New State Fair Coliseum

[jedicurt]

ice... i saw something about ice... maybe a hockey configuration could work? a nice smaller venue that provides a long term location for an ECHL team? since that is why they said the Cox center wouldn't work?

[Bullbear]

Maps has done great things for the city but its looking more and more like it will die when we vote for MAPS4. It's not that I think this project isn't a good idea but like many others have said I don't think it needs to be part of MAPS and with the other projects Pete mentioned that may be included we might just see MAPS end.

[David]

I'm generally 'vote for the good and bad to get the good' with regards to MAPS, but shoveling more money at the unaccountable State Fair grounds would test that.

If they want this included it should come with opening their meeting minutes to public records requests.

[Plutonic Panda]

The 3 big projects the Chamber seems to be behind are:

1. State Fair Coliseum
2. Energy Soccer Stadium
3. I-235 Innovation Link cap


Not sure what else is going to end up being included, but none of those 3 seem to be very popular.

With these details of the new arena, I really like it. I just hope we don't cheap out and not include landscaping. I would like to see a stipulation that new improvements to the fairgrounds such as bringing back the space needle, parking structures, various renovations, and such things in order for this project to receive MAPS funding but I'm not so sure how that would work.

As for the other things, I like the park cap as proposed and would support it. I can see why others wouldn't. I want more details about a future soccer stadium. I think it is time to focus MAPS outside of downtown now. A big shiny project for the southside and other suburban areas getting something more than the typical trails and sidewalks, which still should be included. Metro rail(NOT STREETCAR!!!) should be looked at or perhaps commuter rail could be funded at least for the portion in OKC city limits.

[stile99]

I don't know if some of you realize how huge the horse industry is here.

Not huge enough to pay for their own coliseum, it would appear.

[Laramie]

Maximum seating capacity 9,350? You will not attract 6A; you will lose all high school basketball to Tulsa (Mabee Center: 10,554–11,300/TU's Reynolds Center 8,355). We would like to at least rotate the 6A, 5A and 4A basketball tournaments between Tulsa & Oklahoma City.

This new arena will not be friendly to 4A thru 6A high school basketball--will lose these to Tulsa. The 5,500 minimum permanent seating capacity is cosy fan-friendly to the horse shows that would look like a sparse crowd in a 14,000 seat Fort Worth Dixie's Arena.

Hoping OKC could bring back ice hockey since our two ECHL rivals Wichita & Tulsa currently average 5,,520 & 5,470 respectively: http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendan...L2004&sid=2019

It's one thing to keep ice hockey from The Peake because the Thunder doesn't want an ice plant in the arena; it's another to build a new arena at State Fair Park lock ice hockey and high school basketball out because the horse-show industry doesn't want basketball or ice hockey included.

We need an arena that will accommodate at least 13,000 with floor level permanent chair-back seating of 7,000 with an upper deck (6,000) when upper deck is in use to cater to a full house of 13,000 for basketball & 11,500 for ice hockey. This would bring back 6A high school basketball & ECHL to OKC to accommodate minor league ice hockey (with an ice plant).

If this current plan is in stone; we need to remodel the Cox Convention Center's Arena to accommodate ice hockey & G-League Basketball--with new seats, cup holders lowering the seating capacity to 12,000. It will cost more to demolish the Cox Convention Center Arena than to renovate the arena section with new 22 inch seats-cup holders (current 19 inch seats)--lower the seating capacity to 13,000 basketball & 11,500 ice hockey.



Guthrie, if you're listening: There's a market for the 7,233-seat Lazy-E arena to upgrade, install an ice plant & 4,000 chair back seats installed in the lower or middle sections; bring ice hockey to the Guthrie-Edmond area; this is a no lose situation. You'll get support from Oklahoma City ice hockey fans.

[Laramie]

I realize the impact pros for the horse-show industry to have a smaller competitive version of the Fort Worth Dixie's Arena to keep our horse shows here. The PBR would still be held in The Peake.

It's sad to come to the real conclusion that our 440 acre State Fair Park will be repurposed for the Horse-show industry, Gun shows (Bennett Events Center), a real theme to the Old Wild Wild West .

In keeping with the Old Wild Wild West theme, OKC may want to consider luring Frontier City's relocation to the State Fair Park, it would attract more people off I-35 to I-40 to Frontier City Amusement Park at State Fair Park; also be an attraction for the horse shows/events planned for the new arena.

Incorporate Frontier City to run the State Fair of Oklahoma; dissolve The State Fair Board Trust .

We could move the entire amusement park to the 440 acres fairgrounds; keep the park open for a longer season--Frontier City would be closer to White Water Bay its affiliate. What a great back or fore drop this would be for a nationally televised Thunder game.

