I didn't initially use the partisan word, Hot Rod did. Thus when I used it I but it in quotes. I stand by my media comment, there was no effort made to one bit of research.

I didn’t want to copy and paste it or do something I don’t know how to do like Cc the guy. And I mean they journalist probably dead ended. You can’t report fraud without proof. And the lackmeyer article I read touched on the lack of bona fides as much without broaching slander. It’s not good journalism to call a liar a liar without absolute proof. Even then all you can do is report the facts. Besides Matteson could easily say that this is his opinion of what is going to happen and then it’s not lying but freedom of speech.

I didn’t want to copy and paste it or do something I don’t know how to do like Cc the guy. And I mean they journalist probably dead ended. You can’t report fraud without proof. And the lackmeyer article I read touched on the lack of bona fides as much without broaching slander. It’s not good journalism to call a liar a liar without absolute proof. Even then all you can do is report the facts. Besides Matteson could easily say that this is his opinion of what is going to happen and then it’s not lying but freedom of speech.

How about the Journal Record who reported on a 1100 ft tower in Miami? I guess they are still verifying that.....

I had mentioned that in 2016, Matteson proposed a large resort in Palm Desert built around a sizeable wave pool geared towards surfers; this was under Matteson Capital, the entity he is using for the Boardwalk at Bricktown. At the same time, he was proposing similar projects in a half-dozen cities.

I found minutes from city council where he told them the project was "fully funded" and would start as soon as he could gain the necessary zoning approvals.

What happened instead is that the project completely collapsed and now there is a new group (Matteson is not involved) that came in and is moving forward.

Still not able to find anything that has been done by Matteson himself or by Matteson Capital.

Does that mean this project probably won’t be happening? Not the tall building, but the others.

Does that mean this project probably won’t be happening? Not the tall building, but the others.

Its just another piece of information for people to decide for themselves.

I had mentioned that in 2016, Matteson proposed a large resort in Palm Desert built around a sizeable wave pool geared towards surfers; this was under Matteson Capital, the entity he is using for the Boardwalk at Bricktown. At the same time, he was proposing similar projects in a half-dozen cities.

I found minutes from city council where he told them the project was "fully funded" and would start as soon as he could gain the necessary zoning approvals.

What happened instead is that the project completely collapsed and now there is a new group (Matteson is not involved) that came in and is moving forward.

Still not able to find anything that has been done by Matteson himself or by Matteson Capital.

Isn't this the same guy that bought Royco on Succession?

Does that mean this project probably won’t be happening? Not the tall building, but the others.

I mean...hard to see it in any way being a good sign.

Does that mean this project probably won’t be happening? Not the tall building, but the others.

There are tiers of developers., for instance 10 years ago when lackmeher said Hines was building to BOKPP. I knew that from day one it was a go. Scott matteson just isn’t on the food chain. And okc has a almost unprecedented lack of density for a city its size. The guy probably thought there is an opportunity to make some money off investors.,

There are tiers of developers., for instance 10 years ago when lackmeher said Hines was building to BOKPP. I knew that from day one it was a go. Scott matteson just isn’t on the food chain. And okc has a almost unprecedented lack of density for a city its size. The guy probably thought there is an opportunity to make some money off investors.,

Seems to be plenty of office space downtown. That leaves hotel/residdntial. I don’t see any vertical condos being built any time soon. Not when it’s so cheap to build sprawl. Look at the footprint some of these places downtown have. If only there were a way to require going vertical.that said I was very unimpressed when Omni didn’t include residential but Fort Worth and Louisville did. (Smaller city in my opinion but better QOL). I feel like okc is stuck in a rut of sorts and don’t see a way out.

There are tiers of developers., for instance 10 years ago when lackmeher said Hines was building to BOKPP.

mostly because hines was not behind that project ..... that was built by and still owned by DEVON >>>

mostly because hines was not behind that project ..... that was built by and still owned by DEVON >>>

Yes, I double-checked with Hines and they were Development Managers for Devon Energy Center and BOK Park Plaza. Devon was always the owner of both.

Just a reminder Dream Hotels still has OKC on their coming soon list on their website.

Just a reminder Dream Hotels still has OKC on their coming soon list on their website.

I would be very happy if we at least get the Dream Hotel out of this project.

