I saw the pictures of the Convention Center with a wall of apartments on the west at an open meeting on Core to Shore a couple of years ago.

So we've invested all of this money on downtown now, and Bricktown, and you're wanting to put the convention center in the ghetto Meridian "motel" district? I couldn't disagree more. Makes all of the money we've invested downtown completely pointless. The convention center needs to be downtown, in close proximity with the 3-4 star hotels we have down there, and Bricktown, and all of the attractions it has to offer.Your right, all of our money should be spent downtown. What was I thinking.

The Meridian district caters more to state fair park than it does conventions.

The Meridian district caters more to state fair park than it does conventions.Well then, I guess we are pumping money into the Meridian corridor ghetto, in a round about way, since MAPS 3 has money for the Fairgrounds in it. The world is right.

This city has historically suffered from a weak city center and therefore had no real identity, heart or soul. Now that there is a unified effort to build a "city" why in the world would we go back to low density development in the suburbs or outskirts and kill our momentum. Glad some of these posters aren't responsible for urban planning.

This city has historically suffered from a weak city center and therefore had no real identity, heart or soul. Now that there is a unified effort to build a "city" why in the world would we go back to low density development in the suburbs or outskirts and kill our momentum. Glad some of these posters aren't responsible for urban planning.Are you Patricks back-up tonight?

MAPS for Suburbs

Well then, I guess we are pumping money into the Meridian corridor ghetto, in a round about way, since MAPS 3 has money for the Fairgrounds in it. The world is right.

How much money was just spent upgrading that entire length of Meridian? How much money is being invested in the river area on Meridian by private business? That area seems to be doing all right. Its not a buzzing upscale fashion center but it hasn't been that since the National Finals Rodeo was here and "Dallas" was the hit TV show.

Larry, I suspect there's a worry we won't be able to get voters to pass "do it right" dollars. ...

Then we have a problem of wasting money in the long run IMO


...It's possible to build a 1,000 square foot house so that it's simple to double the size later....

Again, what sense does it make to build a 900 sf house when you know you need 1,000 sf (just to hold all of your current stuff, much less the new stuff you are going to get by the time the house gets built)? Based on the info we have out there so far, that looks like what we are doing.

Then we have a problem of wasting money in the long run IMO



Again, what sense does it make to build a 900 sf house when you know you need 1,000 sf (just to hold all of your current stuff, much less the new stuff you are going to get by the time the house gets built)? Based on the info we have out there so far, that looks like what we are doing.

It makes perfect sense. One looks at the money one has and builds accordingly, planning carefully so that an expansion is logical and simple. We only waste money if we have to tear down what is already built. If we simply have to knock a wall down, or add a door, that's an inexpensive thing to do.

I would assume we would be adding square footage, not simply improving what was already done, so we haven't wasted the money we've already spent.

Wherever the convention center is placed, it should look like the one that was proposed in the Core to Shore video here: Oklahoma City's "Core to Shore" - by Skyline Ink on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/1430974?pg=embed&sec=1430974) :) Would be nice wouldn't it!

Exactly betts. That's what we did with Ford Center. We built a bare bones arena (what we had money for at the time) and now we have the money to finish it and improve on it. It's called building in phases. Can be done with the convention center, a mass transit system, or anything else.

MAPS for SuburbsNow your talking. That makes sense. MAPS 1 was for Downtown, MAPS 2 was 4 KIDS, so in all fairness MAPS 3 should be for the suburbs.

Now your talking. That makes sense. MAPS 1 was for Downtown, MAPS 2 was 4 KIDS, so in all fairness MAPS 3 should be for the suburbs.

We had MAPS for Suburbs - it was called "1950 to 2009". The City spent billions building parks, sidewalks, roads, and other infrastrucutre. It killed the heart of OKC.

Why would we want to put it on Meridian? That's random. Just because there are a handful of hotels there doesn't mean that's where a convention center should go. Hey, there are some hotels over in Midwest City, let's put a convention center there.

We had MAPS for Suburbs - it was called "1950 to 2009". The City spent billions building parks, sidewalks, roads, and other infrastrucutre. It killed the heart of OKC.

Absolutely. Look at every great city. You want to be downtown when you visit, not in the suburbs. The suburbs have great tax bases, they can raise their own sales taxes, and they can take care of themselves, as far as I'm concerned. I think the suburbs are fine, if you want to live there, but they don't need Oklahoma City money.

You guys are too easy.

You guys are too easy.
Easy is good. :bright_id

Aside from that, lets get behind what Chris is trying to do (http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/19606-christmas-parade.html) and have a good old fashioned Christmas parade ...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/misc/christmasparade1.jpg

With some good Christmas spirit, perhaps a toddy or two, maybe we'll all come together ... take care of police and firefighter needs, take care of city development. During Christmas-time, everything is possible.

Convention centers almost always are downtown where there is a concentration of services suitable to support them and where they can help support the infrastructure a vibrant city requires. Having them in the suburb is just a bad idea.

One thing that is lost is that one of the benefits of having a competitive convention center is that it brings 10s of 1000s of business people to our city...people who make decisions about expansions, relocations, investments, etc. So, it is not just about the money that a particular event brings, but it is the also about the city being able to display a quality of life to future investors in it. It's like a 72 hour ad to a captive audience.

Easy is good. :bright_id

Aside from that, lets get behind what Chris is trying to do (http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/19606-christmas-parade.html) and have a good old fashioned Christmas parade ...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/misc/christmasparade1.jpg

With some good Christmas spirit, perhaps a toddy or two, maybe we'll all come together ... take care of police and firefighter needs, take care of city development. During Christmas-time, everything is possible.Due to recent developments it is very possible. I hope it happens.

I thought this paragraph in the Gazette article was interesting, and am hoping it is true that a decision has not definitely been made. There's no mention of the location adjacent to the park, although perhaps the "south of the Ford Center" location is that location:

Regarding the convention center’s exact location, Williams said four possible sites are being considered: south of the existing Ford Center, at Producers Cooperative Oil Mill facility, the lumberyard north of that facility or the Deep Deuce area north of Bricktown.

Cornett said the community will have input in public discussions for all potential sites if MAPS 3 is approved.

MAPS 3 proposal contains details you may not know | OKG Scene.com (http://www.okgazette.com/p/12776/a/5040/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=LwBkAGUAZgBhAHUAbAB0AC4AYQB zAHAAeAAslashAHAAPQAxADIANwAyADkA)