https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/06/29/okc-resort-adventure-district-cabins-rv-park-plans/70362912007/

From a recent meeting agenda:


$3,800,000 from Tax Increment District
No. 9 Retail and Commercial Development budget category in support of The Block405
Resort Project located at 3601 N. I*35 Service Road in Oklahoma City, which project
consists of the redevelopment of approximately 42 acres of property and total investment of
$32,500,000 to include 200 RV slips, 45 cabins, 4 train cars, 6 treehouses, 13,000 sq ft of
retail space, a welcome center, event center, restaurant, and outdoor recreation facilities.


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/block405a.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/block405c.jpg

Very cool, love this close element by Remington and the Softball HOF stadium complex along with the Zoo.

Cool. This will be a big hit given the surrounding attractions.

I wounder how the folks at Twin Fountains RV Park feel about this moving in right down the road from them? This development has much more attractions on site and all around

This is wonderful. Hopefully they hold true to their promise to minimize the elimination of trees, and hopefully they will do everything possible to protect that watershed.

This is wonderful. Hopefully they hold true to their promise to minimize the elimination of trees, and hopefully they will do everything possible to protect that watershed.

And they are working with Hilton and their Tapestry brand. That will also help a lot.

I wounder how the folks at Twin Fountains RV Park feel about this moving in right down the road from them? This development has much more attractions on site and all around

I don't see why they wouldn't be able to coexists. Twin Fountains is more like a RV parking spot that just happens to have extra amenities. While this new potential development is specifically targeting people who want a resort like stay.

Seems like it should be a nice boost to the Oklahoma Railway Museum next door as well. ORM has a cool vision for their grounds, so this could spur them along some.

Probably should have at least Googled the guy before you do a front-page story about a grandiose development plan; I was going to post about this guy but didn't want to be negative:

Developer seeking $3.8 million from city has history of unpaid debts, financial disputes (https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/06/29/okc-warned-developer-adventure-district-resort-legal-troubles/70371226007/)

The plot thickens. No way should OKC green light this, as cool as it seems. The tiger's already shown his stripes.

Well so much for this development. Did Steve write the first Oklahoma article? Behind a paywall so I can check myself.

If they do give him that money, there HAS to be a clawback provision of some kind.

Seems like it should be a nice boost to the Oklahoma Railway Museum next door as well. ORM has a cool vision for their grounds, so this could spur them along some.
Per this article the Railway Museum is planning upgrades and an expansion within the next 10 years: https://www.news9.com/story/649e1f51169fd87c6438527f/we-are-really-excited-with-how-the-adventure-district-is-going:-new-projects-coming-to--ne-okc

Here’s an article with some more renderings. Would be cool if this guy actually pulled it off: https://okcfox.com/news/local/block-405-oklahoma-city-adventure-district-rv-slips-cabins-train-cars-treehouses-square-feet-retail-recreation-joanna-mcspadden-cornerstone-architecture-skyline-ink-tax-incrament-funding#

Here’s an article with some more renderings. Would be cool if this guy actually pulled it off: https://okcfox.com/news/local/block-405-oklahoma-city-adventure-district-rv-slips-cabins-train-cars-treehouses-square-feet-retail-recreation-joanna-mcspadden-cornerstone-architecture-skyline-ink-tax-incrament-funding#

Please read the article above. Seems like a big mistake. The guy has a checkered past to say the least.

Please read the article above. Seems like a big mistake. The guy has a checkered past to say the least.

I mean, a lot of very prominent developers have checkered pasts. I'm never one to disqualify someone for their past. There just need to be safeguards to shield the city in case he repeats them.

I hope he can pull this off. But if he doesn't, and the past repeats itself, the city should be able to recoup money spent. There have been NO developers ever looking at doing anything like this, or any other type of development, in the Adventure District, in years. So he needs to at least be given some benefit of the doubt. But also on a leash, and not able to just get free money with no strings, so I agree with you on that.

I mean, a lot of very prominent developers have checkered pasts. I'm never one to disqualify someone for their past. There just need to be safeguards to shield the city in case he repeats them.

I hope he can pull this off. But if he doesn't, and the past repeats itself, the city should be able to recoup money spent. There have been NO developers ever looking at doing anything like this, or any other type of development, in the Adventure District, in years. So he needs to at least be given some benefit of the doubt. But also on a leash, and not able to just get free money with no strings, so I agree with you on that.

But how would the city be able to recoup anything if what he's quoted as saying in the article is true? Yes, that's in 2022, but tiger, stripes, etc.

A developer seeking $3.8 million in tax increment financing for a camping resort in northeast Oklahoma City testified in a 2022 court case that he was “completely lacking any assets having surrendered everything to various creditors throughout the years” and that he had no bank account and “no cash other than what was within his wallet.”

But how would the city be able to recoup anything if what he's quoted as saying in the article is true? Yes, that's in 2022, but tiger, stripes, etc.

A developer seeking $3.8 million in tax increment financing for a camping resort in northeast Oklahoma City testified in a 2022 court case that he was “completely lacking any assets having surrendered everything to various creditors throughout the years” and that he had no bank account and “no cash other than what was within his wallet.”

I'm saying they shouldn't pay him until costs have been incurred and paid. Almost a reimbursement loan.