[OKCRT]

Let the State Fair folks build this if they want a new horse barn.

[BoulderSooner]

these are city owned facilities. They are the cities to build. And those that want addition events at the fair grounds this will increase those And wthout this the fair grounds will lose events.

[Laramie]

Let the State Fair folks build this if they want a new horse barn.

You know they don't have any funds, these old cronies as a collective trust are broke; the annual Oklahoma State Fair attracts less attendees than it did in the 70s. If they did have a nest egg, they would have built an arena & a barn long time ago. They barely could afford to patch the roof of the Norick State Fair Arena. All large seating facilities (Arenas--The Peak, SFA, Civic Center Music Hall) should operate under the Umbrella of SMG who could pull events from their year round circuit.

Oklahoma City needs a year round attraction to State Fair Park like Frontier City; allow them to operate the annual State Fair of Oklahoma; build a new Space Tower, monorail, fancy entrance and operate a longer amusement park season.

[Pete]

these are city owned facilities. They are the cities to build. And those that want addition events at the fair grounds this will increase those And wthout this the fair grounds will lose events.

City could issue revenue bonds on behalf of the fairgrounds.

[BoulderSooner]

City could issue revenue bonds on behalf of the fairgrounds.

They could but maps is a more fiscally responsible way if it is viable

[Laramie]

Let the State Fair folks build this if they want a new horse barn.

You know they don't have any funds; the annual Oklahoma State Fair attracts less attendees than it did in the 70s. If they did they would have built an arena & a barn long time ago. They barely could afford the patch the roof of the Norick State Fair Arena.

City could issue revenue bonds on behalf of the fairgrounds.

Great Idea!

Oklahoma City needs a year round attraction to State Fair Park like Frontier City; allow them to operate the annual State Fair of Oklahoma; build a new Space Tower, monorail, fancy entrance and operate a longer amusement park season in conjunction with the Oklahoma State Fair.

[jedicurt]

They could but maps is a more fiscally responsible way if it is viable

what i was going to say as well...

[Pete]

They could but maps is a more fiscally responsible way if it is viable

Of course because they get taxpayers to foot the entire bill.

[jedicurt]

Of course because they get taxpayers to foot the entire bill.

well i mean the city only generates money in so many ways and almost all of them are through taxpayers... so even if they do a revenue bond, it will still be taxpayers paying for it

[Pete]

well i mean the city only generates money in so many ways and almost all of them are through taxpayers... so even if they do a revenue bond, it will still be taxpayers paying for it

Using existing taxation, not new.

By the same logic, we shouldn't have used bonds for the $1B streets project; should just raise taxes by that amount.

[jedicurt]

Using existing taxation, not new.

By the same logic, we shouldn't have used bonds for the $1B streets project; should just raise taxes by that amount.

i was just saying that saying that it isn't being paid by tax payers is wrong... not saying it was the right or wrong method. i do know that atleast with Maps, it gets people who aren't OKC residents to also be contributing to it. and, if someone truly doesn't support it, it's the easiest form to try and avoid... simply shop elsewhere

[jn1780]

Open up the state fair accounting books and present a road map for the future then will talk. Wasting my time trying to get my vote until they do so.

[Zuplar]

The 3 big projects the Chamber seems to be behind are:

1. State Fair Coliseum
2. Energy Soccer Stadium
3. I-235 Innovation Link cap


Not sure what else is going to end up being included, but none of those 3 seem to be very popular.

If this ends up being true, which I fear it will, I will be voting no.

And I have a feeling I won't be alone. A failure to pass MAPS4 could doom Holt as mayor as well.

[jedicurt]

If this ends up being true, which I fear it will, I will be voting no.

And I have a feeling I won't be alone. A failure to pass MAPS4 could doom Holt as mayor as well.

for me, i don't really care about the other projects, as long as the one i do support is in there... and that is massive expansion of the streetcar system

[BoulderSooner]

for me, i don't really care about the other projects, as long as the one i do support is in there... and that is massive expansion of the streetcar system

This idea is a genius of maps

[kevin lee]

He won't necessarily fail it this doesn't pass. You take the temperature of the room. Redraft the proposal. Revote on the revised projects later. Im sure that's what would've happened before, if a vote failed. The fact that it's passed every time is a miracle.

[BoulderSooner]

Maps is for large capital building projects that benefit Okc. This is exactly that

[Pete]

Maps is for large capital building projects that benefit Okc. This is exactly that

Other cities use revenue bonds for this same purpose. In fact, OKC is the exception.

And reminder that they are talking about adding lots of things to MAPS 4 that aren't large capital projects, such fund for mental health and an endowment for other things.