But they only have 6 operating hotels worldwide and list 11 more as coming soon. Doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

Yes, I double-checked with Hines and they were Development Managers for Devon Energy Center and BOK Park Plaza. Devon was always the owner of both.

yep lackmeyer insisted that hines owned BOK for years and years ..

yep lackmeyer insisted that hines owned BOK for years and years ..

It is hard to imagine Steve Lackmeyer was uninformed on an easily verifiable topic.

It is hard to imagine Steve Lackmeyer was uninformed on an easily verifiable topic.
Amazing.

It is hard to imagine Steve Lackmeyer was uninformed on an easily verifiable topic.

I one day aspire to have a passion any passion as insurmountable as the disdain of Steve lackmeher on this page.

It is hard to imagine Steve Lackmeyer was uninformed on an easily verifiable topic.

This made me laugh so hard! When I worked at the Colcord Hotel, we housed most of Hines' Executive staff while they managed the tower build. He would always drop in to say hi and ask if we had heard anything about the project. Haha!

It is hard to imagine Steve Lackmeyer was uninformed on an easily verifiable topic.

Maybe some random guy on the street told him this and he didn't to risk being sued for slander?

Edit Yes, I'm joking. Earlier reference to a comment made upthread.

Seems to be plenty of office space downtown. That leaves hotel/residdntial. I donÂ’t see any vertical condos being built any time soon. Not when itÂ’s so cheap to build sprawl. Look at the footprint some of these places downtown have. If only there were a way to require going vertical.that said I was very unimpressed when Omni didnÂ’t include residential but Fort Worth and Louisville did. (Smaller city in my opinion but better QOL). I feel like okc is stuck in a rut of sorts and donÂ’t see a way out.

Not really a rut. OKC has been consistently adding apartments in the core for years now, but for reasons you outlined in your own post, they are not 30+ story high rises. The amount of undeveloped and underdeveloped land available in and around downtown doesn't really dictate a need for that. Requiring vertical would do nothing to change that, but the ongoing infill does. So, we're most likely not going to see it with new construction until infill doesn't meet demand or a developer thinks they can sell it as a "lifestyle" development. I think the latter could work at this point, if done right, and it sounded like maybe this was going to be the project to test that market, but it's gotten so ridiculous that it may ultimately just delay downtown from seeing any such kind of high rise residential development.

I know from having lived there, California court cases are notoriously hard to search. It's the opposite of Oklahoma, where absolutely everything is online forever and anyone can access for free. You also have to search every single county separately and pay for Cali records and they are expensive.

But in my research, I did find references to several lawsuits filed against Matteson in Orange County.

The one shown below is about $755,000 in delinquent attorney fees, which he has not paid on at all since at least 2016. Just on the 14th of this month, there was a default judgment against Matteson, who didn't contest anything. Since so much of the fees go back almost a decade, there will be significant interest assessed as well as court costs. I would expect the final amount -- still to be calculated -- to reach over $1 million.

It appears Matteson is still living in the same apartment, according to the filings in the case.

Also, Matteson and his second wife were forcibly evicted from their home in 2016. Two years later, his second now ex-wife made posts about him being abusive and delinquent on child support, which is separate from similar filings from his first wife (in 2003 - see below).

You may remember that Centurian -- not Matteson himself but a group of people where we will never know his exact involvement -- was part of the group that purchased the land for Miami World Center around 2014. Shortly thereafter a big equity partner came in and from that point forward, there is no mention of Centurion or Matteson. I checked through the numerous press releases and Centurian and Matteson were never mentioned in the many developments that have occurred on that site, despite Matteson claiming "I built X".

It certainly looks like Centurian was bought out (Matteson couldn't have netted much because shortly thereafter he stopped paying his legal bills and lost his home) then I can't find anything about them or Matteson apart from the failed Palm Desert surf park/hotel that he tried to do under the Matteson Capital name (and told the PD City Council it was fully funded) which completely collapsed along with about another half-dozen similar developments planned around the country.

From all indications, Centurian Capital effectively went out of business somewhere around 2013-2016, he got evicted from his home in 2016, seems to have been living in an apartment since then, he's done no verifiable development since then (nothing ever apart from Centurian which no longer exists), his wife divorced him and claimed domestic violence and obtained a 3-year restraining order, and now he has a new judgment for about $1 million. From looking at all the cases below, it seems the only issues before 2013 were domestic in nature, then there was an avalanche that seemed to coincide with Centurian ceasing to exist.

