned Oklahoma City as a must-visit destination across key target markets.
GENERATED OVER 60M 5M 300k GENERATED OVER GENERATED OVER IMPRESSIONS
Instagram followers grew by 35% TikTok views surged by 128% YoY 35 % 128 %
Helping us surpass 100,000 followers With followers increasing by 92% 100k 92%
ENGAGEMENTS (67% MORE YOY)
CLICKS TO VISITOKC.COM (474% MORE YOY)
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AWARD WINNING
405 MAGAZINE BEST OF THE 405 AWARDS Visit Oklahoma City was named 405 Magazine’s 2025 Best of the 405 “Oklahoma Influencer” winner, an honor voted on by more than 29,000 people across the state and beyond. This recognition highlights the creativity and impact of our social media efforts. REDBUD AWARDS Visit OKC was honored by the Oklahoma Tourism Industry Association with RedBud Awards for Best Website and Best Publication in FY25. Both VisitOKC.com and the OKC Visitor’s Guide were designed to create an inclusive, welcoming experience that reflects OKC’s diversity—going beyond basic listings to share authentic stories, local voices and curated content that inspire meaningful exploration.
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 15
DESTINATION SALES & SERVICES DRIVING BUSINESS TO OKC THROUGH MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS AND GROUP TRAVEL, WITH SEAMLESS SERVICE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
DESTINATION SERVICES
Provided an enhanced experience to over 20 groups including Association Societies Alliance, United Motorcoach Association, Community Leaders of America, National Association for Pupil Transportation, Sam's Club and GalaxyCon
CONVENTION SALES
Meeting planner perception of OKC rose from 78% pre-conference to 92% post-conference
Secured 26 future citywides totaling 173,027 definite room nights — a 12% year-over-year increase
The convention sales team conducted 138 site visits to Oklahoma City this year to a goal of 100, a 47% increase from the prior year. These site visits included four familiarization tours allowing the team to showcase the momentum and growth of the city Landed the 2027 Mary Kay Seminar (previously in Dallas for 20+ years), bringing $11M in economic impact and 16,000 room nights
Attended 22 trade events in FY25, including new shows such as Cvent Connect, Smart Meetings, Meet New York and Connect Texas
Lead volume rose 21% (from 479 to 579); total room nights sourced increased 27% to 793,695
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TRAVEL TRADE
Selected to participate in the Brand USA Route 66 Europe Road Trip and met with over 320 Tour Operators, Travel Agents and Travel Media 320
Had requests and hosted 5 FAM/Site visits from International Tour Operators 5
Increased bus box deliveries by 580% year-over-year 580%
Mobile Visitor Center underwent some major upgrades, allowing for more year-round activations and a better guest experience.
Awarded the opportunity to host the National Tour Association’s annual Marketplace event for tour operators and suppliers.
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 17
SPORTS & EQUINE RECRUITING PREMIER EVENTS AND ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN OKC
2025 WCWS ON ESPN SMASHES THE RECORD BOOKS
MOST-WATCHED WCWS ON RECORD VIEWERS 1.3M
MOST-WATCHED WCWS FINALS ON RECORD VIEWERS 2.2M
NCAA TOURNAMENT FINISHES UP 3% YOY
OVERALL WCWS UP YOY 2.4%
VIEWERS 591k
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT RECORD-BREAKING ATTENDANCE The 2025 NCAA Women’s College World Series shattered records: 119,778 total attendance – highest in event history
ELITE EVENTS USRowing’s Rowfest 2024 became RIVERSPORT’s largest event ever: 1,600 athletes | 17,748 total attendance | $3.5M estimated economic impact OKC also hosted the ICF World Ranking Canoe Slalom event in March 2025, further positioning the city for the 2026 ICF World Championships and LA28-related activity.
Most-watched NCAA softball game ever with 2.4 million viewers
24% increase in total viewership year-over-year
The 2025 OKC Memorial Marathon set a registration record with 26,126 participants from all 50 states and 17 countries. Nearly 50,000 attended the Health & Wellness Expo.
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NATIONAL EXPOSURE THROUGH BROADCAST EVENTS
Despite weather impacts, the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, which included the top- ranked NCAA programs, was nationally broadcast on ABC and ESPN in January 2025.
The Jackson T. Stephens Cup, a premier collegiate golf tournament, aired nationally on the Golf Channel in October 2024.
YOUTH & AMATEUR SPORTS ON THE RISE
American Spirit Championship’s Super Nationals brought 4,000 cheerleaders to the Convention Center in FY25.
USA Wrestling’s Southern Plains event moved from Tulsa to OKC, with 2,600 wrestlers and a $3.5M impact.
EQUINE
Equine events held strong throughout
FY25, maintaining OKC’s reputation as the Horse Show Capital of the World.
The NRHA Derby became the first event in the new OG&E Coliseum, marking a major milestone for the OKC Fair Park.
OG&E Coliseum opened in late FY25. This brand new, state-of-the-art arena elevates the experience for both spectators and event organizer.
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 19
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ADMINISTRATION TOURISM INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
REPRESENTED TEAM OKC AT THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS, PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMMING FOR FUTURE HOST CITIES TO GAIN INSIGHTS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
ADVOCATED FOR AND SECURED COMPETITIVE FUNDING TO SUPPORT INCREASED MARKETING EFFORTS AND DRIVE GREATER VISIBILITY FOR OKLAHOMA CITY.
