As Bricktown transitions from entertainment district to neighborhood, there are going to be winners and losers as well as growing pains. Certain popular businesses such as nightclubs and certain types of bars will go away in favor of other types of businesses such as restaurants and retail. Economically this is good. Far more dollars will be spent at and far more customers will patronize a restaurant open 7 days per week than a nightclub open two nights. This will increase street traffic and the overall energy of the district being that there will be more people there. However, a city without a club scene is many times seen as a city with nothing to do, for better or for worse, especially by younger people. They are an important aspect of a city's nightlife. While some would be perfectly fine not having them at all, my hopes is another neighborhood will pick up where Bricktown left off. Where could that be though?

One thing a lot of other cities have is a one-stop "shopping mall" style entertainment venue, sometimes woven into the existing urban fabric and other times not, housing most of their club scene as well as some restaurants, retail, and live music establishments. Here are a few examples. All of these would be a step up from Bricktown today or anything currently in OKC.

Louisville: Fourth St Live



Kansas City: Power and Light District



Charlotte: Epicentre



Charlotte: NC Music Factory (Built into an abandoned mill)



Question is, would a development like one of the above work in OKC? Does anybody think it might be possible in the future here? I don't know what type of development Steve might be hinting at that would make Dallas and Kansas City jealous but my guess is it would be something like the images above. Maybe not though. Thoughts?