In this thread we say nice things about OKC

[Patrick]

Say nice things about OKC.

[floater]

In OKC you have:

skyscrapers + blue skies in downtown OKC
a real Asian district and not some strip mall version of it
an effective city government that manages $$$ well
a relatively unified city agenda
Braums ice cream, burgers, and fries
a 30 minute commute to anywhere in the city
fairly easy mile block grid
more affordable housing than anywhere else in the country
a preservation underway of its most historic hotel property
a nice canal with trees and landscaping
a nice lake with a trail and restaurants
clean air!
nice people
colorful buffaloes grazing in the city
a city that with upward momentum and attitude -- it's not just about keeping up, but getting ahead

[Karried]

In OKC you have some of the Best Fans in the NBA!

Nationally seen and complimented repeatedly - Loud City.

We couldn't have paid for better national coverage.

Go Hornets!

[John]

Karried stole my thunder!

Oklahoma City will be home to the Hornets for the forseeable future.

[BDP]

For all it's sprawl and strip malls, OKC has begun to balance it with a rejuvenated core and a renewed sense of history and community. Bricktown, Mesta Park, the Montgomery, OKCMOA, and the Asian District have shown that not only do some of our forgotten areas still have value, they actually have the ability to be the center of our best attractions and the very parts that give our city an identity of its own created by the people and not outside investors or developers. Once the "gaps" are filled at mid-town, uptown, and more and more the Paseo, OKC will have one of the best core historic districts for living, working and playing in the southwest (Midwest for MrAnderson, although it may not rival some areas in the old Midwest).

Anyway, I know that the city has changed more for the better since I moved back in 1999 than it ever did in the 18 years I spent growing up here. The best part of it all is a sense of belief among its people. A sense that we now actually live in a city with character and not just one big sprawling subdivision with no center like I grew up in.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

OKC is the easiest place in the known universe to make a left turn. . . . best left turn signals in any city I have ever visited. Short drive times from anywhere to anywhere else in town. Short drive to Dallas, Fort Worth or Kansas City, short hop to Houston, anywhere in Florida and the great northwest. OKCMOA for art, films and cocktails on the skyline. Home to The Spring Arts Festival and deadCENTER Film Festival.

[Patrick]

One of the finest minor league ballparks in the country....even nicer than some major league ballparks I've been to.

[okcpulse]

These are the things I miss most about Oklahoma City, and what I can't wait to come back home to...

Running along Lake Hefner.


Yes, The Woodlands, TX has trails all over the place, but Lake Hefner to me is a special place. It's a lake of romance, nature, excitement and dining. It's a lake where you can watch birds, enjoy a beautiful sunset, watch the sail boats pass by the northwest business district's high rise buildings, view the storms coming in from the west and see the traffic meander along the gentle curves of Lake Hefner Parkway.

Cruising Around OKC

Something else you can't do in Houston. You'll get stuck in traffic. I always enjoyed cruising OKC, coasting along Lake Hefner Parkway, crawl through Bricktown during any one of its busy Fridays and watch the crowds living up the nightlife, and fly above the city on the Centennial Expressway Bridge enjoying the distant views of the lit up towers to the northwest and the sparkling red lights dancing on the cluster of TV masts that reach the height of the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Reggae Fest

I know Houston has one of these. I'm sure almost every city does. But Bricktown is where it's at for me, listening to live reggae beneath the very skyline I grew up with, and taking my lady along the waterway for a stroll, talking about all of the great things to come for our city.

Watching the local news and weather

These news casts are like family to me. I grew up watching their news. And everyone in Oklahoma knows the weather. So what if there are too many interruptions. Here in Texas, you're lucky if you get a warning. The map is only thrown up on the screen when the storm is less than forty miles away. And Oklahoma City's local news casts don't act stiff, formal and over professional. The folks over at News 9 make you feel at home. After all, there's nothing like listening to Gary England command 'Get Val on the gentner'.

The feel of Oklahoma spring

I never realized until now the excitement springtime can bring to our city. The bradford pear trees give a beautiful white bloom. People pack the parks. Storm chasers get ready for another season. It's a drastic change from winter, and everyone feels it. Seasons in Oklahoma don't come and go quietly. That's what makes it exciting.

Blazers and RedHawks Games

I never had the opportunity to go to a Hornets game. I really wanted to, and I am saddened a couldn't go this season. I will definitely be there next season. But the Oklahoma City Blazers holds a special place in me and my wife's heart. It was, after all, the place of our first date, and she was a fan instantly. Soon before we knew it, we got her Bartlesville cousin hooked, who is now an Oklahoma City fan. The Oklahoma City Blazers were our entertainment, and we enjoyed every game, shouting at the opposing team "And They Still Suck!" after they went full strength and cheering on Marty Standish in one of his many fisticuffs. Oklahoma City got me hooked in hockey.

The RedHawks are a part of my life. I watched them play as the 89ers at the old All Sports Stadium, where my friends and I slid down the grassy hill in what cardboard we could find. Then the Ballpark opened, and the city got on its feet. On opening day of the Bricktown Ballpark, I felt a change in the city, and I knew we were forever different. It felt good to be a part of that. It still feels good.

Oklahoma Gazette

Every Wednesday I looked forward to picking up a new copy of the Oklahoma Gazette to see what other controversy they'll dive into. I loved the way the articles are written. I love the content. And I love the sarcasm that reflects who I am.

Braum's Ice Cream

I am now stuck with national mass-produced ice cream brands. It's been Blue Bell and Ben & Jerry's since January. Even the burgers are awesome. My brother-in-aw agrees with me about Braum's, and he's been in Houston for sixteen years.

Opening Night

I came downtown almost every year for this. It felt great going downtown and watch the entire community get together to ring in the new year.

I have a lot to look forward to on my visits back to Oklahoma. We will be getting an Oklahoma City hotel, being in town as tourists. I will return one day soon as a resident. Oh, and I won't forget to buy a few Oklahoma Lottery tickets. My wife and I plan on being at the Bricktown Ballpark to watch the RedHawks bat it out with New Orleans. Ahh, I am counting the days.