I think it's hilarious that the tribes advertise at all. Why do they advertise? Will they recruit more members that way? Disregarding the casino or tourism ads, are the tribes selling something in those ads?

I think it's hilarious that the tribes advertise at all. Why do they advertise? Will they recruit more members that way? Disregarding the casino or tourism ads, are the tribes selling something in those ads?

If I remember correctly the ones I have seen the most ads like this from is Chocktaw and Chickasaw which are largely located in the southeast and south central respectively. So they probably do need to recruit some people with specialized skills from outside of there regional areas. I am a bit surprised to hears they are showing them that far out of state but they it may be part of a larger campaign in regions they have had success with getting people to move and stay.

Compare that to the ones from the Cherokee, who's population centers are much closer to Tulsa, seem to have been more about trying to promote playing down tribes verses Oklahoma or USA.

I think it's hilarious that the tribes advertise at all. Why do they advertise? Will they recruit more members that way? Disregarding the casino or tourism ads, are the tribes selling something in those ads?

The same reason Devon does -- image building. The tribes are major employers and want to educate the public. I find most of their advertising interesting.

Came across an interesting blog by a young lady from New Jersey who has temporarily relocated to OKC.

The Road to Oklahoma (http://thejerseyexplorer.blogspot.com)

She's posted a bunch of nice pics -- Bricktown, the Zoo, (and herself... she's very cute!). And made some observations about her new home. Bugs, weather, and... the niceness factor.



The nice-ness- Really really nice. Everyone. No matter what. It's weird.
If you ask any employee for an item in any store... they walk you to it.

Every cashier has a conversation with you. I've been here for three weeks and haven't heard a car horn once. Nope, not once.
Is it possible to drive anywhere in New Jersey with out hearing a car horn?


Some pretty funny comments in her post. She also says that no one here uses their cellphone, which isn't my personal experience at all.


Source: The Road to Oklahoma: The weather, the stove, the bugs, and other things that confuse me about this state. (http://thejerseyexplorer.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-weather-stove-bugs-and-other-things.html)

Came across an interesting blog by a young lady from New Jersey who has temporarily relocated to OKC.

The Road to Oklahoma (http://thejerseyexplorer.blogspot.com)

She's posted a bunch of nice pics -- Bricktown, the Zoo, (and herself... she's very cute!). And made some observations about her new home. Bugs, weather, and... the niceness factor.



Some pretty funny comments in her post. She also says that no one here uses their cellphone, which isn't my personal experience at all.


Source: The Road to Oklahoma: The weather, the stove, the bugs, and other things that confuse me about this state. (http://thejerseyexplorer.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-weather-stove-bugs-and-other-things.html)
She hasn't been around me. If I'm not on my phone it must be dead or I am suspended mid air in an aluminum pipe traveling 530mph at 35,000 feet. Even then, I'm on it in airplane mode. It's an extension of my brain.

Trust me, people in OKC use their phones as much as they do here in California; even more so when you consider texting and talking while driving is strictly illegal here and ubiquitous in Oklahoma.


More and more, I really believe the issue here is with self-image more than anything else.

I assure you, I tell virtually everyone I know, "OKC is a real boom town" and I almost never get much surprise, let alone dispute or disbelief.

The Thunder alone has gone a long way to making everyone realize that OKC must be of a certain size and sophistication, otherwise we wouldn't have a great NBA team.

That paves the way for openness to all the other positive press we have been receiving.


To the extent some people will always view the middle part of the country of as nothing more than something to fly-over, you are just going to have to accept that pseudo superiority. But otherwise, people have embraced the idea that Oklahoma City is on the move much in the way Charlotte, Austin and Nashville are now seen completely differently than they were 20 years ago.


I'm beginning to think the bigger issue is going to be changing the mindset (and in the extreme, an inferiority complex) of a good portion of the locals.

As there are more fun things that locals enjoy doing, the inferiority complex will go away.