ADDED STAFF ACROSS NEARLY EVERY DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH AND MEET INCREASING DEMAND
JOINED THE REGIONAL AIR SERVICE TASK FORCE TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO EXPAND DIRECT FLIGHT OPTIONS TO OKLAHOMA CITY.
WORKED WITH CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE MERIDIAN AVENUE HOTELIERS ON UPCOMING CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PLANS
ADDED INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
PARTNERED WITH AN EXTERNAL CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP A NEW FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, SETTING A CLEAR PATH FOR FUTURE PRIORITIES AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION
WORKED WITH GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TO EXTEND QUALITY EVENTS ACT AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACT PROGRAMS
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 21
FY 2025 SCOPE OF WORK & PERFORMANCE MEASURES
CONVENTION SALES GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED
TARGET
RESULTS
Definite room nights
165,000 room nights 600,000 room nights
173,027 room nights
Tentative room nights
793,695 room nights
Hosted site visits
100
138
City-wide events
25
26
DESTINATION SERVICES GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED
TARGET
RESULTS
Customer Survey Satisfaction Rate
90% satisfaction
96% satisfaction
Groups serviced
185
193
Enhanced customer experiences with city-wide conventions
15+ city-wide conventions
21
Mobile Visitor Center Activations
100 days
68
OKC Insiders Destination Training (completed certificate)
225
163
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SPORTS DEVELOPMENT GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED
TARGET
RESULTS
Definite room nights
135,000 room nights 190,000 room nights 15,000 room nights
178,814 room nights
Tentative room nights
223,046 room nights
New sports bookings (room nights)
23,739 room nights
Hosted Site Visits (sales & services)
24
23 site visits
Groups serviced
45
70 groups serviced
Post-Event survey satisfaction score
90%
100% satisfaction score
TRAVEL TRADE GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED
TARGET
RESULTS
Travel Trade Appointments
250
306
Room Nights
6,000
10,865
Partner Referrals
175
180
EQUINE & LIVESTOCK EVENTS GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED TARGET
RESULTS
Event Room Nights
177,000 room nights
170,644 room nights
Groups serviced
10
12
FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 23
DESTINATION MARKETING GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED
TARGET
RESULTS
Tailored media pitches
80 tailored media pitches per year
88
Hosted Travel Writers/Influencers
28
40
Instagram & Facebook impressions combined
36,000,000
44,363,952
TikTok video views
1,750,000
6,469,099
Web traffic/user sessions
1,630,000
1,954,000
Create and distribute trip planning resources
1 VG / 2 Pocket Guides / 12 newsletters
1 VG / 2 Pocket Guides / 12 newsletters
Produce short- and long-form video content
95
115
ADMINISTRATION GOALS WITH PERFORMANCE MEASURES ASSIGNED Generate Hotel Tax Revenue for the year based on hotel industry projections (2% tax)
TARGET
RESULTS
$6,700,000
$13,891,964
Generate visitor supported employment
25,000 jobs
25,256 direct jobs
Generate overnight visitor volume
8,600,000 visitors
8,400,000 visitors
City’s overall ROI for CVB funding
$52:1
For every dollar invested by the City for the CVB operating fund, $71 is being returned in estimated direct spending
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OKLAHOMA CITY CONVENTION AND VISITORS COMMISSION
KARI WATKINS, CHAIR OKC National Memorial & Museum
MIKE FARNEY Champion Hotels HARSHIL PATEL Champion Hotels & Development SHANNON PALACIOS Champion Hotels TODD STONE City of Oklahoma City G.R. CARTER BRENDA HERNANDEZ Tango PR
ROBIN ROBERTS KRIEGER RRK Resources APOLLO WOODS OKC Black Eats
PRIYESH PATEL Kusum Hospitality BILL LANCE The Chickasaw Nation JAMES A. PICKEL Prairie Earth Gardens TONY TYLER Tyler Media
SUE HOLLENBECK City of Oklahoma City ANDREW BLACK Culinary Edge AVIS SCARAMUCCI Painted Door
JASON CLARK Ambassador Hotel
VISIT OKLAHOMA CITY STAFF
BAILEY HALL Visitor Information Specialist KELLIE MYERS Director of Destination Services HAYDEN BRYAN Visitor Experience Manager ALEXIS MBROH Destination Services Manager EMILY CARTER Destination Services Manager SPORTS DEVELOPMENT ADAM WISNIEWSKI VP of Sports Development
ADMINISTRATION ZAC CRAIG President DEB SHUMATE Executive Assistant
DESTINATION SALES & SERVICES SHAUN YATES VP of Convention Sales & Services LESLEY PATTERSON Director of Convention Sales MANDY HOLT Senior Convention Sales Manager JULES KLINE Convention Sales Manager LOGAN MITCHELL Convention Sales Manager LYDIA WATKINS Sales Manager-Small Meetings Market
DESTINATION MARKETING LINDSAY VIDRINE Senior VP of Destination Marketing MARYAM KARI Senior Digital Marketing Manager JENNA LOVELACE Senior Communications Manager KIERAN MAHONEY Digital Content Manager NATHAN SIMS Paid Media Manager JOSH VAUGHN Multimedia Content Manager
WHITNEY WOMACK Destination Events Manager CELESTE REYES Sales & Services Coordinator ANGEL GREEN Director of Leisure Sales
BLAKE RUGGS Sports Sales Manager LIV VAN SICKLE Events Services Manager
SOFIA ARENAS Multimedia Designer
COLIN MURPHY Travel Trade Manager
CAMRYN STURGILL Communications Coordinator
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FY25 ANNUAL REPORT / 29
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