The city of Detroit had private individuals rally to raise $300,000,000 to save some form of art up there. I don't recall what it was right now. But the people of that city raised $300 million to rescue the arts.

The collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the second-largest municipally-owned museum in the country; its collection is valued at somewhere upwards of half a billion. (There's a single Van Gogh valued in nine figures all by itself.)

The collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the second-largest municipally-owned museum in the country; its collection is valued at somewhere upwards of half a billion. (There's a single Van Gogh valued in nine figures all by itself.)

It seems clear to me. If something of value is at risk, people will come forward to save it. And if it's especially dire, they will come in with money.

There in lies the problem. Only a select few view that rundown building as, "historic". It had its time--very,very short time-- but it's not historic like film exchange, or Skirvin, was historic. That building has been more of an issue than it has been worth it. Again, are we deemed to pay for the minorities view on this, again? If so, it's another in a long line of few get their way over the many. Such a shame in society.

Historic isn't up for interpretation.

Stage Center is historic.

You can choose to believe that it is not, but that is simply a choice to be wrong.

Again, are we deemed to pay for the minorities view on this, again? If so, it's another in a long line of few get their way over the many. Such a shame in society.

Since when does Oklahoma City have a long track record of preserving buildings to satisfy a few people? We don't have have that great of a preservation record, period, let alone one facilitated by some small, yet powerful, activist group. We've probably torn down more buildings to accommodate parking than have been saved by a small preservationist movement. The only thing I can remember that faced demolition and was saved in part by a grassroots effort was when Chase wanted to tear down the gold dome. Most of the structures that have been saved through public intervention or denial have broad recognition as being historic or architecturally significant. We've also torn down a good number of buildings that were generally appreciated.

You can't look at old pictures of OKC, compare it to today, and conclude that OKC has been shaped in any way by a minority preservation effort. Saving Stage Center would be an anomaly in the history of Oklahoma City development.

The only thing I can remember that faced demolition and was saved in part by a grassroots effort was when Chase wanted to tear down the gold dome. An interestingly enough, after all the preservation effort, it STILL came uncomfortably close to demolition again just recently.

An interestingly enough, after all the preservation effort, it STILL came uncomfortably close to demolition again just recently.

It will probably happen again. But, for now, it seems to have an appreciative owner willing to spend some money on it.

I have to ask, if you don't live in OKC, and can't vote on any issue, why give your two cents on every issue? Serious question.

Because I care greatly about my hometown, have a very informed opinion, and because I am entitled to contribute. You should go move somewhere because it's better to launch a career in an industry, and divorcing yourself of participating in the exciting growth of OKC. I just fight for progress bc I hate the constant two steps forward, one step backward. We can do better. We can be amazing. It just pains me that we hope to be a little brother version of Denver soon when we can be better than that.

There was a really weird/interesting story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (one of the nation's top newspapers) that the east Ohio Utica Shale energy boom could falter as Cleveland lost it's United hub status this week. It's a tragic story about losing a connection to a main energy center that had Oklahoma City on the front page below the fold.

By making the right decisions OKC can be better and bigger than Dallas. We've lusted after Dallas for decades.

I don't care where Spartan lives now, he is one of the more knowledgeable and informed posters on this site and he loves OKC. If you are trying to discredit him, you will have to do better than that. I don't always agree with his arguments ;) but he has substance to his opinions.

Because I care greatly about my hometown, have a very informed opinion, and because I am entitled to contribute. You should go move somewhere because it's better to launch a career in an industry, and divorcing yourself of participating in the exciting growth of OKC. I just fight for progress bc I hate the constant two steps forward, one step backward. We can do better. We can be amazing. It just pains me that we hope to be a little brother version of Denver soon when we can be better than that.

There was a really weird/interesting story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (one of the nation's top newspapers) that the east Ohio Utica Shale energy boom could falter as Cleveland lost it's United hub status this week. It's a tragic story about losing a connection to a main energy center that had Oklahoma City on the front page below the fold.

By making the right decisions OKC can be better and bigger than Dallas. We've lusted after Dallas for decades.

LIKE!!! except for the bigger than Dallas thing, I don't want that, better Yes!