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mattesoncase1.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mattesoncases1a.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mattesoncases2a.jpg

None of this could possibly be true. It wasn't in the Oklahoman's puff piece on Matteson.

It is hard to imagine Steve Lackmeyer was uninformed on an easily verifiable topic.

Or that the Journal Record came to the same conclusions as the Oklahoman. Or other publications like Finance & Commerce, The Architect's Newspaper, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News, USAToday, The Business Journal, World-Architects, CoStar, Robb Report, GlobalNewswire, Building.co, etc.

and announced by the architectural firm AO, and other project partners
Civil: Johnson & Associates
Contractor: Hensel Phelps
Engineer: Siemens, Thornton Tomasetti
Finance: BCREM Inc., Global Economic Strategies
Legal: Greenberg Traurig
PR: Idea Hall

Also reported the same by all local TV stations in the metro, and many in the US, all reporting about the same as Lackmeyer and the Oklahoman.

But this board is hell bent to single out one, instead of the whole of the media.

Oh, and Randy Hogan has to be implicated in this charade. He believed it enough to sign on with them, essentially vouching for them to our community.

They should have all just ignored it, or called it out for the sham it apparently is, I guess.

Or Pete is the only one who cares enough to look into it. Real Estate doesn't generate exciting headlines usually.

Or Pete is the only one who cares enough to look into it. Real Estate doesn't generate exciting headlines usually.

And we are glad Pete does what he does. I just don’t understand the singling out of the Oklahoman because they reported the story, the same as everyone else.

Or that the Journal Record came to the same conclusions as the Oklahoman. Or other publications like Finance & Commerce, The Architect's Newspaper, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News, USAToday, The Business Journal, World-Architects, CoStar, Robb Report, GlobalNewswire, Building.co, etc.

and announced by the architectural firm AO, and other project partners
Civil: Johnson & Associates
Contractor: Hensel Phelps
Engineer: Siemens, Thornton Tomasetti
Finance: BCREM Inc., Global Economic Strategies
Legal: Greenberg Traurig
PR: Idea Hall

Also reported the same by all local TV stations in the metro, and many in the US, all reporting about the same as Lackmeyer and the Oklahoman.

All those news outlets merely picked up what the Oklahoman reported, hence the problem.

All those news outlets merely picked up what the Oklahoman reported, hence the problem.

Off topic, but this is one of my reservations about AI. AI bots are just going to pick up on stories like this and spread it with their own little spin.

Off topic, but this is one of my reservations about AI. AI bots are just going to pick up on stories like this and spread it with their own little spin.

I'm pretty sure there are already plenty of online outlets using AI to write clickbait stories and regurgitate stuff from other sources.

I'm pretty sure there are already plenty of online outlets using AI to write clickbait stories and regurgitate stuff from other sources.

It's been going on for a long time before AI.

Personally, I never could figure out why Matteson believes OKC could support such a large undertaking as a 134 floor (1,750 feet), Legends Tower.

It's nice to have aspirations about big dreams; however this tower is too much for even me to swallow.

Like most of you on this site, let's get the original version of the Boardwalk at Bricktown built. IIRC Matterson's project qualifies for $200 million in TIF funds.

I'm pretty sure there are already plenty of online outlets using AI to write clickbait stories and regurgitate stuff from other sources.

I think it's more a function of media consolidation that's been happening since the 90s.

Rover mentioned that USAToday ran with it. Well, Gannett, who owns USAToday, also owns the Oklahoman, along about 70 other newspapers. So, they all run with the same stuff and rarely do independent reporting. Same with local TV, which is why local news can be so similar across completely unrelated markets, down to the banter between on air personalities. Basically, all of those outlets used the same reporting and just copied and pasted it into their content.

But yeah, AI is just an aggregator of information. So, if they did use AI, the net effect would probably be the same. The ole "garbage in, garbage out". Unless, of course, the AI is considering the content of this thread to factor Pete's reporting into it.

I think it's more a function of media consolidation that's been happening since the 90s.

Rover mentioned that USAToday ran with it. Well, Gannett, who owns USAToday, also owns the Oklahoman, along about 70 other newspapers. So, they all run with the same stuff and rarely do independent reporting. Same with local TV, which is why local news can be so similar across completely unrelated markets, down to the banter between on air personalities. Basically, all of those outlets used the same reporting and just copied and pasted it into their content.

But yeah, AI is just an aggregator of information. So, if they did use AI, the net effect would probably be the same. The ole "garbage in, garbage out". Unless, of course, the AI is considering the content of this thread to factor Pete's reporting into it.

