Jbrown, I take your point, but just how many more rooms can we support in our downtown. The Skirvin is opening within the next year, ditto the Colcord and the new (Hampton?) over there by Bass Pro. Once those come online, just how many more beds can downtown keep full on a regular basis? Now if we do end up scoring a NBA team and keep events churning through the Cox Arena and Ford Arena all the time...yes, but I'm not sure it's a 'lack of vision' keeping the investors out. Investors usually do have quite a bit of vision, when they can see the ROI. I guess I was referring to Office highrises earlier, I agree a high-rise hotel would be in order someday, but how many beds downtown would be empty 50 percent of the time? Stillwater, for example, has a microcosm of the same deal, there are a few events that can't happen there presently (NCAA regionals etc...) because they don't have enough hotel beds. On the other hand, for most of the year they'd sit 40 percent empty or worse until you build the constant demand up.

I disagree that "companies" do not have anything to do with it, we sure need some more anchor companies. We've lost Fleming, GM, KMG, did gain Riatta, some teleco centers, and the Dell facility, but there needs to be more companies and high-paying, professional jobs come in with them. Another thing would be to attract some of the financial world to relocate here, we've got a hell of a nice environment to sell, I don't care what anyone else says. Sure, there are many beautiful spots in our country, but OKC is an excellent place to live compared to many of them. We do have some stereotypes to live down, but so do a lot of other people.