We can have the best of both worlds. OKC is bigger than Dallas in geographic size but not population. Would not want that part.

We can have the best of both worlds. OKC is bigger than Dallas in geographic size but not population. Would not want that part.

More people=more tax monies=better OKC

I don't care where Spartan lives now, he is one of the more knowledgeable and informed posters on this site and he loves OKC. If you are trying to discredit him, you will have to do better than that. I don't always agree with his arguments ;) but he has substance to his opinions.

Amen.

Agreed, I just don't want to be as crowded as Dallas. The same formula can also be used when attracting visitors who bring out of town dollars here and leave it behind. This is one good aspect of the MAPS projects.

By making the right decisions OKC can be better and bigger than Dallas. We've lusted after Dallas for decades.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Can be better yes. Will be better not hardly. OKC does not have near the money/class/cosmopolitan flair to even equal Dallas let alone surpass it.

More people=more tax monies=better OKC

There are a lot of smaller cities than Dallas I would consider better IMO. Bigger doesn't equal better.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Can be better yes. Will be better not hardly. OKC does not have near the money/class/cosmopolitan flair to even equal Dallas let alone surpass it.

I guess it all depends on your definition of "better". My guess is it means something different to each of us. For me it is OKC not having near the traffic.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Can be better yes. Will be better not hardly. OKC does not have near the money/class/cosmopolitan flair to even equal Dallas let alone surpass it.

cosmopolitan flair, class? To me Dallas is a sprawled out ugly mess, cities like Boston laugh at Dallas' lack of cosmopolitan flair and "class" as you say. When I visit the East Coast's smaller cities ( Providence,Hartford etc..) I feel I'm in a city with more "class" or Cosmopolitan flair as you put it! Dallas is a big city, but lets not put Dallas on a pedestal, and also not compare OKC to metro's 5-6 times as large!

cosmopolitan flair, class? To me Dallas is a sprawled out ugly mess, cities like Boston laugh at Dallas' lack of cosmopolitan flair and "class" as you say. When I visit the East Coast's smaller cities ( Providence,Hartford etc..) I feel I'm in a city with more "class" or Cosmopolitan flair as you put it! Dallas is a big city, but lets not put Dallas on a pedestal, and also not compare OKC to metro's 5-6 times as large!Boston is pretty cool. Boston is actually one of the few cities I'd ever consider living in up north. Portland, Maine is a pretty kick ass city to. As far as Boston being better than Dallas, I'd just simply disagree with you. Dallas has done suburbs right and is beautifully sprawled out. If you are looking for major density such as NYC, Dallas is not your city. If you are looking for world class suburbs with a growing mass transit system, amazing highways, ever growing downtown with huge new urbanism projects, expensive car dealerships, world class airport, huge world class shopping districts, then I'd say Dallas is your city.

I don't know why people on this site always want to hate on Dallas. I understand and agree OKC should not try to duplicate Dallas (nor could it) but there is certainly no reason to use that as a reason to attack it. Personally, there are many parts of Dallas I truly enjoy such as Uptown, North Greenville, and University Park.

I've spent the last 6 days in Atlanta and if you want to talk about sprawl, this is the place. Heck, even the CBD of downtown is insanely stretched out.

I don't know why people on this site always want to hate on Dallas. I understand and agree OKC should not try to duplicate Dallas (nor could it) but there is certainly no reason to use that as a reason to attack it. Personally, there are many parts of Dallas I truly enjoy such as Uptown, North Greenville, and University Park.

I've spent the last 6 days in Atlanta and if you want to talk about sprawl, this is the place. Heck, even the CBD of downtown is insanely stretched out.I agree with you. Dallas is actually taking huge strides to improve their mass transit and they have a ton of urban projects going on. I don't understand it. As for what OKC should do, I think OKC needs to go in its own direction. That doesn't mean it can't model off of cities for certain ideas and innovation, but I want OKC to be a model FOR other cities, not a city that models itself FROM other cities.

