New Downtown Arena

[Shortsyeararound]

I'm sure they are targeting people who vote in almost all the local OKC elections.

That describes me and my friends who have been getting all the mailings.

73162 and have received 5

[April in the Plaza]

If you actually knew them then you might get a feel for their level of loyalty. Because you haven’t heard things you might recognize as loyalty statements doesn’t mean they aren’t loyal. And loyalty isn’t just a yes/no proposition anyway.

that's a fair point. i just think there's a significant cohort of folks whom were fine with them playing hardball in Seattle, but hoped that --as native sons with substantial economic and social ties to OKC-- they wouldn't call the same play against their hometown.

[ditm4567]

I was really interested in that economist letter until I saw it was most likely penned by Cynthia Rogers at OU. I had her as a professor for multiple semesters; doesn’t think growth/change in any sense is a good idea. I was sitting in her lecture hall when the original OU bball arena was announced back in 2017/2018–was adamantly against that as well.

[PhiAlpha]

I was really interested in that economist letter until I saw it was most likely penned by Cynthia Rogers at OU. I had her as a professor for multiple semesters; doesn’t think growth/change in any sense is a good idea. I was sitting in her lecture hall when the original OU bball arena was announced back in 2017/2018–was adamantly against that as well.

Some (to be clear…not all) of those who can’t do, teach and all that.

[Rover]

that's a fair point. i just think there's a significant cohort of folks whom were fine with them playing hardball in Seattle, but hoped that --as native sons with substantial economic and social ties to OKC-- they wouldn't call the same play against their hometown.

What have they said that compares to what they said and did in Seattle? They brought a team to a much smaller, less profitable city and have fully invested in this community. What they have indicated here is that they need an improved venue to remain competitive in their industry. They are looking to see if the citizens want that industry enough to agree with them. If the citizens don’t care, then they must look at their long term future prospects and not determine IF they are loyal, but HOW MUCH it will cost them to be loyal and what the city has told them about its own loyalty.

[LocoAko]

Got both my first "pro-arena" content and "anti-arena" content, both promoted posts, on my Instagram feed yesterday. Thought that was interesting.

[chssooner]

Got an anti-arena text from the OKC chapter of BLM. Interesting.

[DowntownMan]

Got an anti-arena text from the OKC chapter of BLM. Interesting.

I got that as well. I think it says it was from “black votes matter”

Planning to early vote after work today as it’s convenient on my drive home. Voting yes

[Thunderbolt]

Article from today's Oklahoman on the campaigning for/against the arena, including the mailers: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...n/71755278007/

From the article:

Tyler Moore, the Keep OKC Big League campaign manager, said internal polling indicated high enthusiasm in favor of the arena proposal. Campaign supporters are busy in the final week before the election distributing signs and promotional materials to local restaurants and bars, Moore said, but staffers are careful to not assume voters would approve the proposal overwhelmingly.

“You know, any special election, I don’t like to dream too much of blowouts. It’s a smaller electorate, smaller universe, smaller turnout — that’s just how it’s gonna be,” Moore told The Oklahoman. “People are making a lot of predictions, but I think we’re going to be healthily over the margin.”

Voter turnout for special elections in Oklahoma City is historically lower than primary and general elections centered around high-profile politicians, and residents have often not shown up in high numbers even for local initiatives meant to directly improve the city. The ambitious MAPS 4 project passed in December 2019 with only 7% of the city population casting a ballot.

“People also forget that ... the third MAPS (proposal) barely passed, and I imagine it polled well then, too," Moore said. "So, we can’t just trust that and put it all in the poll — we’ve got to do everything we can and act like we’re behind regardless, so that’s what we’re working to do.”

[TheTravellers]

7% of the city population is a completely worthless number when it comes to voting. How about a percentage of voters registered in OKC? Still probably be horrendously small, but it'd be accurate.

[pickles]

Got an anti-arena text from the OKC chapter of BLM. Interesting.

The difference between liberals and progressives is that one side understands and accepts that there are trade offs in life and chooses to operate within that reality.

[Shortsyeararound]

Do we know why OKC BLM is anti arena?

[Jersey Boss]

Do we know why OKC BLM is anti arena?

The poster indicated the flyer came from Black Votes Matter. The question is, is this an actual group or is it disinformation?

