ENERGY TOWER proposed to rival the Eiffel Tower??

[foodiefan]

kevinpate. . .I vote we fly your balloon!!

[Karried]

A 1000 foot oil rig that sprayed water out the top every hour. It could be built on the river. At 1000 feet it would be visable across the entire metro area. An observation deck could be placed at the top. It would dwarf every other monument in America.

Kerry, yes! I do remember your oil derrick idea! Maybe it will happen.

[Midtowner]

I'd just like to see the state finish the triumphal arches which were originally designed to be built with the capitol building. Those were really something in concept.

As for this idea, I think it's kind of silly. If OKC were to have a World Expo, maybe (and maybe that should happen), but just to build this thing just because?

I would have preferred that giant Native American Statue that we passed on.

[brianinok]

This is true, but whatever the future is, it will be shaped by the impact the oil age has had, both good and bad. Actually, the fact that oil has a limited future is one reason such a monument makes sense. In that, as the source of energy is phased out by whatever forces, the need to remind people of its impact and the interest in the attraction as a novelty grows. Kind of like railroad museums (sort of bad example as railroad's are still important, but the magnitude of their impact on the world economy is often forgotten).

That's one reason was I was kind of serious when I suggested a museum... an energy museum. It would be kind of interesting, imo, to see how the abundance of energy from fossil fuels created this culture dependant on that energy and how that dependancy will be met in the future. There is no escaping that our world is the way it is today because of oil and that even a future without oil will be the way it is because oil literally fueled a rapid expansion and dependancy on technology that will need to be met by some other energy source. People of the future will no doubt lament many aspects of the oil legacy that they will inherit, but they will also owe a lot of the technology they'll enjoy to oil and there will be no escaping that oil will be very much a part of their heritage.

Ultimately, it's up to us today to provide the context for such a monument. Sure, if we continue to ignore the imminent pitfalls of oil dependancy, then it will simply be viewed as a monument to a reckless and irresponsible society who disregarded all of the readily apparent warnings because it was simply too inconvenient and uncomfortable to make the short term sacrifices neccessary to avoid destruction (we wouldn't be the first). However, it could as just as easily be viewed as a novel and significant icon to man's succsessful ability to adapt through reason and common experience to avoid a disaster of its own making... we still have a choice.

I agree.

This sounds like a great concept if done tastefully. It would be great to see nearby Humphreys' ferris wheel, and maybe some other along-the-river attractions, too.

[BFizzy]

What about a giant oil derrek made out of solar panels and wind turbines that powers the city's new light rail? That was supposed to be a joke, but actually that's not a bad idea (if it were feasible).

[AFCM]

I thought that was waiving wheat. Hmm.

That's the cool thing about art; it's all in the eyes of the beholder. I've only driven by a few times, mostly at night. Waving wheat does make geographical sense.

[Kerry]

Patrick - I remember you sending out those emails. I think we had even gotten a favorable response from the CEO of Kerr-McGee until he realized the size we were talking about. Instead they went with that 50 foot bell tower. If done with style I think this could be pretty cool but it would have to be way better than the image shown on TV.

[CuatrodeMayo]

This will make Dubai look classy.

[metro]

This will make Dubai look classy.

[bombermwc]

Id like to see some iconic structure with an observation deck and all, I'm just not sure an oil derrick is what I want to see.

[ultimatesooner]

we should just steal the space needle from Seattle

[OKCMallen]

I would have preferred that giant Native American Statue that we passed on.

Agreed.

[David Pollard]

Tacky, just tacky.

[Patchy Proot]

What an awesome idea! No sarcasm here, folks. A 900-1100 foot tall oil tower would be da bomb! It would be the tallest self supporting structure in middle america. Have it built over the Oklahoma River close to Bricktown. Boats would come up or down the river and dock right under it. Then one could take the elevator to the observation deck or the restaurant on top. Water could be pumped right out of the river to the top, and every hour on the hour the tower would gush with water that would shoot hundreds of more feet in the air! Some way and some how the water could be made to look like oil. There is no structure in the world that does this. Talk bout iconic! You would see the tower for miles as you approach the city from any direction. People would come from everywhere to see it!

Of course, it would have to be designed to look really cool and not a megalithic eyesore. Some of you may know, the Eiffel Tower was suppose to be temporary, but after a year or so the folks began to really like it and eventually it became the icon of Paris.

Remember my dear fellow citizens, this is OKLAHOMA, and it will always be no matter how many of you wish it wasn't. Anything that will bring the folks here to spend their money is fine for me and my business. Bring on the BIG GUSHER! Hey, that could be it's nickname: BIG GUSH.

I'm calling and sending emails to the powers that be to give my enthusiastic support. How about Maps III or IV for BIG GUSH?!