For all the writers that have been cut at news outlets, even more editors and fact checkers have been cut. That's why so many mistakes in facts, spelling and even basic English make it into stories.

For all the writers that have been cut at news outlets, even more editors and fact checkers have been cut. That's why so many mistakes in facts, spelling and even basic English make it into stories.

As I've pointed out many times, the Oklahoman has been functioning the same way since the time they were a dominating monopoly with 50x the employees.

Steve Lackmeyer has been working there for 35 years and operates exactly the same way he always has: gets played by developers and con men who talk nonsense and he just prints it without any homework, questions, or fact-checking.

The Oklahoman just doesn't care about journalistic ethics and never has. The cuts are now just a convenient excuse.

I think it's more a function of media consolidation that's been happening since the 90s.

Rover mentioned that USAToday ran with it. Well, Gannett, who owns USAToday, also owns the Oklahoman, along about 70 other newspapers. So, they all run with the same stuff and rarely do independent reporting. Same with local TV, which is why local news can be so similar across completely unrelated markets, down to the banter between on air personalities. Basically, all of those outlets used the same reporting and just copied and pasted it into their content.

But yeah, AI is just an aggregator of information. So, if they did use AI, the net effect would probably be the same. The ole "garbage in, garbage out". Unless, of course, the AI is considering the content of this thread to factor Pete's reporting into it.

That's true, and I wasn't even thinking about it from that perspective. Good points.

I was just thinking from the view that I stumble across more and more online content promoted as "news" that seems as if it was computer generated, which also makes sense from a cost perspective. Most of the articles are written with the intent to keep users scrolling and scanning ads, not so much about delivering any real content or grow any kind of user base.

As I've pointed out many times, the Oklahoman has been functioning the same way since the time they were a dominating monopoly with 50x the employees.

Steve Lackmeyer has been working there for 35 years and operates exactly the same way he always has: gets played by developers and con men who talk nonsense and he just prints it without any homework, questions, or fact-checking.

The Oklahoman just doesn't care about journalistic ethics and never have. The cuts are now just a convenient excuse.

From the Columbia Journalism Review in 1999

Worst Newspaper in America (Daily Oklahoman)

https://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg02414.html

l agree with much of what that old Columbia Journalism Review says and l remember it well from when it came out. They had a longstanding battle going with the Oklahoman and Gaylord. The proof of bias was using Robin Meyers, also someone l am very familiar with, as the main choice for material in their review, that had nothing to do with the CJR assertion. Many of us had major disagreements with the Oklahoman and l have no problems with Robin Meyers, but this review was just a hack job.

I'm still checking into a lot of Matteson's claims, including this one in the 3/10/24 Oklahoman article:


A newly launched $250 million Legends Capital Management fund is investing in the project. The group is a who's who in California sports, entertainment and banking.

He then goes on to list several famous people as investors.


According the the SEC database, there is no such thing as Legends Capital Management Fund. Private equity funds are required to file forms with the SEC; not all are required to fully register but they must at least apply for exemption.

I can see five previous funds where Matteson was involved, the last one being in 2013 when he was trying to get his surf resorts off the ground. But there is nothing in his name since and nothing at all named Legends Capital.

He could be talking to investors, but in order to legally solicit funds he has to at least file forms with the SEC.


As background, what Matteson has done in the past is, along with partners, create private investment funds whereby individual investors are solicited usually in increments of $25K, and then the funds are pooled and used for development. The investors get an equity share as a Limited Partner in the properties. It's a very common approach in commercial real estate deals; Strawberry Fields is a recent example and they have filed many forms with the SEC.

I'm still checking into a lot of Matteson's claims, including this one in the 3/10/24 Oklahoman article:



He then goes on to list several famous people as investors.


According the the SEC database, there is no such thing as Legends Capital Management Fund. Private equity funds are required to file forms with the SEC; not all are required to fully register but they must at least apply for exemption.

I can see five previous funds where Matteson was involved, the last one being in 2013 when he was trying to get his surf resorts off the ground. But there is nothing in his name since and nothing at all named Legends Capital.

He could be talking to investors, but in order to legally solicit funds he has to at least file forms with the SEC.


As background, what Matteson has done in the past is, along with partners, create private investment funds whereby individual investors are solicited usually in increments of $25K, and then the funds are pooled and used for development. The investors get an equity share as a Limited Partner in the properties. It's a very common approach in commercial real estate deals; Strawberry Fields is a recent example and they have filed many forms with the SEC.