^

And in absolute fairness, whatever inferior complex there may be is improving pretty rapidly.

Oh it absolutely exists. I was born and raised here, and I remember everyone my age couldn't wait to leave OKC. I remember wanting to go to a "real" city. Bricktown and the Thunder have made a huge difference in how a lot of people in this city view it. I remember my mom being amazed at Bricktown and all there was to do when we went down there a few years ago.

I think at this point, looking at the kind of things people say about OKC on national forums and in comments sections of national news articles that mention this city, the image issue is still there and by and large its political. OKC, in the minds of many blue staters, is synonymous with radical right wing conservatism. It's similar to how liberal politics is the first thing many people think of when they hear 'San Francisco' and conservative-leaning people may be a bit concerned if they could fit in there. I say these things as a libertarian-leaning Republican myself.

A lot of liberals who live here even believe that and feel they don't belong here. Truth or not, that is the perception you will see portrayed on national forums when OKC is mentioned and it scares potential newcomers, especially younger people who tend to be liberal. I think that perception will change with time.

I think most people understand that larger cities tend to be more progressive, even when they are located in very conservative states.

Texas gets way more press for their far right-wing politics but it doesn't seem to hold back their big cities in the slightest, and of course Austin is bastion of liberalism.

I think most people understand that larger cities tend to be more progressive, even when they are located in very conservative states.

Texas gets way more press for their far right-wing politics but it doesn't seem to hold back their big cities in the slightest, and of course Austin is bastion of liberalism.

True, but in most red states, their blue urban areas are more at odds with their state politically than OKC is with Oklahoma. It would be different if OKC was a blue city in a sea of red but that isn't the case. Now what few people consider is why OKC remains so red when virtually every other urban area in the country is solid blue. OKC has an economy heavily based on government/the military and the energy sector. Harris County (Houston) and San Diego County California used to be that way pretty much until 2008 when they both started to swing blue.

Houston and San Diego swinging blue has zero to do with progressive thought/thinking

True, but in most red states, their blue urban areas are more at odds with their state politically than OKC is with Oklahoma. It would be different if OKC was a blue city in a sea of red but that isn't the case. Now what few people consider is why OKC remains so red when virtually every other urban area in the country is solid blue. OKC has an economy heavily based on government/the military and the energy sector. Harris County (Houston) and San Diego County California used to be that way pretty much until 2008 when they both started to swing blue.

That is certainly starting to change and will accelerate with more young people staying and more diversity in the area.

Same pattern as the other cities I mentioned.

You know not all young diverse people are "blue state" people, by the way. That's not a bad thing either like so many will say it is.

You know not all young diverse people are "blue state" people, by the way. That's not a bad thing either like so many will say it is.

Not saying any of that, just that the perception and assumption that all of OKC is ultra-conservative will change just like it does for most cities once they reach a certain size.

you know not all young diverse people are "blue state" people, by the way. That's not a bad thing either like so many will say it is.

nm

That a city touted for its innovative self-imposed tax is categorically assumed to be a far right-wing cauldron is one of the funnier things to me about the perception of oKC.

Obviously there are different types of democrats, but even OKC people tend to be unaware that this state was controlled by democrats for how many decades?

This city and state do still have a strain of Midwestern leftism that is not found in Texas, from whom we seem to have adopted and with whom we seem to have developed many of our more recent political ideologies.

This definitely a conservative state and city...but it's not inextricably so

I have a question, for those who are transplants or know people who have recently moved to OKC. My perception on this is a bit skewed by the posts on the City-Data forum as well as Thunder blogs where Seattleites still feel the need to constantly come in and bash OKC. If you take those two sources, it would seem that Oklahoma City is the city America loves to bash. I no longer have a City-Data account but when I did, I got a lot of very negative DMs when I posted that I was moving to OKC from Charlotte. My question, has OKC reached a point yet there this is somewhere people actually WANT to move? For instance, if a person had two job offers, one somewhere else and one in OKC that they would pick here even if they don't have ties to this place? Or, is this still a place that people move out of desperation due to the economy elsewhere? I mean nothing against OKC by asking this, I am just trying to correct my perception of this city's outside image if it is indeed wrong. Personally, I think the city's perception is important because as the nation urbanizes from coast to coast, OKC needs to be able to compete.