[Patrick]

Patrick - I remember you sending out those emails. I think we had even gotten a favorable response from the CEO of Kerr-McGee until he realized the size we were talking about. Instead they went with that 50 foot bell tower. If done with style I think this could be pretty cool but it would have to be way better than the image shown on TV.

That's back in the days when we were all of the Oklahoman's MAPS Forum together. I remember, it was me, you, Hot Rod, floater, Rob Anderson, and Keith. Hope I didn't leave anyone out. That was shortly after City Hall's talkback forum was shut down when Mark Gilmore stepped down as the city's webmaster. I remember, I was put down a lot at the time because I took Moshe Tal's side and was very anti-Randy Hogan. That was long before Lower Bricktown ever came about. People thought I was crazy at the time for opposing the selection of Randy Hogan.

It was actually the CEO of Phillips 66 at the time (that was before they merged) that expressed interest, but after he determined the size we were discussing, he bowed out. He used the excuse that they were giving a huge donation to the capitol dome. Luke Corbett was also interested, but didn't buy into the size of our plan. I actually had the form letters and drawings/renderings that I mailed out saved on my computer until just a few months ago, when I finally deleted all of it.

You came up with the idea of a big fountain on the top spraying out water. And we thought it could have a restaurant, observation deck, and Oklahoma museum at the top on two different levels. I can't remember what we had planned for the ground level. I was thinking it was either a garden, skate park, or pond. Can't remember.
Our thoughts at the time were at least 1000 feet in height.

Those were the days when we came up with all sorts of neat ideas. You remember Rob Anderson's Heartland Castle? And we proposed expanding the canal throughout the downtown area?

We were all dreamers at the time.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Nearly all of which were terrible.

[sgt. pepper]

I would have preferred that giant Native American Statue that we passed on.

Really! i made some comment a while back about how the american will bring much, much attention and tourist dollars to Tulsa and how i was upset that OKC passed it by like it was'nt anything, and people here jump all over me because they said it was dead and not to worry about it. Maybe it is dead, but to this day they are still collectiong money for it. i still think that is the coolest thing, and here we are now talking about a giant oil derreck. i just don't understand.

[Midtowner]

Really! i made some comment a while back about how the american will bring much, much attention and tourist dollars to Tulsa and how i was upset that OKC passed it by like it was'nt anything, and people here jump all over me because they said it was dead and not to worry about it. Maybe it is dead, but to this day they are still collectiong money for it. i still think that is the coolest thing, and here we are now talking about a giant oil derreck. i just don't understand.

Some people only think an idea is good if it's their idea.

Don't expect consistency

[FritterGirl]

I think much of the problem is that many people, especially on these Boards, want to see that Oklahoma, and especially Oklahoma City, have progressed beyond the hokum-Okie, bang 'em up, Cowboys and Indians oil barron vision that so many outsiders have of our state. The Grapes of Wrath days have long passed us, but people outside aren't willing to let that go. Heck, some on the inside aren't ready to let that go, either.

It's time to step outside the proverbial box and think beyond "oooh, an Oil Derrick," or "oooh, an Indian," or "oooh, a buffalo." It's not that they're not "iconic" to our heritage. They are. But we have enough of them already. It's time to look towards our future (whatever that may be) and develop "icons" that speak more to how we've evolved beyond our "Cowboy and Indian" ways.

It's as if our sense of "originality" stops at Western-inspired themes.

[bornhere]

Lately, our originality seems to stop at Dallas circa 1987.

Someone posted a link recently to James Howard Kunstler's speech at the TED conference, and as best as I can tell, hardly anyone bothered to look at it. Certainly no one commented on it. But Kunstler was talking about livable communities, not building th' biggest, tallest, shiniest, rootin' tootin' doodah on the prairie that would show all them east coast and west coast liberal latte-sippers what a Big League City® we are.

This 'energy tower' is just the kind of kitsch we don't need. It would be like building the world's largest Stuckey's or something.

[soonerguru]

I am 1000 percent against this idea. This seems like a Texas move. Eyesore is an understatement. It would be absolutely hideous.

It never ceases to amaze me some of the dumb ideas around here.

[okcitian]

It should be an oil derek with style, make it more futuristic, experimental, more like avant-garde. On the youtube video, It just looks way too plain to me, but it is better than nothing on the city skyline.

Regarding Dallas or Houston not having something like this is that, they are more established cities that doesn't need something like this too boost thier tourism dollars. Just watching the video, it is clearly seen that the economic impact on the cities tourism is stressed.

[mmonroe]

I got to thinking today.. could we try to be more like Seattle any more?

[Kerry]

I got to thinking today.. could we try to be more like Seattle any more?

Seattle is not the only city with an observation tower, nor were they the first.

[PennyQuilts]

I dunno. I also think the thing looks like an eyesore. Maybe I am not just seeing it. Sorry.