Don't the "partners" then receive fees (from the raised capital) for managing money? By doing things like paying for renderings that bring in more investors that will need to have their money managed.

The last few months of following this project have been so disappointing. It has become abundantly clear ever since the Legends Tower announcement and Pete's subsequent investigative work that this development has about a -30% chance of building anything at all let alone the full product.

Stick a fork in it, all we're waiting on now is to see how the obvious fraudster at the heart of it ends up failing out and what precisely happens to kill the development. All this dude is going to have accomplished in the end is set up OKC as an international laughingstock for no fault of our own.

Don't the "partners" then receive fees (from the raised capital) for managing money? By doing things like paying for renderings that bring in more investors that will need to have their money managed.

Yes, the people managing the fund often take a salary or other management fees themselves.

That is typically spelled out in the operating agreement the investors sign. It's also one of the issues with Strawberry Fields and why they are now seeking full access to the books.

The last few months of following this project have been so disappointing. It has become abundantly clear ever since the Legends Tower announcement and Pete's subsequent investigative work that this development has about a -30% chance of building anything at all let alone the full product.

Stick a fork in it, all we're waiting on now is to see how the obvious fraudster at the heart of it ends up failing out and what precisely happens to kill the development. All this dude is going to have accomplished in the end is set up OKC as an international laughingstock for no fault of our own.

How the hell is that the case? I think maybe we're getting a little high on our own supply here. Little to no one that matters outside of OKC will care about this at all or even think about it after it drops out of the news cycle (not many outside of OKC care about it now). No one that matters who is actually looking at to relocate themselves or their company to OKC was doing so because of some completely pointless supertall building that everyone outside of maybe 5 posters on OKCTalk thought was a laughable proposal in the first place (and frankly it would've been bad for the development of the acres of empty lots downtown which is far more important to a vibrant city than one absurdly out of place tall building)...and no one outside of OKC even realized there was more to the development after the supertall was announced. The only person that will look stupid on the national stage is Matteson and as we've seen with his previous failures, even that negative publicity is fleeting. He can just go propose something aggressively stupid somewhere else and no one will research it at all.

The only people outside of OKC who remotely give a crap about this development are primarily a bunch of skyscraper forum posters who live in their parents basements and likely lack many of the social skills required to have a conversation in real life. I think it's kinda dumb to even be somewhat concerned about what those people think. The bigger disappointment locally is that the rest of the development is way more suspect that we initially thought. Hopefully someone will be able to get something done there that isn't wildly disappointing.

It sucks that this guy sucks but come on now...let's get a grip.

Yes, the people managing the fund take a salary or other management fees themselves.

That is typically spelled out in the operating agreement the investors sign. It's also one of the issues with Strawberry Fields and why they are now seeking full access to the books.

I'm sure this is what is with the Amphitheater projects as well. They are raising money, and getting paid to manage whatever money is raised. If they get enough money to build the thing, great, if not, they still got paid on whatever money actually was raised. The longer it takes to raise the money, the more money they make.

Broken Arrow gave the Amphitheater project city money, so it's likely going to be built. Once built, the people paid for managing the money are now also managing the amphitheater, and getting paid to do so, paid twice basically. If the amphitheater it is successful, great, if not, well they already got paid for both raising the money and managing the amphitheater.

How the hell is that the case? I think maybe we're getting a little high on our own supply here. Little to no one that matters outside of OKC will care about this at all or even think about it after it drops out of the news cycle (not many outside of OKC care about it now). No one that matters who is actually looking at to relocate themselves or their company to OKC was doing so because of some completely pointless supertall building that everyone outside of maybe 5 posters on OKCTalk thought was a laughable proposal in the first place (and frankly it would've been bad for the development of the acres of empty lots downtown which is far more important to a vibrant city than one absurdly out of place tall building)...and no one outside of OKC even realized there was more to the development after the supertall was announced. The only person that will look stupid on the national stage is Matteson and as we've seen with his previous failures, even that negative publicity is fleeting. He can just go propose something aggressively stupid somewhere else and no one will research it at all.

The only people outside of OKC who remotely give a crap about this development are primarily a bunch of skyscraper forum posters who live in their parents basements and likely lack many of the social skills required to have a conversation in real life. I think it's kinda dumb to even be somewhat concerned about what those people think. The bigger disappointment locally is that the rest of the development is way more suspect that we initially thought. Hopefully someone will be able to get something done there that isn't wildly disappointing.

