NY Times: OKC Is Booming With Oil and a New Exuberance

[Doug Loudenback]

Doug, great shots!

Someone posted this (NY Times) on the Seattle Times Forum "NBA in Seattle." This was a plus in more ways than one for Oklahoma City.

Can't wait for National Geographic's Attraction to come out with on Monday.

Our image will take time to change. Reputable print from these types of media outlets really help. The NBA will help to boost our true image.

What attraction is that? Print? TV?

[edcrunk]

this only further confirms my theory that there is nothing wrong with capitalizing on our western heritage. i'm serious that people from new york want to come to an "exotic" locale where they can see people in trucks and cowboy hats, but still have a nice dinner at nonna's and stay in the luxurious skirvin.

[HOT ROD]

Yeah, WSUCougs is a good guy. You can't always assume something negative just because of their name tag or location.

I live in Seattle but Im probably one of hte biggest believers of OKC, as is WSUCougs - he loves and cares for OKC and was just thinking the article was a little 'fliffy' in his opinion.

I do agree somewhat - that the article didn't have a WHOLE LOT of substanance (where he could have really had some much more tangible OKC attractions listed) but it was from this reporter's point of view; and aside from the frequent notes about country-western bars/clubs, the National Cowboy Hall of Shame, and a few others - he was pretty well right on. We all know OKC is MUCH more than that - and im sure like many, I wish he could have wrote more about OKC's urban-ness,

but then again, he's coming from NYC - so he's looking for something different yet still Big City, and he found it in Oklahoma City. I think in that regard, it was well written and should be quite appealing to his NYC audience. When they get here, they'll see for themselves that OKC is quite urban as well - and deserves to be in the club of major cities of the US/World.

I see the article as - give Oklahoma City a chance, it just might impress you too.

[jbrown84]

If, in asking that, you are inquiring as to who PAID this journalist to write that article, then the answer is "nobody."

If you want to know how it came to pass that OKC got a glowing article in the NYT, then you can thank none other than the efforts of the dutiful staff of our local OKC CVB (Convention and Visitors' Bureau), who hosted the North American Travel Journalists Association at the end of June.

Over 100 travel journalists from across the US, and some from Canada, participated in the three-day event. The journalists visited the entire OKC metro area, including day trips as far as the Arcadia area, and down to Norman.

Just in case anybody thinks this is "cheating" or anything like that, I just want to make it clear that EVERY city does this. All the CVB's put together trips for multiple travel journalists at once. Some even hire PR firms to organize them.

this only further confirms my theory that there is nothing wrong with capitalizing on our western heritage. i'm serious that people from new york want to come to an "exotic" locale where they can see people in trucks and cowboy hats, but still have a nice dinner at nonna's and stay in the luxurious skirvin.

Well said. I thought the article was a pretty good balance of cosmo (Lobby Bar, RedPin, etc) with the "cowboys & indians" stuff. The latter is what really will get people interested, because it's something that is UNIQUE.

I've already booked three rooms from out-of-staters today BECAUSE they read this article. None of them have even been to Oklahoma before.

Very cool!

[jbrown84]

the National Cowboy Hall of Shame,

Excuse me? Have you been there?

[Doug Loudenback]

Can't wait for National Geographic's Attraction to come out with on Monday.

What attraction is that? Print? TV?

Bump.

Does anyone know about the National Geographic item mentioned? I've googled but came up empty.

[soonerguru]

It's too bad this didn't run in Sunday's Times. Still, great PR for our city. Expect much more of this in the future.

[Luke]

Bump.

Does anyone know about the National Geographic item mentioned? I've googled but came up empty.

Found this...

Sat August 9, 2008
Oklahoma scene

More national praise for Oklahoma City
The September issue of National Geographic ADVENTURE magazine lists Oklahoma City as one of the 50 next great adventure towns in which to live and play.

"The NBA's bid to relocate here was a smart play,” the magazine states. "Okies have 78 miles of city trails, a Farmer's Public Market and 3,000 annual hours of sunshine. And the Army Corps of Engineers' recent overhaul has made the Oklahoma River a mecca for elite water sports.”

The magazine goes on sale next week.

From: Oklahoma scene | NewsOK.com

[wsucougz]

Yeah, WSUCougs is a good guy. You can't always assume something negative just because of their name tag or location.

I live in Seattle but Im probably one of hte biggest believers of OKC, as is WSUCougs - he loves and cares for OKC and was just thinking the article was a little 'fliffy' in his opinion.

cool, thx.

[HOT ROD]

Excuse me? Have you been there?

Yes, it's a fine museum but a horrible name. I was making a ploy with the name.

and even though they got rid of the Hall of Fame (shame) crap - it still says cowboy museum (so hence my ploy with keeping Hall of Shame).

I don't understand why they don't just call it, National Western Heritage Museum *and make it part of the Smithsonian. .....

I mean, calling it Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum or Cowboy Hall of Fame would make sense if it were located in Stockyard's City (where it would be the showcase attraction to the THEME district).

Until they drop the 'cowboy' altogether, I will still mock it and call it Hall of Shame. But it is a great museum nonetheless - we/OKC just need to call it that.

[Doug Loudenback]

From: Oklahoma scene | NewsOK.com

Thanks, Luke.

[edcrunk]

Until they drop the 'cowboy' altogether, I will still mock it and call it Hall of Shame. But it is a great museum nonetheless - we/OKC just need to call it that.

it is a museum mostly about cowboys...

[Doug Loudenback]

It would be a good thing for those of you who mock the museum, or it's name, to recall that it was not all that easy for this city to host this museum over the track of its history, but, more, to go there for a visit. That may change your thoughts about the matter. It was not set up to be a "Native American" museum. It's origins were "Cowboy," but its scope is much broader, these days.