I have a question, for those who are transplants or know people who have recently moved to OKC. My perception on this is a bit skewed by the posts on the City-Data forum as well as Thunder blogs where Seattleites still feel the need to constantly come in and bash OKC. If you take those two sources, it would seem that Oklahoma City is the city America loves to bash. I no longer have a City-Data account but when I did, I got a lot of very negative DMs when I posted that I was moving to OKC from Charlotte. My question, has OKC reached a point yet there this is somewhere people actually WANT to move? For instance, if a person had two job offers, one somewhere else and one in OKC that they would pick here even if they don't have ties to this place? Or, is this still a place that people move out of desperation due to the economy elsewhere? I mean nothing against OKC by asking this, I am just trying to correct my perception of this city's outside image if it is indeed wrong. Personally, I think the city's perception is important because as the nation urbanizes from coast to coast, OKC needs to be able to compete.

It would depend on what the other city is. If their actual cities we could compete with, then it would probably depend on the tastes of the person and other things as well. The only cities in the US that are an island unto themselves are NYC, Chicago, and LA. If the job offers were OKC and Portland, those are two very different places. If politics plays a major factor in your decision making for where you live, then which direction you lean there, is going to bring favor to one city.

OKC is a short drive to Dallas, which probably helps. Home values and cost of living is going to play a factor. And then in terms of lifestyle, if these people are actually comparing places, it is going to depend on what they like.

But if people are choosing between 2 cities they have never been to before, then there's no real way to know. How often do you think about life in Colorado Springs or Columbus? I don't think people tend to actually think of other places that much, especially if they're not a big city that's constantly in the news. The vast majority of person throughout most of the US rather than having a negative opinion of OKC probably have no opinion of OKC.

I think for any informed person, OKC is now in a place where it can live up to its size and provide an enjoyable lifestyle for its citizens. 10 years ago, not so much...but now...I don't think it's an issue if people do the research.

I have a question, for those who are transplants or know people who have recently moved to OKC. My perception on this is a bit skewed by the posts on the City-Data forum as well as Thunder blogs where Seattleites still feel the need to constantly come in and bash OKC. If you take those two sources, it would seem that Oklahoma City is the city America loves to bash. I no longer have a City-Data account but when I did, I got a lot of very negative DMs when I posted that I was moving to OKC from Charlotte. My question, has OKC reached a point yet there this is somewhere people actually WANT to move? For instance, if a person had two job offers, one somewhere else and one in OKC that they would pick here even if they don't have ties to this place? Or, is this still a place that people move out of desperation due to the economy elsewhere? I mean nothing against OKC by asking this, I am just trying to correct my perception of this city's outside image if it is indeed wrong. Personally, I think the city's perception is important because as the nation urbanizes from coast to coast, OKC needs to be able to compete.

I think it has come to the point where someone wouldn't turn down an offer just because it is in OKC. Now OKC just needs to continue its momentum so it's somewhere people would specifically choose to look for a job at over other cities.

It also depends on where the person we're talking about is from. I'm from KC, so for me accepting a job after graduation in OKC didn't take much convincing because I am familiar with this region of the country and know what OKC is like. Someone who is from a large city on the coasts, however, probably wouldn't think twice about it because they can't imagine not working in a city like NYC, BOS, DC, SF, etc.

I can't stand CityData myself, because the entire site seems to be full of members from the alpha dog cities I mentioned above. And like I said, they can't even comprehend the fact that life is even worth living if they're not living in a metro of 5,000,000+ in the NE or west coast.