It sucks that this guy sucks but come on now...let's get a grip.

Basically all the casual conversation and coverage I have seen of this project has treated OKC people as being the lunatics responsible for it. For example I listen to The B1M construction YouTube channel and podcast pretty religiously and to my disappointment their coverage of this was more or less just general mockery. It'd be hard to quantify but Matteson has done some amount of actual damage to OKC with this nonsense.

Basically all the casual conversation and coverage I have seen of this project has treated OKC people as being the lunatics responsible for it. For example I listen to The B1M construction YouTube channel and podcast pretty religiously and to my disappointment their coverage of this was more or less just general mockery. It'd be hard to quantify but Matteson has done some amount of actual damage to OKC with this nonsense.

So, 1/100,000th of the population cares. Oh well. The damage will be negligible. You're overestimating how much people actually care beyond the "haha, yeah right" responses.

Or maybe it will cause thousands to never move or visit here because of 1 sociopath's grand delusions.

People who are mocking OKC based on this announcement are doing so because they already held those beliefs about OKC. The reality is the super tall only makes sense for 2-3 US cities. I don’t think the announcement did any damage.

Basically all the casual conversation and coverage I have seen of this project has treated OKC people as being the lunatics responsible for it. For example I listen to The B1M construction YouTube channel and podcast pretty religiously and to my disappointment their coverage of this was more or less just general mockery. It'd be hard to quantify but Matteson has done some amount of actual damage to OKC with this nonsense.

Yeah I'm sorry, I don't care what podcasts were talking about it. He hasn't done any actual "damage" to OKC or it's reputation. To think otherwise seems very dramatic. No one who matters will care about or possibly even remember this after it disappears from the news (it's already starting to happen). Building the tallest building in the US in OKC does sound like a stupid idea so props to them for recognizing how dumb it sounded when our own newspapers and stations failed to even ask questions that a casual skeptic would have.

On the positive side, they were actually talking about OKC on podcasts on which they otherwise probably wouldn't have been at all.

People who are mocking OKC based on this announcement are doing so because they already held those beliefs about OKC. The reality is the super tall only makes sense for 2-3 US cities. I don’t think the announcement did any damage.

Exactly

Maybe I am doomposting too much but I am pretty sure I am not. This project is a net negative for OKC at this point and that will only prove to be more true over time.

Maybe I am doomposting too much but I am pretty sure I am not. This project is a net negative for OKC at this point and that will only prove to be more true over time.
In what way?

People move or don’t move because of some press releases about a building project. Companies don’t invest in cities or make decisions to move based on buildings that may not get built.

People need to get out in the real world and quit going up or down and obsessing over things in their echo chamber.

It would only be a negative if there is an actual scam going on. There are pipe dream towers all the time and sometimes towers stall mid-construction is worse than something on paper not becoming reality.

In what way?

People move or don’t move because of some press releases about a building project. Companies don’t invest in cities or make decisions to move based on buildings that may not get built.

People need to get out in the real world and quit going up or down and obsessing over things in their echo chamber.

people need to TOUCH GRASS!!!

It would only be a negative if there is an actual scam going on. There are pipe dream towers all the time and sometimes towers stall mid-construction is worse than something on paper not becoming reality.

I think it would be more of a net negative if the tower was actually built. Especially if they ran out of money halfway though the project. Would look like crap on the skyline and most likely be empty.

I think it would be more of a net negative if the tower was actually built. Especially if they ran out of money halfway though the project. Would look like crap on the skyline and most likely be empty.

Maybe they could put a big gas flame on the top like Lord of the Rings looking south to Texas.........

From Sunday's Oklahoman. The author is a principal of a local PR firm.

********

Is Scot Matteson’s 1,907-foot skyscraper a pipe dream? Naysayers never build anything (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/03/31/okc-skyscraper-plan-is-it-really-a-pipe-dream-opinion/73105542007/)
Russ Florence Guest columnist

I wonder what Ray Ackerman would have thought of Scot Matteson?

If Matteson’s name doesn’t ring a bell, his project will. He’s the man behind the proposed 1,907-foot skyscraper in Bricktown, which would make it the tallest building in the country.