That said, the Native American Cultural Center, developing along I-40 at Eastern, will not likely include "cowboys." Is it not possible for some sense of balance to occur?

Go there, spend a day, and see if you don't have some different thoughts.

[dismayed]

It's official name is the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

[blangtang]

it would be cool if our little energy centric companies boom was based on issuance of options in the equity markets for low hangers-that way some lowly sap desk jockeys could be raking it in like the silicon valley desk jockeys of the past boom.

it seems the energy boom is benefiting long lost out of state/country investors in energy as much as local owners. i would be happy if the equity appreciation were spread more broadly, but it seems to be really localized and reinvested in things like the devon tower and the chk campus.

plus damn CHK took a huge swan dive after riding up on that recent NG price wave. very volatile!

spread it around before it is gone! N E way, we are lucky, reinvest and bring greater dividends, help move OK forward!

[traxx]

Yes, it's a fine museum but a horrible name. I was making a ploy with the name.

and even though they got rid of the Hall of Fame (shame) crap - it still says cowboy museum (so hence my ploy with keeping Hall of Shame).

I don't understand why they don't just call it, National Western Heritage Museum *and make it part of the Smithsonian. .....

I mean, calling it Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum or Cowboy Hall of Fame would make sense if it were located in Stockyard's City (where it would be the showcase attraction to the THEME district).

Until they drop the 'cowboy' altogether, I will still mock it and call it Hall of Shame. But it is a great museum nonetheless - we/OKC just need to call it that.

I don't understand the knock against cowboys or the cowboy image. I have to agree with ed, we need to embrace and promote our western heritage and use it to our advantage. The large cities in Texas have certainly cultivated the cowboy image to their advantage. And they also have urban and cosmopolitan attractions as well.

We are who we are. We'll never be NYC, just like L.A. won't ever be like NYC. We shouldn't be ashamed of who we are. There's nothing wrong with cowboys. There's plenty of hard working people out there who've made their way being cowboys.

If you have a problem with cowboys, maybe Oklahoma (and the Southwest) isn't for you.

[HOT ROD]

Im not ashamed of being from Oklahoma or the Cowboy Hall of Shame,

but I think we could come up with a better name for it. Lots of museums have western artifacts and cowboy stuff, but why do we have 'cowboy' as the name for ours?

In Texas, they usually have a theme district or neighbourhood for their western heritage or artifacts. If we had the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in the StockYard's City area, then I'd be all for it; since that area is Western Themed. But, given its location in the Adventure District - and the fact that OKC is trying to be more Tier II city - then the name is ridiculous and small time.

I think "National Western Heritage Museum" sounds World Class, inserting 'cowboy' into the name brings it down into small-time. You don't have to advertise what's inside of the museum in the name, to me that just brings it down.

Again, I only mock the name not the museum or history itself. I tell everyone Im from OKC - this usually changes their opinion of OKC if they had a negative one.

[Luke]

Weird. When I hear the word "cowboy" I don't automatically think negative thoughts.

[edcrunk]

I tell everyone Im from OKC - this usually changes their opinion of OKC if they had a negative one.

WOW! the tourism department should hire you and send you abroad (not just seattle). they could pay you to hang out and tell people you're from okc. better yet... they could clone you and send the clones all over the world. that'd be awesome!!!

[jbrown84]

In Texas, they usually have a theme district or neighbourhood for their western heritage or artifacts. If we had the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in the StockYard's City area, then I'd be all for it; since that area is Western Themed. But, given its location in the Adventure District - and the fact that OKC is trying to be more Tier II city - then the name is ridiculous and small time.

I think "National Western Heritage Museum" sounds World Class, inserting 'cowboy' into the name brings it down into small-time. You don't have to advertise what's inside of the museum in the name, to me that just brings it down.

Again, I only mock the name not the museum or history itself. I tell everyone Im from OKC - this usually changes their opinion of OKC if they had a negative one.

If you think it's a long and clunky name, I can kind of agree, but other than that I disagree with you.

[traxx]

Weird. When I hear the word "cowboy" I don't automatically think negative thoughts.

Yeah, I don't think cowboy has a negative connotation like say okie does. It's like someone said earlier, cowboys are part of what we're known for and when tourists come here they want to see cowboys and our western heritage.

It's like when someone goes to Chicago they want to see old gangster hang outs and artifacts and gangsters have a far more negative connotation than cowboys. But I don't see Chicago shying away from that. It's part of their history.

It doesn't sound small time at all. Cowboys are nothing to be ashamed of. Again, it's part of Oklahoma so maybe Oklahoma is just not for you. It's a good thing you moved to Seattle. That seems to be a lot more your speed, hot rod.

[Lil'PlateBreaker]

I've already booked three rooms from out-of-staters today BECAUSE they read this article. None of them have even been to Oklahoma before.

well aren't you just the luxurious extreme oil reservationalist, ha ha ha, no but on a serious note, I agree I also have booked because of this article

[MartzMimic]

My apologies, Cougz.

[Millie]

I don't understand the knock against cowboys or the cowboy image. I have to agree with ed, we need to embrace and promote our western heritage and use it to our advantage. The large cities in Texas have certainly cultivated the cowboy image to their advantage. And they also have urban and cosmopolitan attractions as well.

We are who we are. We'll never be NYC, just like L.A. won't ever be like NYC. We shouldn't be ashamed of who we are. There's nothing wrong with cowboys. There's plenty of hard working people out there who've made their way being cowboys.

If you have a problem with cowboys, maybe Oklahoma (and the Southwest) isn't for you.

Thank you traxx. This- especially your last line- was the best post I've ever seen here.

[jbrown84]

well aren't you just the luxurious extreme oil reservationalist, ha ha ha,

What??