Mayor Cornett on new convention center

[Oil Capital]

Convention Centers are a necessary evil. And unfortunately, whoever has the biggest and best tend to get the most business. The current center is in no way big or the best. Hopefully, city staff can make the new convention center's footprint blend better with its surroundings. I'm really worried about the huge void of activity this will create being a physical/psychological barrier on the proposed park's east side. Maybe they can incorporate some ground floor retail to make it a little more inclusive to the area.

That is precisely why the concept for the new convention center has, from the beginning, called for the front to be lined with townhouses and/or retail space facing the park.

[betts]

That is precisely why the concept for the new convention center has, from the beginning, called for the front to be lined with townhouses and/or retail space facing the park.

And/or why some of us would like to see the Convention Center in the old cotton mill area, where the facade of the building is less important.

[andy157]

Why not locate the convention center on the Meridian corridor, where it really belongs. A location on the river, easy highway access, close to the airport, with lots of restuarants, bars, gentlemen's clubs, and retail shopping, and hotels

[TaurusNYC]

Has anyone considered putting the convention center on the west side of the central park? The CBD is getting pretty full (i.e., not many vacant lots left), and I see the area southwest of downtown as the area where new growth could occur. A convention center and new hotels would have planty of space over there and could simulate growth in that direction.

[Patrick]

Why not locate the convention center on the Meridian corridor, where it really belongs. A location on the river, easy highway access, close to the airport, with lots of restuarants, bars, gentlemen's clubs, and retail shopping, and hotels

So we've invested all of this money on downtown now, and Bricktown, and you're wanting to put the convention center in the ghetto Meridian "motel" district? I couldn't disagree more. Makes all of the money we've invested downtown completely pointless. The convention center needs to be downtown, in close proximity with the 3-4 star hotels we have down there, and Bricktown, and all of the attractions it has to offer.

[PLANSIT]

Has anyone considered putting the convention center on the west side of the central park? The CBD is getting pretty full (i.e., not many vacant lots left), and I see the area southwest of downtown as the area where new growth could occur. A convention center and new hotels would have planty of space over there and could simulate growth in that direction.

Because you want to stimulate activity in Bricktown. Putting the CC that far away from your established restaurant/entertainment district wouldn't be ideal.

[mugofbeer]

Because you want to stimulate activity in Bricktown. Putting the CC that far away from your established restaurant/entertainment district wouldn't be ideal.

..... and with the ability to completely pre-plan this area, we have the opportunity to put it in an ideal location.

[PLANSIT]

..... and with the ability to completely pre-plan this area, we have the opportunity to put it in an ideal location.

One would hope.

[Larry OKC]

betts & I both seem to recall seeing renderings of the Convention Center that for faced by residential townhouse type. Think it was over in Steve's blog but cant relocate now. Agree with other posts that said many convention centers look completely out of place with their surroundings and this idea seemed to coneract that. If anyone can provide a link or repost the pics...

[Larry OKC]

coneract? It wasn't red underlined or anything (is now) Anyway, was supposed to be counteract...

[betts]

I saw the pictures of the Convention Center with a wall of apartments on the west at an open meeting on Core to Shore a couple of years ago.

[andy157]

So we've invested all of this money on downtown now, and Bricktown, and you're wanting to put the convention center in the ghetto Meridian "motel" district? I couldn't disagree more. Makes all of the money we've invested downtown completely pointless. The convention center needs to be downtown, in close proximity with the 3-4 star hotels we have down there, and Bricktown, and all of the attractions it has to offer.

Your right, all of our money should be spent downtown. What was I thinking.

[Patrick]

The Meridian district caters more to state fair park than it does conventions.

[andy157]

The Meridian district caters more to state fair park than it does conventions.

Well then, I guess we are pumping money into the Meridian corridor ghetto, in a round about way, since MAPS 3 has money for the Fairgrounds in it. The world is right.

[Rover]

This city has historically suffered from a weak city center and therefore had no real identity, heart or soul. Now that there is a unified effort to build a "city" why in the world would we go back to low density development in the suburbs or outskirts and kill our momentum. Glad some of these posters aren't responsible for urban planning.

[andy157]

This city has historically suffered from a weak city center and therefore had no real identity, heart or soul. Now that there is a unified effort to build a "city" why in the world would we go back to low density development in the suburbs or outskirts and kill our momentum. Glad some of these posters aren't responsible for urban planning.

Are you Patricks back-up tonight?

[Patrick]

MAPS for Suburbs

[mugofbeer]

Well then, I guess we are pumping money into the Meridian corridor ghetto, in a round about way, since MAPS 3 has money for the Fairgrounds in it. The world is right.

How much money was just spent upgrading that entire length of Meridian? How much money is being invested in the river area on Meridian by private business? That area seems to be doing all right. Its not a buzzing upscale fashion center but it hasn't been that since the National Finals Rodeo was here and "Dallas" was the hit TV show.

[Larry OKC]

Larry, I suspect there's a worry we won't be able to get voters to pass "do it right" dollars. ...

Then we have a problem of wasting money in the long run IMO

...It's possible to build a 1,000 square foot house so that it's simple to double the size later....

Again, what sense does it make to build a 900 sf house when you know you need 1,000 sf (just to hold all of your current stuff, much less the new stuff you are going to get by the time the house gets built)? Based on the info we have out there so far, that looks like what we are doing.

[betts]

Then we have a problem of wasting money in the long run IMO



Again, what sense does it make to build a 900 sf house when you know you need 1,000 sf (just to hold all of your current stuff, much less the new stuff you are going to get by the time the house gets built)? Based on the info we have out there so far, that looks like what we are doing.

It makes perfect sense. One looks at the money one has and builds accordingly, planning carefully so that an expansion is logical and simple. We only waste money if we have to tear down what is already built. If we simply have to knock a wall down, or add a door, that's an inexpensive thing to do.

I would assume we would be adding square footage, not simply improving what was already done, so we haven't wasted the money we've already spent.

[Dustin]

Wherever the convention center is placed, it should look like the one that was proposed in the Core to Shore video here: Oklahoma City's "Core to Shore" - by Skyline Ink on Vimeo Would be nice wouldn't it!

[Patrick]

Exactly betts. That's what we did with Ford Center. We built a bare bones arena (what we had money for at the time) and now we have the money to finish it and improve on it. It's called building in phases. Can be done with the convention center, a mass transit system, or anything else.

[andy157]

MAPS for Suburbs

Now your talking. That makes sense. MAPS 1 was for Downtown, MAPS 2 was 4 KIDS, so in all fairness MAPS 3 should be for the suburbs.

[Kerry]

Now your talking. That makes sense. MAPS 1 was for Downtown, MAPS 2 was 4 KIDS, so in all fairness MAPS 3 should be for the suburbs.

We had MAPS for Suburbs - it was called "1950 to 2009". The City spent billions building parks, sidewalks, roads, and other infrastrucutre. It killed the heart of OKC.

[hoya]

Why would we want to put it on Meridian? That's random. Just because there are a handful of hotels there doesn't mean that's where a convention center should go. Hey, there are some hotels over in Midwest City, let's put a convention center there.