My only guess would be how Dallas is building its highways, but that would be a personal agenda on the part of the attacker. Dallas isn't the only city building mega-highway either. I've heard from a few places Philly is about to start construction on a huge multi-billion dollar project to widen one of their major highways to like 12 or 14 lanes with a new stack interchange. I know Seattle has a monster highway project going on as does San Fran. New Jersey has hired a consultant to look at the possibly of building buried high-speed limited access highways right underneath their existing ones. I don't think it could be the highways.

Boston is pretty cool. Boston is actually one of the few cities I'd ever consider living in up north. Portland, Maine is a pretty kick ass city to. As far as Boston being better than Dallas, I'd just simply disagree with you. Dallas has done suburbs right and is beautifully sprawled out. If you are looking for major density such as NYC, Dallas is not your city. If you are looking for world class suburbs with a growing mass transit system, amazing highways, ever growing downtown with huge new urbanism projects, expensive car dealerships, world class airport, huge world class shopping districts, then I'd say Dallas is your city.

I respect Your opinion! I am a city type person, I don't care for suburbs but I understand their significance. As far as transit, walkability, historical significance, World class Universities, World class Hospitals, The Ocean and other things are why I would choose Boston or say it is "better" but that would be my opinion! Boston's core city population is slightly larger than OKC's but in an area the size of Midwest City, and another reason I'd choose Beantown is you don't need a car to survive there!

Pete, sorry to derail this thread, feel free to delete!

I respect Your opinion! I am a city type person, I don't care for suburbs but I understand their significance. As far as transit, walkability, historical significance, World class Universities, World class Hospitals, The Ocean and other things are why I would choose Boston or say it is "better" but that would be my opinion! Boston's core city population is slightly larger than OKC's but in an area the size of Midwest City, and another reason I'd choose Beantown is you don't need a car to survive there!I hear you. Really, at this point in time, if I had a choice of where to live, Dallas or Boston, I'd probably choose Boston. I want to live in an urban environment for awhile and see how it is. Every picture I've seen of Boston is awesome. Portland, Maine is a really awesome city also. I've been there, and I loved it. If you haven't heard much about it, I'd suggest looking it up. Very cool vibrant urban downtown with awesome architecture and history.

As far as education, ocean front, history, and mass transit, Dallas doesn't even hold a candle to Boston with that lol.

I hear you. Really, at this point in time, if I had a choice of where to live, Dallas or Boston, I'd probably choose Boston. I want to live in an urban environment for awhile and see how it is. Every picture I've seen of Boston is awesome. Portland, Maine is a really awesome city also. I've been there, and I loved it. If you haven't heard much about it, I'd suggest looking it up. Very cool vibrant urban downtown with awesome architecture and history.

I've been there, it is awesome for a smaller city. I love Maine all together.

I've been there, it is awesome for a smaller city. I love Maine all together.Never really got to explore Maine in depth, unfortunately for me, I had a few hours to explore the downtown of Portland and then I had to transport a 1004 Bronco back to my dad's car lot in Moore.

P.S. I also wanted to included this piece in case you missed it

As far as education, ocean front along with other natural features, history, and mass transit, Dallas doesn't even hold a candle to Boston with that lol. I don't even think Texas has an Ivy League College.

FWIW, I don't hate Dallas, it's an incredibly expansive metropolis with a monster of an airport and it has grown leaps and bounds in all areas very quickly in a short period of time, given how old the city is! DFW is a monster, love it or hate it!

Hmm? Is this thread about the Stage Center Tower? I think we have a couple of other Dallas love or hate threads.

Never really got to explore Maine in depth, unfortunately for me, I had a few hours to explore the downtown of Portland and then I had to transport a 1004 Bronco back to my dad's car lot in Moore.

P.S. I also wanted to included this piece in case you missed it

As far as education, ocean front along with other natural features, history, and mass transit, Dallas doesn't even hold a candle to Boston with that lol. I don't even think Texas has an Ivy League College.

Rice University in Houston matches about any Ivy League school, imo.

I've said this a few times but people on here only hear what they want. The city gave Stage Center a very acceptable chance to stay. They gave one year for true, viable, self-sustaining proposals to be presented to the city. There was one taker in a year. Their proposal was not self sustainable. Tax dollars would need to subsidize it monthly. That is when they put the property up for sale. The city can't be asked for anything more. They gave everyone a chance to save Stage Center and no one stepped up to sink anything into the money pit.

