Oklahoma City, In the Press

[Plutonic Panda]

"Land Run News is a satirical news website based in the Oklahoma City metro area. All content is our own intellectual property, but permission is granted to link to our website and share with accreditation.

Land Run News uses fictional people and institutions in our stories, with the exception of cases where public figures and organizations are being satirized. Any use of real names is purely coincidental."

[Laramie]

"Land Run News is a satirical news website based in the Oklahoma City metro area. All content is our own intellectual property, but permission is granted to link to our website and share with accreditation.

Land Run News uses fictional people and institutions in our stories, with the exception of cases where public figures and organizations are being satirized. Any use of real names is purely coincidental."

LMAO! A silhouette news on toilet paper? Land Run Bull-in-the-woods...

[adaniel]

Article a few weeks ago from the Arizona Republic on how Phoenix can diversify its economy. References OKC as an example:

Phoenix area, falling behind its peers, looks for new types of jobs

On a related note, OKC now has a higher per capita personal income than Phoenix, Austin, and Salt Lake City (with the caveat that per capita income is not always the best measurement of actual money in pockets)

[bchris02]

Article a few weeks ago from the Arizona Republic on how Phoenix can diversify its economy. References OKC as an example:

Phoenix area, falling behind its peers, looks for new types of jobs

On a related note, OKC now has a higher per capita personal income than Phoenix, Austin, and Salt Lake City (with the caveat that per capita income is not always the best measurement of actual money in pockets)

Phoenix was a major boomtown in the 80s and 90s but has lost a lot of its steam. Since most of its growth was prior to America's renewed love affair with downtown areas, most of it occurred in the suburbs. It's downtown area is alright but nothing special and it is well below what you would expect in a city that size. Providing the currently announced projects in downtown OKC come to fruition within the next five years, I would be confident in saying that in 2020 OKC may have a more attractive downtown than Phoenix.

Phoenix is a perfect example of the fact that no boomtown remains that way forever.

[Snowman]

Phoenix was a major boomtown in the 80s and 90s but has lost a lot of its steam. Since most of its growth was prior to America's renewed love affair with downtown areas, most of it occurred in the suburbs. It's downtown area is alright but nothing special and it is well below what you would expect in a city that size. Providing the currently announced projects in downtown OKC come to fruition within the next five years, I would be confident in saying that in 2020 OKC may have a more attractive downtown than Phoenix.

Phoenix is a perfect example of the fact that no boomtown remains that way forever.

It looks like they also have the issue of running out of easily develop-able land in the city limits, which is kind of worrying for a city built on a growth model.

[bchris02]

It looks like they also have the issue of running out of easily develop-able land in the city limits, which is kind of worrying for a city built on a growth model.

They really need to start looking at density. They have lots of surface parking surrounding their downtown just waiting to be developed.

[Snowman]

They really need to start looking at density. They have lots of surface parking surrounding their downtown just waiting to be developed.

With it's reputation as a retirement hotspot it is a surprising they have not been doing more of that in recent years

[LocoAko]

Not sure this is really the thread for it, but apparently OKC has 3 of the top 32 diviest dive bars in the US, more than any other city as per my rough glance. Woo! :P

https://impulcity.com/articles/the-3...s-in-america/2

[bchris02]

Not sure this is really the thread for it, but apparently OKC has 3 of the top 32 diviest dive bars in the US, more than any other city as per my rough glance. Woo! :P

https://impulcity.com/articles/the-3...s-in-america/2

I can agree with this. I think when it comes to nightlife, dive bars are one of OKC's specialties. When I think of the diviest though, I think of Sipango on Western or Ruthie's Last Call out on I-40 and MacAruthur.

[HOT ROD]

i think downtown OKC already looks better than downtown Phoenix and certainly OKC is taller (and always has been). I went there many times for business a decade ago and was shocked at the lack of development in the core (and pics show there hasn't been much since).

It is nice they used OKC along with the other mid-sized cities as a peer for comparison as there are things we can learn from them (and apparently, they can learn from us).