[chssooner]

The poster indicated the flyer came from Black Votes Matter. The question is, is this an actual group or is it disinformation?

You are correct. I just noticed it was BVM. Not sure why they are anti, or if they truly are, just another group trying to spur no votes.

[Shortsyeararound]

The poster indicated the flyer came from Black Votes Matter. The question is, is this an actual group or is it disinformation?

gotcha

[Laramie]

Arrived at the County Election Board for the 8 a.m., opening, there were about 15 people inside filling out the green sheet you complete before they hand you a ballot.

Going to check back with friends and relatives who haven't voted; just in case someone needs a ride to the CEB.

[dankrutka]

The difference between liberals and progressives is that one side understands and accepts that there are trade offs in life and chooses to operate within that reality.

This is condescending. There are plenty of good reasons to vote for or against this proposal. You don't have to create some rationale that you're an enlightened "progressive" and they're naive "liberals" just because you disagree with someone else. It's also a weird way to use those terms that most people wouldn't recognize.

The most annoying aspect of this this thread is so many people's general unwillingness to listen to informed arguments without feeling the need to manufacture some unnecessary rationalization for their wrongness. There's a lot of fair points that people revolt against just because it doesn't agree with their conclusion. If you're going to join in a democratic discussion then at least make an attempt to recognize your motivated reasoning/confirmation bias.

[Shortsyeararound]

#6 flyer in today's mail

[LocoAko]

One of the arguments I'm now seeing put forth is that this is taking money out of MAPS4 and therefore MAPS4 money will no longer go toward O&M of the existing projects being built, which will now fall on nonprofits. That isn't true, is it? I thought MAPS4 had a separate trust built into it to support long-term maintenance after lessons learned from prior MAPS? So much misinformation abounds....

[chssooner]

One of the arguments I'm now seeing put forth is that this is taking money out of MAPS4 and therefore MAPS4 money will no longer go toward O&M of the existing projects being built, which will now fall on nonprofits. That isn't true, is it? I thought MAPS4 had a separate trust built into it to support long-term maintenance after lessons learned from prior MAPS? So much misinformation abounds....

Not one bit. Only $70 million meant to upgrade the Paycom is going to be deferred to the new arena. Nothing else will be impacted.

[Urbanized]

Some things you read are fair to chalk up to misinformation, while others fall more into the realm of DISinformation. Items such as the one paraphrased above would likely fall into the latter category.

[SagerMichael]

I think everybody can agree that financial reports have never shown stadiums to be good public investments. It’s also ok to acknowledge that ownership is putting a pretty raw deal out there (5%). Even so it’s ok to know all of that and not care because you’d like your tax dollars to go to a new shiny arena because you love the Thunder, the concerts, the added entertainment and development downtown. I’lll happily pay my tax dollars towards a cooler city

[Bill Robertson]

The GM of the Paycom center was on the Animal this afternoon. Talking about the current state of booking concerts. The promoters look at regions and book x number of venues in that region based on what venues stand to do best for their client. Paycom doesn't rate well by that standard. Hadn't heard it put that way before. He also pointed out the loading dock problem. Drake for instance will have double digit trailers. I think he said 14. The rock area can only accommodate 4. So 10 have to unload and go park somewhere else.
They asked what plan B was if this doesn't pass. There was a long pause before he said "There is no plan B".
Vote yes!!!

[Tyson]

I think everybody can agree that financial reports have never shown stadiums to be good public investments. It’s also ok to acknowledge that ownership is putting a pretty raw deal out there (5%). Even so it’s ok to know all of that and not care because you’d like your tax dollars to go to a new shiny arena because you love the Thunder, the concerts, the added entertainment and development downtown. I’lll happily pay my tax dollars towards a cooler city

That's what's interesting about economic professors speaking for all taxpayers by stating that the investment provides "far too little benefit in return" without going into much detail why. Taxpayers are voting for what they want to improve the quality of living which is why that's a major benefit.

[Anonymous.]

Some things you read are fair to chalk up to misinformation, while others fall more into the realm of DISinformation. Items such as the one paraphrased above would likely fall into the latter category.

I am seeing a lot of social media comments on the topic continuing to cite that voting YES will cost OKC residents $1600 each. Which of course, is entirely inaccurate.

This is across all platforms from reddit to Facebook and IG.