Another H&M Store Opening! Could OKC be next?

[ljbab728]

Sunflower isn't opening up in a Chesapeake owned property are they? If they were then they would probably expect the same incentive that the other retailers got, wouldn't they? If those incentives were to come from the City (as the ULI folks said would be required to get any of those big name retailers DT), wouldn't others expect those same incentives? Why haven't we seen the explosion of retail in Bricktown? The incentive's given to Bass Pro were to lead to all of that, weren't they?

Larry, I don't see the relevance with Sunflower. You're making an assumption about something that doesn't apply. They decided to locate here without incentives and that doesn't have anything to do with where they located.
And you have valid points about Bass Pro. I never thought that it would attract large amounts of retail to that area. I think it is still a good attraction though for other businesses in the area. Are there other things that would have been better? Sure. But it's far from a negative for the area.

[Larry OKC]

I agree. Sunflower doesn't appear to be an apples-to apples thing (I think that was the point I was trying to get to...LOL)

I am not that sure that Bass Pro is that much of a positive. Along with the retail explosion that failed to materialize (would have been an excellent area for the Outlet Mall), the last report I read (admittedly a few years ago), showed they weren't meeting the projections (by millions) the City based the deal on. Of course C.M. Couch dismissed it, pointing to the other development that had happened in the area. But did that development have anything to do with Bass Pro or was it the Canal?

I guess we have probably contributed to the derailing of the thread enough (surprised we haven't been reminded of that by a certain contributor. So in that spirit...

[soonerguru]

There have been a dozen lifestyle centers proposed across the metro. Many of them built up a ton of public excitement and then disappointed, such as Tuscana. Others managed to rip off the public while there was excitement by getting a TIF and then building utter crap, such as UNP in Norman. That one is practically a scandal.

OKC developers don't do lifestyle centers. Now one is proposed in Moore, so we will see how that turns out. I hope it happens, but I just don't see Moore being the place that lures UO, H&M, et al. That lifestyle center will have to be smallish and focus on more middle-of-the-road tenants.

For it to work there it will need to be anchored by something like Mardel's.

[Larry OKC]

Soonerguru may have something there. A "Christian" lifestyle center may be the way to go in a predominately conservative, Bible-belt region. A concentration of Chick-fil-A/Mardel's/Hobby Lobby and others with strong faith-based ties.

[onthestrip]

Soonerguru may have something there. A "Christian" lifestyle center may be the way to go in a predominately conservative, Bible-belt region. A concentration of Chick-fil-A/Mardel's/Hobby Lobby and others with strong faith-based ties.

Are you serious or did I happen to miss your sarcasm?

[Larry OKC]

No sarcasm intended. i say go for it.

[Lord Helmet]

Is there no longer a Niketown in Denver or did they move?

Nope. No longer in Denver.