I have friends I met at KU who were from Boston, and came to KU because their grandparents went to KU. They thought they would move back to the east coast right after graduation, and they all ended up staying in nearby KC instead because the lifestyle wasn't as boring as they had expected and they had extra money to spend because of the lower COL. Of course, they're both in finance so at some point they expect to end up back on the east coast because they have a higher earnings potential there, but that is besides the point.

I don't think we have an image "issue", but a Placement of Image. Our image is the reflection of you & me. We are warm. We are welcoming. We help our neighbor and give them the shirt off our backs. We hold family pretty high on our priorty list. ...and we like good friends. Our work ethic is more in line w/ what our parents taught us... "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." We enjoy life...and we enjoy activitives w/ our children and our friends. This is home. I love my home.

As a city & state, I think we have our swagger back. This is not by accident, but a lot of sweat poured out by the ones that came before us. We are Oklahoma Rising !

I will let you in on a little secret, people get "bored" in LA too. If you ask them "why they love LA, they will tell you they have the beach, the mountains, the desert, and the great weather" ...but the locals don't go to the beach. If you stand on the foothills, you still can't see the mountais for the smog. There is almost 20 Mil in the southern California area and they get tired of the crowds, the lines, the traffic, the stress.

Oklahoma City is not Miami, but it ain't bad either. People usually gather (social groups & clusters) in All cities, that is our nature. I like the group here in the central US. ..and I'm really fond of the ones in Oklahoma.

..."love thy neighbor". If we do that, our image will always be one we can be proud of.

I think it has come to the point where someone wouldn't turn down an offer just because it is in OKC. Now OKC just needs to continue its momentum so it's somewhere people would specifically choose to look for a job at over other cities.

It also depends on where the person we're talking about is from. I'm from KC, so for me accepting a job after graduation in OKC didn't take much convincing because I am familiar with this region of the country and know what OKC is like. Someone who is from a large city on the coasts, however, probably wouldn't think twice about it because they can't imagine not working in a city like NYC, BOS, DC, SF, etc.

I think this is spot on. People are no longer opposed to OKC if they get a good job offer here but its not yet a place people would seek out. I have seen a lot of people post on this board that OKC is poised to become a boomtown, but for that to happen, it needs to inch up to the next level where it will win out vs competing cities. Considering the local economy doesn't collapse, that may be possible within 5 years once Deep Deuce and Midtown are fully gentrified. I also think more attention needs to be given to our decaying suburban areas. Not everybody is going to want to live downtown and many of the inner suburbs, which were desirable areas 10 years ago, are starting to look like they've seen better days. OKC really needs a "cool" suburban area, like Ballantyne in Charlotte. Personally, I think Gallardia could possibly become that if one day more retail and restaurants are built. A new urbanist lifestyle center would seal the deal.



I can't stand CityData myself, because the entire site seems to be full of members from the alpha dog cities I mentioned above. And like I said, they can't even comprehend the fact that life is even worth living if they're not living in a metro of 5,000,000+ in the NE or west coast.


I agree. A few "flyover country" cities get respect on there, but they are the hipster ones like Austin, Denver, and Minneapolis. Pretty much everything between the Appalachians and the Rockies, other than those cities plus Chicago, is nothing but rednecks, yokels, and trailer trash if you go by that site.

I think this is spot on. People are no longer opposed to OKC if they get a good job offer here but its not yet a place people would seek out. I have seen a lot of people post on this board that OKC is poised to become a boomtown, but for that to happen, it needs to inch up to the next level where it will win out vs competing cities. Considering the local economy doesn't collapse, that may be possible within 5 years once Deep Deuce and Midtown are fully gentrified. I also think more attention needs to be given to our decaying suburban areas. Not everybody is going to want to live downtown and many of the inner suburbs, which were desirable areas 10 years ago, are starting to look like they've seen better days. OKC really needs a "cool" suburban area, like Ballantyne in Charlotte. Personally, I think Gallardia could possibly become that if one day more retail and restaurants are built. A new urbanist lifestyle center would seal the deal.