This recent challenge and any future challenges should be thrown out the window and let the demolition begin.

Substitute in 'non-profit foundation' for 'city' and you pretty much nailed it. It wasn't the city's structure to do anything with.

When do we think we will see the "New Renderings" for this tower? ...or is this it?

It's fine for OKC to model itself on other cities. We have different "bones" than those cities do, so even if we do everything in our power to look like Boston, or New York, or San Francisco, or Dallas, we aren't going to be exactly like them. OKC has the "spread out suburb" thing down cold. We don't really need any help in that. We need to model our downtown area after cities that have very successful downtowns.

As far as Stage Center Tower, there's very little that can be said at this point. We don't have a final design, and everyone has basically given their reactions. Like the Mystery Tower thread, this one is going to drift for a while.

cosmopolitan flair, class? To me Dallas is a sprawled out ugly mess, cities like Boston laugh at Dallas' lack of cosmopolitan flair and "class" as you say. When I visit the East Coast's smaller cities ( Providence,Hartford etc..) I feel I'm in a city with more "class" or Cosmopolitan flair as you put it! Dallas is a big city, but lets not put Dallas on a pedestal, and also not compare OKC to metro's 5-6 times as large! As a resident of Dallas, I agree that Dallas has massive sprawl but ugly? Their highway system is far superior to anything that OKC ever will have! Developers spend more money on their buildings and developments than OKC. OKC has some "cheap" developers that are looking to make a fast buck. Look at all these ugly "prefab" and precast block buildings in OKC. Very uninspiring for a city that claims to be a "big league city". Yes, the east coast is far more cosmopolitan, quaint and diverse than Dallas, however, Dallas has tremendous wealth such as the toney Highland Park and Preston Hollow neighborhoods, putting Nichols Hills to shame. So with that being said, Dallas is way more cosmopolitan and forward thinking than OKC. Finally, I think OKC has so much potential to becoming a exciting place, however some people are just going to need to "change their mentality".

As a resident of Dallas, I agree that Dallas has massive sprawl but ugly? Their highway system is far superior to anything that OKC ever will have! Developers spend more money on their buildings and developments than OKC. OKC has some "cheap" developers that are looking to make a fast buck. Look at all these ugly "prefab" and precast block buildings in OKC. Very uninspiring for a city that claims to be a "big league city". Yes, the east coast is far more cosmopolitan, quaint and diverse than Dallas, however, Dallas has tremendous wealth such as the toney Highland Park and Preston Hollow neighborhoods, putting Nichols Hills to shame. So with that being said, Dallas is way more cosmopolitan and forward thinking than OKC. Finally, I think OKC has so much potential to becoming a exciting place, however some people are just going to need to "change their mentality".

Way overboard buddy. There is no need for the attack on OKC.

Way overboard buddy. There is no need for the attack on OKC. As I have stated in this thread numerous times, I am a native OK Cityan, born, raised, went to school and college in Oklahoma. OKC has great potential, however, will it live up to it's potential? Maybe a work in progress, however my hometown still needs lots of work to become a more exciting, vibrant city!

Way overboard buddy. There is no need for the attack on OKC.

Actually he was 100 percent spot on. Until OKC changes its Minor League mentality, that's all it will ever be. Sadly, we do EVERYTHING at the cheapest, minimal standard, to developers filling their own pockets. Devon is one of the great achievements this city has seen in its history and I hope its not the last. We have a negative vibe around here that we can't do or achieve greatness. We tell ourselves why we can't do something rather than dream big and make things happen.

Actually he was 100 percent spot on. Until OKC changes its Minor League mentality, that's all it will ever be. Sadly, we do EVERYTHING at the cheapest, minimal standard, to developers filling their own pockets. Devon is one of the great achievements this city has seen in its history and I hope its not the last. We have a negative vibe around here that we can't do or achieve greatness. We tell ourselves why we can't do something rather than dream big and make things happen.

This is so monumentally wrong.

We do some things the cheapest, we do some things as conservatively as we can. But you're painting with an obscenely broad brush.