I'm saying they shouldn't pay him until costs have been incurred and paid. Almost a reimbursement loan.

The quote from Mayor Holt is that no city monies are paid until project is finished and they are rebated after taxes are paid. Now, Pete has a better understanding than I, so I'm sure he knows the truth.

I mean, a lot of very prominent developers have checkered pasts. I'm never one to disqualify someone for their past. There just need to be safeguards to shield the city in case he repeats them.

I hope he can pull this off. But if he doesn't, and the past repeats itself, the city should be able to recoup money spent. There have been NO developers ever looking at doing anything like this, or any other type of development, in the Adventure District, in years. So he needs to at least be given some benefit of the doubt. But also on a leash, and not able to just get free money with no strings, so I agree with you on that.

OKC is a great place for a scam. People are endlessly forgiving of people who usually don't deserve it.

When people show you who they are, believe them.

OKC is a great place for a scam.

I've considered writing a book or at least a series of articles with this title.

It's a familiar pattern: Somebody with a checkered past contacts the Oklahoman who is more than happy to do some rosy article without doing any research or fact-checking. The scammers use the story to validate what they are doing and promote their scam. (Teemco, Farmer's Bank, Relax Park... many more).

OKC is a great place for a scam. People are endlessly forgiving of people who usually don't deserve it.

When people show you who they are, believe them.

That's fair.

Well so much for this development. Did Steve write the first Oklahoma article? Behind a paywall so I can check myself.

He did. Just open the article in private browsing mode and you bypass most pay-walls. Not all, but most.

I mean, a lot of very prominent developers have checkered pasts. I'm never one to disqualify someone for their past. There just need to be safeguards to shield the city in case he repeats them.

I hope he can pull this off. But if he doesn't, and the past repeats itself, the city should be able to recoup money spent. There have been NO developers ever looking at doing anything like this, or any other type of development, in the Adventure District, in years. So he needs to at least be given some benefit of the doubt. But also on a leash, and not able to just get free money with no strings, so I agree with you on that.

Did you actually read the article? It's bad, man. No gray areas here.

Whether or not the $3.8 million is safe the issue is this person who apparently took advantage of poor people needing storm shelters is proposing to possibly endanger an important wilderness / wildlife area in OKC. He doesn't seem to be someone who keeps his word, to say the least, when you consider what is in the article.

This isn't an edge case here. This seems like a situation that OKC will need to back out of ASAP. The mayor's quote is quite telling. I doubt he would have even offered a statement if this was just a matter of a controversial developer.

Please read the article above. Seems like a big mistake. The guy has a checkered past to say the least.

The land is deeded to Central Urban Development LLC and is exempted from taxes? I'm not familiar with Central Urban Development. Is it basically OKC Urban Renewal Authority?

It doesn't appear that Adudell nor Wooley are the owners of the property yet. I have to wonder if the named partner John Wooley is either the father or son from Edmond?

It does sound like a very cool concept.

The land is deeded to Central Urban Development LLC and is exempted from taxes? I'm not familiar with Central Urban Development. Is it basically OKC Urban Renewal Authority?

It doesn't appear that Adudell nor Wooley are the owners of the property yet. I have to wonder if the named partner John Wooley is either the father or son from Edmond?

It does sound like a very cool concept.

It's owned by a nonprofit that has done a lot of home development in the JFK area of NE OKC.

Here is a story about them:

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/2019/04/14/okc-nonprofit-takes-high-quality-homes-where-commercial-developers-wouldnt/60461714007/

This was supposed to go to the Economic Council vote on the 18th I thought, but it didn't go. I wonder if it's postponed or if it's off the agenda for other reasons.

This was supposed to go to the Economic Council vote on the 18th I thought, but it didn't go. I wonder if it's postponed or if it's off the agenda for other reasons.

It was never officially on the agenda, so there was no action (like delaying/postponing) in yesterday's meeting.

It was on the agenda for the first round of approval, which was the 6/28 Northeast Renaissance Redevelopment Increment District Review
Committee (TIF) meeting.


Resolution of the Northeast Renaissance Redevelopment Increment District Review
Committee recommending approval of an allocation not to exceed $3,800,000 from Tax
Increment District No. 9 Retail and Commercial Development budget category in support
of The Block405 Resort Project located at 3601 N. I-35 Service Road in Oklahoma City,
which project consists of the redevelopment of approximately 42 acres of property and
total investment of $32,500,000 to include 200 RV slips, 45 cabins, 4 train cars, 6
treehouses, 13,000 sq ft of retail space, a welcome center, event center, restaurant, and
outdoor recreation facilities.
Presented by: Joanna McSpadden, Economic Development Program Manager
Motion: Butch Freeman, 2nd Ray Douglas to approve the Resolution.
Ayes: Mayor David Holt, Butch Freeman, Craig Woodruff, Aaron Collins, Ray
Douglas, John Pettis, Jr.
Nays: None
Absent: Scott Randall, Dr. Rick Cobb, Dr. Patrick McGough, Nick Gales, Avis
Scaramucci
Action: Resolution Approved.

Doesn't look like this is going forward; withdrew TIF request and developers 'are taking a step back to reevaluate'.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/08/25/okc-adventure-district-rv-resort-david-aduddell-fraud-accusations/70672302007/