This seems weird to me. I don't imagine most people just decide to seek out different places in a vacuum. There's something behind a person's decision making process that is going to ultimately influence where they want to live. Inasmuch as that is true, the idea that there are people just out there floating around and seeing out "awesome cities" is probably not reality.

There are 2 somewhat universal reasons someone decides to live in a certain place. The first is the opportunity of friends and family, and the second is education and work opportunity (both for themselves and their current/future immediate family). Lifestyle opportunity is not likely a foundational input as to why someone might choose a certain place. Cost of Living is probably not a foundational input. The question is 1. Can they get a suitable job for their interests/qualifications/goals and 2. What's the family/friend situation and what are the opportunities to build those relationships?

I think the lifestyle aspect of the decision making process is as much a product of desires regarding friends/family as it is its own component.

...from a cultural point of view.... We are getting there. When we get a couple more new towers in front of the Devon tower, it will help. When the Central Park is "open" for business, it will help. When the River has a more "finished" look, then it will help. When we get a couple of new large anchor multi-purpose developments. ....This will all be helpful in helping us increasing our "Coolness" factor w/ the rest of the US.

I would like to have an Energy Tower ( 500 -1,000 ft ) on the north bank of the Oklahoma River ( Seatles Tower ) and show the world we have arrived. ... Image / Brand Building 101.

I visited my parents a few weeks ago and we took a drive in the 10th, 16th, Portland, MacArthur area. It surprised me how run down these areas had gotte . OKC needs to start paying attention to these areas because they are not far from being basic slums

I visited my parents a few weeks ago and we took a drive in the 10th, 16th, Portland, MacArthur area. It surprised me how run down these areas had gotte . OKC needs to start paying attention to these areas because they are not far from being basic slums

Not enough resources. And too many areas to choose from. 10th/Portland/16th/MacArthur is not any worse than a variety of parts located in the other 3 quadrants have been for how many decades now?

Not enough resources. And too many areas to choose from. 10th/Portland/16th/MacArthur is not any worse than a variety of parts located in the other 3 quadrants have been for how many decades now?

That area has been gone for a long time. Back in the '90s when I lived in OKC before, that wasn't the best area. What is shocking to me however is how far the area between NW 39th and NW Expressway has fallen. Places like Bethany and Warr Acres. That used to be a decent area not long ago but now its marginal and will become ghetto if it keeps going in its current direction.

I stand by what I said earlier that OKC needs a "cool" suburban area along with continued downtown revitalization. Imagine if that apartment complex north of Quail Springs Mall would have been developed into the new urbanist development that was originally planned.

That area has been gone for a long time. Back in the '90s when I lived in OKC before, that wasn't the best area. What is shocking to me however is how far the area between NW 39th and NW Expressway has fallen. Places like Bethany and Warr Acres. That used to be a decent area not long ago but now its marginal and will become ghetto if it keeps going in its current direction.

I stand by what I said earlier that OKC needs a "cool" suburban area along with continued downtown revitalization. Imagine if that apartment complex north of Quail Springs Mall would have been developed into the new urbanist development that was originally planned.

The best area for a cool "suburban" area is May and Expressway.

I can understand Warr Acres going to hell...they lost Wal-Mart and haven't recovered since. I don't know what the heck happened to Bethany. I know that SNU is not in the best of situations right now and that's probably not helping the area. I really hope Bethany does well because they are the best chance for the 23rd - 39th/PCW corridor to at least maintain a level of decency. the PC North area should be fine for another 10 years, but I'd like to see OKC invest a little right now to save a lot later. PCO is nowhere near the worst area in the city.

...from a cultural point of view.... We are getting there. When we get a couple more new towers in front of the Devon tower, it will help. When the Central Park is "open" for business, it will help. When the River has a more "finished" look, then it will help. When we get a couple of new large anchor multi-purpose developments. ....This will all be helpful in helping us increasing our "Coolness" factor w/ the rest of the US.