MAPS isn't cheap. Things like the Steel Yard and the 10th/Shartel Apts have not been cheaped out. Brands like Kitchen 324 located in an incredibly fantastic renovation of the Braniff is not cheap. Devon was not cheap. OCU has built several world-class facilities on their campus in the last 10 years. The Boathouse district has been anything but cheaped out, and OKC is regularly and more frequently landing developments like 21c. Hotel, Ambassador, things like the Fassler Hall/Dust Bowl development.

OKC is gaining developments like the GE research center and seeing lots of small but incredibly high quality development going on in more than just a handful of districts.

Are there still some not so great developments? Yes. Are we where we want to be? No. But you said EVERYTHING and that just makes your post look myopic and silly.

Way overboard buddy. There is no need for the attack on OKC.He was correct in that analysis. In fact, Dallas is already seeing billions of dollars in new investment along 635 due to the new reconstruction of the highway while people here are saying highways provide no economic benefit when in fact, highways drive, directly and indirectly, a huge percentage of the growth of cities. Dallas has an amazing road and highway network, one the OKC should try to emulate on a smaller scale that fits our needs.

Again, let's not even try to compare OKC to Dallas, it really isn't fair! TO ME, Dallas is ugly,and when I'm in Dallas I don't feel like I'm in a big city imo! OKC isn't pretty by any means either, but let's not make Dallas out to be a great oddity, it's not!

We need to stop holding OKC responsible for the condition of our highway system and stop pretending that Dallas on their own drives their freeway system. These are federally funded and maintained highways. The expansive freeway system in Dallas by design is out of necessity. The DFW metroplex population has exploded over the last 25 years, and the construction we've seen in the last decade is a reaction to that growth and a remediation for projected growth at the same rate. We easily forget that the transportation network in DFW is high volume, and not only moves a lot of passengers daily but high volumes of heavy freight as well that forces the infrastructure to take a beating around the clock. The aesthetics of the freeway system in Dallas is very nice, but this is something Oklahoma has not ignored in recent highway construction projects.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma City, which is a different animal than Dallas altogether and by no means should be compared, deals with steady growth. Oklahoma City's challenge is aging infrastructure that moves a steadily increasing volume of traffic and freight. Yes, OKC has outgrown its current freeway system but we can't act like it isn't being addressed. But again, out of necessity, a high-five interchange is not a need in Oklahoma City, it's a want. We shouldn't be building massive interchanges that belong in metro areas of 5 million+ designed to handle 250,000 or more vehicles a day. Oklahoma City can and is planning to construct the same type of interchanges but on a scale that fits the needs of a metro area that won't reach 2 million people until 2030 unless there is a drastic shift in growth patterns, something you can't sell to the U.S. department of transportation.

By 2030, it is likely that DFW will be in the neighborhood of 10 million people and city leaders there are being forced to plan and build accordingly. That alone does not make Dallas superior to OKC or is any more forward-thinking than we are. They have their own problems to deal with and solve. That's just the reality.

I don't care where Spartan lives now, he is one of the more knowledgeable and informed posters on this site and he loves OKC. If you are trying to discredit him, you will have to do better than that. I don't always agree with his arguments ;) but he has substance to his opinions.

Thank you Rover.

I agree with the sentiment shared by others in this thread that we tend to think small and this achieve small. I'm afraid Bricktown, not Devon Tower, is representative of the norm for us when we try and do something "world class."

We have not out grown our highways....

cosmopolitan flair, class? To me Dallas is a sprawled out ugly mess, cities like Boston laugh at Dallas' lack of cosmopolitan flair and "class" as you say. When I visit the East Coast's smaller cities ( Providence,Hartford etc..) I feel I'm in a city with more "class" or Cosmopolitan flair as you put it! Dallas is a big city, but lets not put Dallas on a pedestal, and also not compare OKC to metro's 5-6 times as large!

That is apples and oranges.

Boston, along with most of the east coast, is some of the oldest real estate in this country. They were the first cities and metros. Their planning was considerably different than Dallas, which grew and developed post WWII. It, along with many of the sunbelt cities, developed in the era of the automobile and suburban tract housing. This is why the densest core city outside of NYC, Chicago, begins to sprawl out after a few miles as well.

