Here's the economic reality...the state of Texas has 57 of the nation's Fortune 500 corporations. Texas is tied with California for the most. Where are they?

Houston - 25
DFW - 24
San Antonio - 4

On the Texas list are former Oklahoma corporations: Conoco-Phillips, Halliburton, and Anadarko Petroleum.

Now let's look at Oklahoma. Oklahoma has 4 Fortune 500 companies:

Tulsa - Oneok and Williams
OKC - Devon and Chesapeake

We are a tiny speck compared to Texas. We can't afford to lose more to Texas. This kind of economic loss puts our state behind in every category there is. Our state legislators should be efforting night and day to make Oklahoma at least equal competitively to the economic power on our southern border.

Economics. Major league sports rely on corporate sponsorship. A city needs Fortune 500 corporations to support major league sports - they provide a base of well-paid fans and the corporations provide major bucks and receive PR. The main reason we have the Thunder is because of the rise of Devon and Chesapeake. The corporate heads have teamed up with the Oklahoman, Mid-First, SandRidge, and OG&E. They are the economic foundation that makes it work in OKC.

Tulsa has seen its corporate base erode over the years to Texas.

Therefore, Oklahoma needs to be more attractive and provide a competitive advantage for Oklahoma-based corporations to grow and remain here.

Class dismissed. Very well said earlywinegareth! As others on OKC talk, including myself, we have come to realize that OKC/Tulsa does need to continue the renaissance and that includes both cities, COC, city leaders putting forth much effort and attract Fortune 500 companies to relocate to OKC/Tulsa. It is "not enough" with what companies we do have here. We need to work diligently to help them to expand, however also to be aggressive in attracting others to want to relocate here. That includes a great business climate and incentives. This also does apply to Tulsa as well!

Economics. Major league sports rely on corporate sponsorship. A city needs Fortune 500 corporations to support major league sports - they provide a base of well-paid fans and the corporations provide major bucks and receive PR. The main reason we have the Thunder is because of the rise of Devon and Chesapeake. The corporate heads have teamed up with the Oklahoman, Mid-First, SandRidge, and OG&E. They are the economic foundation that makes it work in OKC.

Tulsa has seen its corporate base erode over the years to Texas.

Therefore, Oklahoma needs to be more attractive and provide a competitive advantage for Oklahoma-based corporations to grow and remain here.

Class dismissed.

Thanks for the lesson, teacher. However, that's still a little bit of a stretch to explain anything about Tulsans being upset about the franchise being named "OKC". It would seem that your statement would be more accurate in saying that Tulsa needs to be more attractive than saying Oklahoma needs to be more attractive. You make a good case for OKC keeping and utilizing it's corporate base to it's advantage.

I do agree that legislature should be spending more of it's time focusing on growing the state's economic base instead of wasting so much time on unconstitutional social agendas that many of them have.

Uhhh, yeah T-town thanks you for your scraps, I know we aren't worthy of the glamour of OKC.

Tulsa is a very unique city; however, what I see Oklahoma City doing is investing in herself.

Tulsa has a lot more advantages than Oklahoma City; however, that mentality that voting a sales tax is going to break the city or is undesirable become of the principle of the matter is why Oklahoma City has managed to make herself more attractive.

MAPS has had an economic impact on this city that far exceeded expectatins and MAPS will continue that trend.

Look for OKC to begin to attract move businesses as corporate giants like Devon, Chesapeake and Sandridge Energy companies invests in defining this city.

When a city has new enterprises with new monies circulating throughout the city, a city become more vibrant; Tulsa is a beautiful and clean city; however, she is becoming stagnant; nothing really new is happening--whereas, you look at OKC and
construction is happening everywhere.

If we could only get some companies to come into town and see how much more profitable they could be if they based themselves here...with more than just call centers.

Rent is cheaper, payroll is cheaper, commutes are shorter, the emenities are here even if there aren't multiple copies of the same stores 20 places around town. Come back in 20 years and see what's happened, you'll be amazed. Think where we were 20 years ago....1990, downtown and OKC in general is seen as crap. Definitely NOT that now.