I would like to have an Energy Tower ( 500 -1,000 ft ) on the north bank of the Oklahoma River ( Seatles Tower ) and show the world we have arrived. ... Image / Brand Building 101.Wow, two of some of the greatest posts I've seen yet on here! Keep it up man!!!!

I stand by what I said earlier that OKC needs a "cool" suburban area along with continued downtown revitalization. Imagine if that apartment complex north of Quail Springs Mall would have been developed into the new urbanist development that was originally planned.

While a new urbanist type development would be nice out in the suburban areas, "cool" areas developing close to downtown is hardly an OKC thing when it comes to cities of our size. Even most of the active areas in an around Austin are within 3 miles of their downtown. Its just less risky to build things that cater to a certain crowd when said crowds are already established in (or near) a specified area.

The closest thing you will find to a cool or hip suburban area is Norman. I applaud the efforts of the Founders District to improve the area near NW Expwy and May but I don't see it becoming a destination like some of the more in-town areas.

I think with all the new announcements of development in downtown OKC, this is going to be a very different city in 2020 and will be well on its way to shedding the negative stereotype. I found this well-done video online about Iowa, another flyover state, that debunks some of the myths people believe about that state. I think something like this would be cool to do about OKC, specifically debunking myths many people believe and showing examples of things about the city that contradict them. Take a look.

WARNING: it has offensive language.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLZZ6JD0g9Y

"so next time you're flying over, wave at us...we'll wave back" hahahahahaha!

Hahaha that was hilarious, but also perfectly done without sounding offensive.

Hahaha that was hilarious, but also perfectly done without sounding offensive.

Yeah I agree. OKC needs something like that, to attack the stereotype in an intelligent, witty way. It needs to be well-produced though.

Yeah I agree. OKC needs something like that, to attack the stereotype in an intelligent, witty way. It needs to be well-produced though.

No, I don't think we need an attack ad like that. I much prefer just using the positive type of advertising and videos that we now use. Most are very well done.

No, I don't think we need an attack ad like that. I much prefer just using the positive type of advertising and videos that we now use. Most are very well done.

Yeah, nobody is actually gonna pay attention to that video. Not a single person is going to change their mind about Iowa because of it.

No, I don't think we need an attack ad like that. I much prefer just using the positive type of advertising and videos that we now use. Most are very well done.

I understand that, and I don't think the chamber of commerce should do an attack ad like the Iowa one I posted, but somebody independent should do it. I don't have the skills to produce it nor the public speaking ability otherwise I would. A lot of people from elsewhere criticized the "city on the rise" ad from last spring as being ingenuine. Something that directly addresses the stereotype would be cool in my opinion and would go farther than you would think if its well done. OKC's image is about 15 years out of date and is one of the main things, in my opinion, holding this city back from a serious population boom. Heck, many people who live here don't realize how much there is south of 63rd St and complain about there being "nothing to do in OKC".

OKC's image is about 15 years out of date and is one of the main things, in my opinion, holding this city back from a serious population boom. Heck, many people who live here don't realize how much there is south of 63rd St and complain about there being "nothing to do in OKC".

If someone wants to do that more power to them. However, as Hoya said, it would do basically nothing where it counts to change anything.

IF something like that "attack" ad were done, I think it should target locals, too. I think the best way to spread a positive image of OKC would be word of mouth from locals. There's not people in Philadelphia sitting round complaining about "nothing to do in OKC." Its the locals who are complaining. We need to be /groom better OKC ambassadors.

The best way to improve the image of OKC is to provide a positive experience to those who visit. Then we bring in lots and lots of visitors. Then we do that for 25 years.

Yeah, nobody is actually gonna pay attention to that video. Not a single person is going to change their mind about Iowa because of it.

I found the guy on Facebook, messaged him, and told him he should do a video for flyover neighbor Oklahoma. He responded today with a "thanks for watching!" and sent a friend request which I accepted.