OKC being better than Dallas is a subjective opinion. OKC being bigger than Dallas is a feat that will never happen. Just as Dallas will never be bigger than Los Angeles.

As a resident of Dallas, I agree that Dallas has massive sprawl but ugly? Their highway system is far superior to anything that OKC ever will have!

So, your first evidence that Dallas isn't ugly are their highways (which have far worse traffic problems than OKC - everything is relative to its environment)?!? I'm not here to say if Dallas or OKC is pretty or ugly in general as that's a pretty pointless and silly discussion, but the beginning of your argument FOR Dallas is pretty weak.

As a resident of Dallas, I agree that Dallas has massive sprawl but ugly? Their highway system is far superior to anything that OKC ever will have! Developers spend more money on their buildings and developments than OKC. OKC has some "cheap" developers that are looking to make a fast buck. Look at all these ugly "prefab" and precast block buildings in OKC. Very uninspiring for a city that claims to be a "big league city". Yes, the east coast is far more cosmopolitan, quaint and diverse than Dallas, however, Dallas has tremendous wealth such as the toney Highland Park and Preston Hollow neighborhoods, putting Nichols Hills to shame. So with that being said, Dallas is way more cosmopolitan and forward thinking than OKC. Finally, I think OKC has so much potential to becoming a exciting place, however some people are just going to need to "change their mentality".

Spot on.

We need to stop holding OKC responsible for the condition of our highway system and stop pretending that Dallas on their own drives their freeway system. These are federally funded and maintained highways. The expansive freeway system in Dallas by design is out of necessity. The DFW metroplex population has exploded over the last 25 years, and the construction we've seen in the last decade is a reaction to that growth and a remediation for projected growth at the same rate. We easily forget that the transportation network in DFW is high volume, and not only moves a lot of passengers daily but high volumes of heavy freight as well that forces the infrastructure to take a beating around the clock. The aesthetics of the freeway system in Dallas is very nice, but this is something Oklahoma has not ignored in recent highway construction projects.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma City, which is a different animal than Dallas altogether and by no means should be compared, deals with steady growth. Oklahoma City's challenge is aging infrastructure that moves a steadily increasing volume of traffic and freight. Yes, OKC has outgrown its current freeway system but we can't act like it isn't being addressed. But again, out of necessity, a high-five interchange is not a need in Oklahoma City, it's a want. We shouldn't be building massive interchanges that belong in metro areas of 5 million+ designed to handle 250,000 or more vehicles a day. Oklahoma City can and is planning to construct the same type of interchanges but on a scale that fits the needs of a metro area that won't reach 2 million people until 2030 unless there is a drastic shift in growth patterns, something you can't sell to the U.S. department of transportation.

By 2030, it is likely that DFW will be in the neighborhood of 10 million people and city leaders there are being forced to plan and build accordingly. That alone does not make Dallas superior to OKC or is any more forward-thinking than we are. They have their own problems to deal with and solve. That's just the reality.This is very spot on. Agree 100%

Stage Center could have doubled as a zombie fortress.

http://i.imgur.com/kVaATIh.jpg

Catholic church in Switzerland.

The real Stage Center tower...?

33 Thomas Street - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/33_Thomas_Street)

Or perhaps something from Judge Dredd?

http://www.neilmillervfx.com/USERIMAGES/2e_peach_tree_entrance1.jpg

Is the thread over with or is it that there is nothing coming out about the demolition and when? Steve, is there anything new you have heard about the project?

Live chat


Comment From Gary T
Good morning Steve and as usual, happy friday to you. What does the denial of the appeal mean for the timeline of Stage Center? When will we see demo start, more concrete plans/floorplans/groundbreaking, etc.

Steve Lackmeyer: We won't hear any schedule on demolition until after the annual spring Festival of the Arts next month. We will then hear about demolition plans, and also likely hear about selection of an architect. I don't expect we will see renderings showing the final design until late this year or sometime in 2015.

