New OKC Metro... projects...

[metro]

I would say, not too many new projects have been announced but ones that have previously been announced are now well underway or wrapping up. This will only spur more development although much more has yet to be announced.

[jbrown84]

The biggest recent thing I can think of is the continuing progress of Banta's Midtown Renaissance, which I think is a great project.

[BG918]

The Triangle development is just getting started, I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot about the many pieces that make up that project in the next few years. Also construction has begun on the I-40 relocation, which will eventually spur additional development down there. That's one of the most exciting projects in the city because it has so much potential to really add more housing/retail to the area of downtown by Bricktown and the Ford Center/Convention Center.

[BricktownGuy]

I think we can support a boardwalk development on the river like this:

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Looks like Kemah Boardwalk is developed by Landry's Restaurants.
Kemah Waterfront (interesting read I think)

Landry's Restaurants run restaurants like Saltgrass, Joe's Crab Shack, Rainforest Café.... among others. Landry's Restaurants, Inc.

The company also owns aquariums, hotels, and other entertainment properties, including the Vegas Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos. Chairman and CEO Tilman Fertitta owns almost 30% of the company.

Take a look at this project of theirs:
Tower of the Americas

Their Specialty Growth Division includes the following properties: Kemah Boardwalk-Galveston County, Texas, Downtown Aquarium-Houston, Texas, Downtown Aquarium-Denver, Colorado, Galveston Island Convention Center, Holiday Inn on the Beach-Galveston, Texas, Inn at the Ballpark-Houston, Texas, Flagship Inn and Pleasure Pier-Galveston, Texas and Tower of the Americas-San Antonio, Texas.

Mr. Jeffrey L. Cantwell serves as Senior Vice President of Development. (JCantwell@ldry.com)

That would be an interesting development. How about we all bombard them with emails?

[jbrown84]

Yeah I had noticed that before. I'm up for it. Email campaign!

[metro]

yep, i'm sending mine now!

[BricktownGuy]

Yeah I had noticed that before. I'm up for it. Email campaign!

yep, i'm sending mine now!

Anyone else on board to email??

[BricktownGuy]

Anyone else on board to email??

guess not. lol

[Theo Walcott]

enough said.

[Patrick]

Okay, I'm lost...what does the above pic have to do with anything mentioned in this thread?

[Spartan]

I think we can support a Hyatt Regency or equal convention hotel.

I think we can support a boardwalk development on the river like this:

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I would rather see something like Kemah go along the undeveloped portions of Lake Overholser.

[Spartan]

Okay, I'm lost...what does the above pic have to do with anything mentioned in this thread?

T.W. has been pushing this sprawling mass of grass and painted lines as downtown development on this forum, in many differant threads. I don't think he gets the concept of land being worth MILLIONS in terms of the possibilities.

[Theo Walcott]

Spartan, this thread was in reference to the ENTIRE metro area. this needs to get done somewhere in the metro, IMO.

[Patrick]

I'm guessing you're referring to an MLS stadium? Where would you like to see one? How about on the river somewhere?

[Theo Walcott]

i completely support that idea, Patrick. it would be a great addition, but many here seem to believe that the real estate is prohibitively expensive.

ideally, the stadium could be positioned on the river near a complex of casino hotels, but that would require a tremendous amount of obstacles to be overcome. that being the case, to what extent do you think the taxpayers of Oklahoma County would be willing to subsidize costs for such a venue, which would also be able to host concerts on the waterfront? a stadium that is similarly formatted like this is the one that is proposed to be built in vancouver.

follow the link, look at the images, and tell me what you guys think. the stadium seats approx. 15,000 at a proposed cost to build at $50 million USD.




Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium

[Spartan]

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...re-i-40-a.html

I was going by your statement in another thread, where you did indeed want to build a sprawling soccer complex in the heart of the Riverside neighorhood. You proposed a soccer complex and not just an MLS stadium.

That latter I would support, the former would be a huge waste of land...make up your mind.

[Theo Walcott]

easy there, geminy christmas!

i'm just wanting a feel from a particularly diverse group of OKC residents as to where such a facility would work best. if done right, this could seriously enhance the city.

i was not aware that the prior thread dealt with a propsed residential/retail only neighborhood. a facility such as the previously mentioned one in vancouver, situated on the river, with adjacent youth soccer fields for the city to host tournaments would be incredible. the big question is, how much would taxpayers support?

[Theo Walcott]

here's one going up in Germany currently. it seats 25,000 and actually cost only $39 million USD.

[Spartan]

Theo, do you live in OKC? I get the impression that's a no, so I'll help you out with your question...I think voters in OKC would support something that can be proven to improve the community.

MLS is the fastest growing league, and I think that we would be a major blip on their radar, as we are on the NBA radar, if we build the right facility.

And that is not sensitive equipment either. Cities have been waiting for years to get on the NBA list, and we finally got on in a very big way, and there are cities with the NBA or even the MLS that take REALLY good care of their team. Salt Lake takes excellant care of their MLS team. San Antonio takes excellant care of their NBA team.

That said, you should really pay more attention to the threads you post in.

[Theo Walcott]

how about this one, Spartan? this is KC's proposed stadium, which may or may not get built.



http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/536...lupdatero6.jpg

[Theo Walcott]

i really like the in-ground design of this one. it would probably be quite loud.

[Patrick]

I think a lot of whether voters would support it here, would depend on our chances of getting an MLS team.

[Theo Walcott]

we are a 100% lock for a team with a stadium such as those above. I would imagine that the MLS would declare as much were the matter to come to a vote.

[Spartan]

I think a stadium on the river is a fine idea, but it needs to be a landmark, if OKC voters are going to pay for the top-of-the-line, and not just something simillar to Des Moines', considering how much larger we are.

The KC stadium would need to be built in the earthosphere, for starters.

[Theo Walcott]

i agree about it being a landmark. it should be set right on the river but built in such a way that the skyline is exposed, so it all kind of flows together. perhaps a design that plays off the cues found in the new airport terminal? that is a very unique design and might work well if implemented in a state-of-the-art soccer venue.