The plan has been met with skepticism, to say the least. Critics have questioned the wisdom of building such a structure in Tornado Alley. There are also factors of the market. While Oklahoma City is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, it also sprawls over 621 square miles. Density is not an issue.

As for Ackerman, if you don’t know his name, you know his legacy. Ray Ackerman was a visionary. He was an optimist. No dream was too audacious. In the early 1980s ― decades before Riversport OKC and the Boathouse District ― Ackerman proposed turning the blighted North Canadian River into a national attraction.

It seemed preposterous. “We have the only river in Oklahoma,” the joke went, “that you have to mow.” Who would dream of such a thing?

I’m not privy to the conversations, but I imagine that Ackerman’s idea was met with derisive cynicism. Imagine if social media had existed then. The idea would have been beaten to a pulp as soon as it left his mouth.

Is Scot Matteson’s plan a pipe dream? Could it happen? Admittedly, I’ve rolled my eyes at the drawings. But I also admire big thinkers ― people who create a plan, evangelize it to the masses, work it endlessly and prove the naysayers wrong. Can you show me one good thing that naysayers have built?

I have my doubts about Matteson’s plan. But I’m also rooting for him.

A few days ago, I stopped to read a plaque at Will Rogers Gardens about Margaret Annis Boys. You may not know her name either. She was born in 1909 and spent her career as a teacher and principal in Oklahoma City. She loved taking weekend excursions to see wildflowers and foliage across the state.

When she died in 1990, she left $1.5 million to establish a fund to support beautification efforts. The arboretum at Will Rogers wasn’t built by a cynic or a naysayer. It was built by a humble, committed dreamer: Margaret Annis Boys.

Outside of City Hall is a statue of Stanley Draper. Like Ackerman, Draper was known for his Utopian ideas. Better yet, he had the fortitude and tenacity to make it happen. Much of Oklahoma City’s mid-century progress ― Tinker Air Force Base, Will Rogers World Airport, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum ― was because of Draper.

Fittingly, the inscription at the base is a quote from Ackerman: “He dreamed impossible dreams … then inspired and united all who could make them probable.”

Outside the Chesapeake Boathouse, on the west end of the district, is a statue of Ackerman himself, standing tall, arms crossed, gazing toward a downtown and a city that only the visionaries could ever imagine.

There’s not a statue of a cynic in sight.

Russ Florence
Russ Florence lives and works in Oklahoma City. His column appears monthly in Viewpoints.

^^^ Shameless

If Matteson actually builds this thing then maybe he deserves to be on the same page with Boys, Draper and Ackerman. Maybe. Until then no way.

From Sunday's Oklahoman. The author is a principal of a local PR firm.

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Is Scot Matteson’s 1,907-foot skyscraper a pipe dream? Naysayers never build anything (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/03/31/okc-skyscraper-plan-is-it-really-a-pipe-dream-opinion/73105542007/)
Russ Florence Guest columnist

I wonder what Ray Ackerman would have thought of Scot Matteson?

If Matteson’s name doesn’t ring a bell, his project will. He’s the man behind the proposed 1,907-foot skyscraper in Bricktown, which would make it the tallest building in the country.

The plan has been met with skepticism, to say the least. Critics have questioned the wisdom of building such a structure in Tornado Alley. There are also factors of the market. While Oklahoma City is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, it also sprawls over 621 square miles. Density is not an issue.

As for Ackerman, if you don’t know his name, you know his legacy. Ray Ackerman was a visionary. He was an optimist. No dream was too audacious. In the early 1980s ― decades before Riversport OKC and the Boathouse District ― Ackerman proposed turning the blighted North Canadian River into a national attraction.

It seemed preposterous. “We have the only river in Oklahoma,” the joke went, “that you have to mow.” Who would dream of such a thing?

I’m not privy to the conversations, but I imagine that Ackerman’s idea was met with derisive cynicism. Imagine if social media had existed then. The idea would have been beaten to a pulp as soon as it left his mouth.

Is Scot Matteson’s plan a pipe dream? Could it happen? Admittedly, I’ve rolled my eyes at the drawings. But I also admire big thinkers ― people who create a plan, evangelize it to the masses, work it endlessly and prove the naysayers wrong. Can you show me one good thing that naysayers have built?

I have my doubts about Matteson’s plan. But I’m also rooting for him.

A few days ago, I stopped to read a plaque at Will Rogers Gardens about Margaret Annis Boys. You may not know her name either. She was born in 1909 and spent her career as a teacher and principal in Oklahoma City. She loved taking weekend excursions to see wildflowers and foliage across the state.