6981

I like this kind of landscaping around a building - hopefully something like this in the cards for Stage Center building. Lighting nice too. Apparently NTT Data building a new place at 121 & ND Tollway down here. Looked to be similar to the proposed Stage Center Tower in a general sense.

6981

I like this kind of landscaping around a building - hopefully something like this in the cards for Stage Center building. Lighting nice too. Apparently NTT Data building a new place at 121 & ND Tollway down here. Looked to be similar to the proposed Stage Center Tower in a general sense.

The landscaping is similar to Devon's headquarters. Is is Pickard-Chilton?

The landscaping is similar to Devon's headquarters. Is is Pickard-Chilton?
NTT Data doubling the size of its U.S. headquarters in Plano | Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/business/commercial-real-estate/headlines/20140311-ntt-data-doubles-the-size-of-its-u.s.-headquarters-in-plano1.ece) The article didn't say who the Architects were, unless I missed it (quite possible!) : ).

So, is this development still a few years away from becoming a reality? If so, I chalk it up as the norm for OKC. Not to be negative but just speaking the truth. Once again it is another rendering that proposes a project that is several years from even getting started and it's not even an impressive rendering at that for such a great location. This location needs something to balance out and compliment our skyline, not some mediocre building that won't get started for years to come. I don't have much faith anymore in the Convention Center and Hotel, the Boulevard, Park or Light Rail ever truly happening in our life time. They all seem to be sooo far off that by the time they originally planned on doing them the cost will have increased so much more that excuses will be made as to why it can't be done.

I wish OKC could be more like other cities and just get stuff done instead of being stuck in our usual "average" mentality and excuse mode of why things can't be done. If OKC ever wants to be great, it is time they start NOW doing great things, building and designing great things, and become a destination of sorts for people to want to come here. By piling up projects that are supposed to happen in 5 to 15 years from now, it almost becomes comical. The cost of doing something in 10 years will be so much greater than it would now and that doesn't even count lost revenue and money the city would be making from people spending their money here. I've lost faith in our leadership and who is running the show now days and I have always been a big Mick fan but this goes beyond him. OKC is just like the our state motto- OK but nothing great and despite how much I dream of it being great, reality is that it just isn't going to happen with the decisions being made by those in charge.

Seriously? Are you bumping every single project you have any doubt about? Pete, can you delete these?

Warren, you seriously want something deleted because I stated an opinion that you don't like? I actually have stated before that OKC has made huge strides. I brag about that to people all the time. I was at the NCAA wrestling tournament this past weekend and people from all over the country were in town. It has a 15 million dollar impact on the economy in 3 days compared to 9 million for St. Louis when they hosted men's basketball, so I am just giving you figures as to how big the event was.

I was hoping OKC would shine and people would be impressed with our city but just the opposite happened. I heard how stagnant and gloomy the place seemed, how such a great wrestling state could be sooo unprepared for such and event. Restaurants all over the city, even Bricktown didn't even know the even was going on until thousands go in to the restaurants they are so understaffed. At other cities that host it, all over the city are signs saying "welcome wrestling fans" and I never saw one sign anywhere I went. It was 6 sessions for 2 days and 18,000 fans per session so it is a big deal. Anyway, back to the topic of people saying our airport was tiny, is this really a major league city, our city looked dingy, etc.

Sorry, but I took it personal and yes, I have been around. I think it is YOU that hasn't been around to other places like Fort Worth and a hand full of other cities who do get things done. I think OKC has done some very good things to not be such a depressing place but it is still very, very average. I think the image of having the Thunder here has done more for morale and giving the city more exposure in a positive way. OKC needs to do more and bigger projects NOW, not years from now on certain things. I don't know why more people just don't understand that "perception can be reality" when it comes to things like this. Those people with negative perceptions of our city may not change now because they didn't see anything that wowed them. They focused on the negative and that is what I want to shake. I wish they could've seen things that left them with glowing impressions of our city. Heck, I went to the Memorial on Sunday and it was probably the biggest draw for all the people in for the wrestling tournament. Did not see a single "Welcome Wrestling Fans" or anything that even remotely cared they were there. That really disappointed me. If any of you think I am negative in my posts I am sorry. I just don't accept being mediocre and truly care and want OKC to be great while I think many of you are content on little changes here and there and more accepting of what is going on and haven't been to many other places to see how we could be and simply are not because of our actions. OKC is 1 or 2 in the nation in unemployment for larger cities and this IS IS IS the time you make hay when the sun shines. Their is no excuse as to why this city should not be BOOMING other than the decisions that are made. Our governor should be out recruiting the nation about our economy and bringing in companies to this state like Gov. Rick Perry does for Texas.