[TheTravellers]

I can agree with this. I think when it comes to nightlife, dive bars are one of OKC's specialties. When I think of the diviest though, I think of Sipango on Western or Ruthie's Last Call out on I-40 and MacAruthur.

Yeah, The Lost Ogle called them out on their classification of the 3 "dive" bars in OKC,

Five things you may have missed over Christmas | The Lost Ogle (go to #3 on the list)

"I guess it’s neat some writer for Impulcity probably went to school in Oklahoma City and suggested three bars that are all within a drunk Snuggie Pub Crawl of each other to the list, but the only problem is that Edna’s, HiLo and The Drunken Fry are not true dive bars. They’re just trendy, popular normal bars that want to be known as dive bars. It’s like they’re fake vintage shirts you get at Urban Outfitters. Seriously, The Drunken Fry is owned by the Deep Fork Group. Nothing divey about that. If you want to go to a real dive bar, check out the Store Club or Booger Reds or any other bar none of your “cool” friends want to go to because it smells like smoke, urine and sadness."

[bchris02]

i think downtown OKC already looks better than downtown Phoenix and certainly OKC is taller (and always has been). I went there many times for business a decade ago and was shocked at the lack of development in the core (and pics show there hasn't been much since).

Downtown Phoenix has a few things OKC currently lacks but will have within five years, most notably a streetcar and a real convention center/hotel. Once those elements are in place that the Clayco towers and Hines tower are completed, I would stack OKC's downtown up against Phoenix favorably. Phoenix should be MUCH farther ahead though considering it's metro is 4 times the size of OKC.

[Laramie]

Dive bars, WOW!

I remember when deuce and a quarter streets ( 2nd & 4th streets, OKC) were full of these; maybe not on the level of Ernest Hemingway's 'A Clean well-lighted place.' Oklahoma City had 'trash with class.'

[NWOKCGuy]

It is nice they used OKC along with the other mid-sized cities as a peer for comparison as there are things we can learn from them (and apparently, they can learn from us).

It's sad really that they're using OKC as a comparison. Denver, I guess would be a peer city to them (DEN #21 metro vs PHO #12) but for them to be comparing OKC (#42) and SLC (#48) that really shows how far behind PHO is from their true peers.

[HOT ROD]

I dont see it as sad, I see it as favorable for OKC. OKC has done a fantastic job revitalizing its downtown so its nice that larger cities are giving OKC props.

Bchris - Phoenix downtown is sad given not only that its metro is nearly 4 times larger but its city alone is more than twice that of OKC. ... You can see, however, that they did look to OKC as a favorable comparison for downtown, and that is good news for OKC.

[bchris02]

I dont see it as sad, I see it as favorable for OKC. OKC has done a fantastic job revitalizing its downtown so its nice that larger cities are giving OKC props.

Bchris - Phoenix downtown is sad given not only that its metro is nearly 4 times larger but its city alone is more than twice that of OKC. ... You can see, however, that they did look to OKC as a favorable comparison for downtown, and that is good news for OKC.

What's sad is that Phoenix should be comparing itself to the likes of Seattle, Minneapolis/St Paul, and San Diego. Their metro area is only barely smaller than the Bay Area California MSA to put it in perspective, yet most would agree that San Francisco is a world class city (or at least close to it) and Phoenix isn't. Salt Lake City and OKC shouldn't even be a comparison for Phoenix, much as Amarillo shouldn't be a comparison for OKC.

[boitoirich]

What's sad is that Phoenix should be comparing itself to the likes of Seattle, Minneapolis/St Paul, and San Diego. Their metro area is only barely smaller than the Bay Area California MSA to put it in perspective, yet most would agree that San Francisco is a world class city (or at least close to it) and Phoenix isn't. Salt Lake City and OKC shouldn't even be a comparison for Phoenix, much as Amarillo shouldn't be a comparison for OKC.