When she died in 1990, she left $1.5 million to establish a fund to support beautification efforts. The arboretum at Will Rogers wasn’t built by a cynic or a naysayer. It was built by a humble, committed dreamer: Margaret Annis Boys.

Outside of City Hall is a statue of Stanley Draper. Like Ackerman, Draper was known for his Utopian ideas. Better yet, he had the fortitude and tenacity to make it happen. Much of Oklahoma City’s mid-century progress ― Tinker Air Force Base, Will Rogers World Airport, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum ― was because of Draper.

Fittingly, the inscription at the base is a quote from Ackerman: “He dreamed impossible dreams … then inspired and united all who could make them probable.”

Outside the Chesapeake Boathouse, on the west end of the district, is a statue of Ackerman himself, standing tall, arms crossed, gazing toward a downtown and a city that only the visionaries could ever imagine.

There’s not a statue of a cynic in sight.

Russ Florence
Russ Florence lives and works in Oklahoma City. His column appears monthly in Viewpoints.

One of the dumbest articles I've read lately from the Oklahoman

From Sunday's Oklahoman. The author is a principal of a local PR firm.

********

Is Scot Matteson’s 1,907-foot skyscraper a pipe dream? Naysayers never build anything (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/03/31/okc-skyscraper-plan-is-it-really-a-pipe-dream-opinion/73105542007/)
Russ Florence Guest columnist

I wonder what Ray Ackerman would have thought of Scot Matteson?

If Matteson’s name doesn’t ring a bell, his project will. He’s the man behind the proposed 1,907-foot skyscraper in Bricktown, which would make it the tallest building in the country.

The plan has been met with skepticism, to say the least. Critics have questioned the wisdom of building such a structure in Tornado Alley. There are also factors of the market. While Oklahoma City is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, it also sprawls over 621 square miles. Density is not an issue.

As for Ackerman, if you don’t know his name, you know his legacy. Ray Ackerman was a visionary. He was an optimist. No dream was too audacious. In the early 1980s ― decades before Riversport OKC and the Boathouse District ― Ackerman proposed turning the blighted North Canadian River into a national attraction.

It seemed preposterous. “We have the only river in Oklahoma,” the joke went, “that you have to mow.” Who would dream of such a thing?

I’m not privy to the conversations, but I imagine that Ackerman’s idea was met with derisive cynicism. Imagine if social media had existed then. The idea would have been beaten to a pulp as soon as it left his mouth.

Is Scot Matteson’s plan a pipe dream? Could it happen? Admittedly, I’ve rolled my eyes at the drawings. But I also admire big thinkers ― people who create a plan, evangelize it to the masses, work it endlessly and prove the naysayers wrong. Can you show me one good thing that naysayers have built?

I have my doubts about Matteson’s plan. But I’m also rooting for him.

A few days ago, I stopped to read a plaque at Will Rogers Gardens about Margaret Annis Boys. You may not know her name either. She was born in 1909 and spent her career as a teacher and principal in Oklahoma City. She loved taking weekend excursions to see wildflowers and foliage across the state.

When she died in 1990, she left $1.5 million to establish a fund to support beautification efforts. The arboretum at Will Rogers wasn’t built by a cynic or a naysayer. It was built by a humble, committed dreamer: Margaret Annis Boys.

Outside of City Hall is a statue of Stanley Draper. Like Ackerman, Draper was known for his Utopian ideas. Better yet, he had the fortitude and tenacity to make it happen. Much of Oklahoma City’s mid-century progress ― Tinker Air Force Base, Will Rogers World Airport, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum ― was because of Draper.

Fittingly, the inscription at the base is a quote from Ackerman: “He dreamed impossible dreams … then inspired and united all who could make them probable.”

Outside the Chesapeake Boathouse, on the west end of the district, is a statue of Ackerman himself, standing tall, arms crossed, gazing toward a downtown and a city that only the visionaries could ever imagine.

There’s not a statue of a cynic in sight.

Russ Florence
Russ Florence lives and works in Oklahoma City. His column appears monthly in Viewpoints.

Great article!

So because Ackerman had an idea that didn't come to fruition until 20+ years after he proposed it, and it wasn't even implemented by him, we should cut Matteson some slack? That's an odd argument.

Great article!

Sure if we ignore everything else we know about Matteson's resume.