Seriously? Are you bumping every single project you have any doubt about? Pete, can you delete these?This guy is either an idiot or a troll. He has no clue what he is talking about and has nothing good to say about anything.

Warren, you seriously want something deleted because I stated an opinion that you don't like? I actually have stated before that OKC has made huge strides. I brag about that to people all the time. I was at the NCAA wrestling tournament this past weekend and people from all over the country were in town. It has a 15 million dollar impact on the economy in 3 days compared to 9 million for St. Louis when they hosted men's basketball, so I am just giving you figures as to how big the event was.

I was hoping OKC would shine and people would be impressed with our city but just the opposite happened. I heard how stagnant and gloomy the place seemed, how such a great wrestling state could be sooo unprepared for such and event. Restaurants all over the city, even Bricktown didn't even know the even was going on until thousands go in to the restaurants they are so understaffed. At other cities that host it, all over the city are signs saying "welcome wrestling fans" and I never saw one sign anywhere I went. It was 6 sessions for 2 days and 18,000 fans per session so it is a big deal. Anyway, back to the topic of people saying our airport was tiny, is this really a major league city, our city looked dingy, etc.

Sorry, but I took it personal and yes, I have been around. I think it is YOU that hasn't been around to other places like Fort Worth and a hand full of other cities who do get things done. I think OKC has done some very good things to not be such a depressing place but it is still very, very average. I think the image of having the Thunder here has done more for morale and giving the city more exposure in a positive way. OKC needs to do more and bigger projects NOW, not years from now on certain things. I don't know why more people just don't understand that "perception can be reality" when it comes to things like this. Those people with negative perceptions of our city may not change now because they didn't see anything that wowed them. They focused on the negative and that is what I want to shake. I wish they could've seen things that left them with glowing impressions of our city. Heck, I went to the Memorial on Sunday and it was probably the biggest draw for all the people in for the wrestling tournament. Did not see a single "Welcome Wrestling Fans" or anything that even remotely cared they were there. That really disappointed me. If any of you think I am negative in my posts I am sorry. I just don't accept being mediocre and truly care and want OKC to be great while I think many of you are content on little changes here and there and more accepting of what is going on and haven't been to many other places to see how we could be and simply are not because of our actions. OKC is 1 or 2 in the nation in unemployment for larger cities and this IS IS IS the time you make hay when the sun shines. Their is no excuse as to why this city should not be BOOMING other than the decisions that are made. Our governor should be out recruiting the nation about our economy and bringing in companies to this state like Gov. Rick Perry does for Texas.

It's not that I don't like the opinion, it's that you are posting the same thing over and over on five or six different threads. Why not just post one thing on one thread and everyone can reply to that? All the repeated posts were deleted by Pete anyway and if you keep doing it, these same copy and paste things are going to be deleted as well. You are just wasting your own time as well as the readers.

Soondoc, what makes you think the Convention Center and Hotel, the Boulevard, Park or Light Rail will not ever truly happening in our life time? All of the original MAPS projects were developed. MAPS for Kids is complete, and the arena upgrades were done. MAPS has always been a pay as you go program to keep the city from going into debt. I am not sure why you believe things in other cities "just get done". During my tenure in Houston, I learned this is the exact opposite. Everything happening in Houston NOW was planned several years ago or even years ago.

Our governor has been out recruiting the nation like Rick Perry does for Texas. Although I do not agree with her policies or approach to politics, she does recruit. But Oklahoma is a harder sell than Texas. OKC can be a booming metropolis and it will still take more effort to sell Oklahoma to outsiders. That's just how this country works.

It sounds like the event just wasn't well planned. And that is something that can be fixed. If the wring people are in place planning these events, fire them and bring in people who will.

nm