I'm going to call you out. This is just another thinly veiled, needless snide remark about Oklahoma City. Size is not the same thing as class, and larger cities can and do look to much smaller ones for inspiration. I have seen developments in Boise City that I've thought would be amazing in OKC. Any city that is serious about biking, including the likes of LA and Boston, will surely look at Davis and Boulder. Why wouldn't Phoenix see Oklahoma City as a place that is having success developing its core? If the answer is that it is several times larger and therefore should be embarrassed, then that does not show an appreciable level of sophistication and thought.

[soondoc]

I'm going to call you out. This is just another thinly veiled, needless snide remark about Oklahoma City. Size is not the same thing as class, and larger cities can and do look to much smaller ones for inspiration. I have seen developments in Boise City that I've thought would be amazing in OKC. Any city that is serious about biking, including the likes of LA and Boston, will surely look at Davis and Boulder. Why wouldn't Phoenix see Oklahoma City as a place that is having success developing its core? If the answer is that it is several times larger and therefore should be embarrassed, then that does not show an appreciable level of sophistication and thought.

Um, his comment was not some snide remark about OKC. His comment was fairly accurate whether you want to believe it or not. You and others read way too much into some posters and take it personal far too often. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion so deal with it and quit crying because you don't like his post. This is a forum to express our opinions about things going on in OKC. All these personal attacks that go on here have gotten out of hand. I actually agree with BChris most of the time and think he contributes a lot to this board as well as PPanda.

[boitoirich]

Um, his comment was not some snide remark about OKC. His comment was fairly accurate whether you want to believe it or not.

That OKC's success in developing its core might have lessons for larger cities is somehow sad is snide, soondoc, whether you want to acknowledge that or not.

I actually agree with BChris most of the time and think he contributes a lot to this board as well as PPanda.

bchris does contribute a lot to OKCTalk, and there are ways to contribute to a discussion without being unnecessarily negative.
And who said anything about PluPan?? Where did that come from?

All these personal attacks that go on here have gotten out of hand.

Re-read what I said. --> "Why wouldn't Phoenix see Oklahoma City as a place that is having success developing its core? If the answer is that it is several times larger and therefore should be embarrassed, then that does not show an appreciable level of sophistication and thought."
Nowhere is that a personal attack on any member of this board. A take down of a bad argument is not the same thing as a personal attack.

[HOT ROD]

Gents, I think we can all agree that it is refreshingly gratifying that Phoenix included OKC as inspiration in core development. I also think we can agree that it is somewhat surprising that a city more than double OKC is looking to OKC for inspiration when typically cities larger than OKC already have nice cores to begin with.

I think Bchris was giving the opinion if he was from Phoenix, that he'd be embarrassed of Phoenix that they looked to OKC for core inspiration. Bio, I didn't see it as a slight against OKC but instead a little slight against Phoenix, which naturally should be leagues ahead of OKC given its population and lack of nearby competition and the city is not better than OKC downtown-wise.

I see both points of view but personally I take the higher road and welcome Phoenix and other larger cities if they look to OKC for inspiration of their cores. OKC could surely look to a few smaller cities for 'just beyond the core' development inspiration and that is a little slight but also constructive at us.

[josh]

Phoenix is a very sprawled out city with very little urban values because it's a hotbed for seniors and retirees who prefer lawns and cars and non-urban living. They move away from that and go to Phoenix to live in suburbia.

Phoenix, despite its size, is a somewhat unique example. It's basically Vegas but without the strip and an actual downtown area.

[ljbab728]

OKC is number 9 here.

Best Cities for Job Seekers - NerdWallet

[LocoAko]

OKC was rated the 15th most romantic dining city in the country via OpenTable (though I'm personally pretty shocked to see Atlantic City as number 1, so the usual grain of salt spiel applies...)

OpenTable Reveals Top 25 Most Romantic Cities in America (NASDAQ:OPEN)

[adaniel]

Nice article in Free Enterprise, a journal published by the US Chamber of Commerce:

http://www.freeenterprise.com/story/...oklahoma-city/

And a follow up:

Behind Oklahoma City?s Booming Economy, Lessons for Up-and-Coming Cities | Free Enterprise

[adaniel]

duplicate