Convention Center

[stile99]

The first time I ever heard "Oak City" was on an airplane as it was preparing to land. My reaction was "Where the hell is that and why were we detoured?" For that matter, that's pretty much the only time I've heard it.

[Jake]

Heard "Oak City" a few times from a few NBA analysts before.

[shawnw]

when I worked for DoD, we had VTCs with other sites, many folks outside of OKC referred to us as Oak (I think more of a pronunciation of "OK" vs Oak as in the tree) City... example... 3 ALCs (air logistics centers [I know, it's complex, not center now])... OO-ALC (Hill AFB in Ogden, UT), OC-ALC (Tinker), WR-ALC (Robins AFB in Warner Robins, GA)... would call them Ogden or Hill, Tinker or Oak City, and Robins...

In reference to OKC, the farther away from OKC I get, the less people seem to know off hand what OKC means. Have gotten a few dead stares even in the last year or two. If they don't follow sports it seems to be worse.

[catch22]

You mostly hear it on airplanes because the official call sign for OKC's Radar Approach Control is "Oke City Approach" pronounced "Oak". Pilots likely assume it is a common term for the city and therefore likely use it over the PA out of ignorance.

One I have noticed more and more frequently lately which I hate is flight attendants have been omitting the "City" in their announcements. Which make it seem like there's only one airport in Oklahoma.

[Ross MacLochness]

I sometimes call OKC O(a)K City!

[riflesforwatie]

I hear it a lot in Oklahoma State sports coverage too. "Oak State".

Also I would like to second catch's point about FAs calling it "Oklahoma" instead of "Oklahoma City". I think my last 3 or 4 flights back to OKC have been that way.

[Zorba]

I grew up in Tulsa, took my first flight lesson into Wiley Post when I was 15, from then on, OKC was "Oak" City for me. Much better than "the city," which means nothing to Tulsans.

[_Kyle]

IMO Oak City kind of sounds like it should be an abbreviation for Oakland California.

[Laramie]

IMO Oak City kind of sounds like it should be an abbreviation for Oakland California.

So true, people feel the same about San Francisco being referred to as Frisco. Have relatives in both San Francisco & Oakland.

City across the bay claim that the reason Oakland doesn't endure catastrophic earthquakes:

"There are just some things the earth wouldn't swallow."

[soonerguru]

I call out pilots whenever I'm disembarking. It's like saying Frisco in San Fran. Hate it.

[Mississippi Blues]

I call out pilots whenever I'm disembarking. It's like saying Frisco in San Fran. Hate it.

"Frisco" is a relatively common term in San Francisco that is either embraced or outright rejected, depending on who you're talking to. I would say "San Fran" is the term that natives of San Francisco collectively hate. Personally, I don't have as much of an issue with Oak City as others do, but I can definitely understand why others dislike it so much.

[shadfar]

IMO Oak City kind of sounds like it should be an abbreviation for Oakland California.

Exactly..

[Mississippi Blues]

IMO Oak City kind of sounds like it should be an abbreviation for Oakland California.

I've heard "Oaktown" to describe Oakland since I've been out here, but I think most Bay Area residents avoid calling it "city" because San Francisco is "the city."

[Laramie]

OKC Central:

Q: It looks like MAPS 3 will exceed projections. Is it pretty much a done deal that the funds will be used for the Convention Center parking garage and not sidewalks or more trails?

A: ...City Hall reporter William Crum reported several options are being considered, including a garage that will serve the new convention center, park and arena; an additional wellness center and a renovation of Union Station, which for some unfathomable reason was never funded as part of the park project.

These all seem like reasonable choices. Unless you want to see the current Cox Convention Center stay in place, largely unused and gobbling up prime real estate that can be sold for redevelopment, it will need to be torn down. And when the building is torn down, the city will also need to take out the approximately 1,000 parking spaces under the Cox Center. So we would have these major new venues opening with less parking than we have now. The garage is needed. Union Station is needed.--Lackmeyer, Oklahoman 05/06/2017

[David]

And when the building is torn down, the city will also need to take out the approximately 1,000 parking spaces under the Cox Center.

Is this actually a given? Could the site be cleared and the super block broken up in such a way that the underground parking is preserved in spite of the redevelopment above, or would that be too potentially limiting to the new development above? I assume no new mystery towers if they can't dig a foundation.

[Laramie]

^ ^ ^
Agree David, let's hope it's not a given. 1,000 spaces to park in that area across from the Peake will be needed. Hope something can be worked out.

[Ross MacLochness]

and much better to have underground parking than a massive new garage.

[Pete]

The city-paid consultants have made a recommendation to add a roundabout to Robinson to aid in traffic flow and drop-off.

Also, they presented several options for a skybridge that would connect the center with the proposed Omni hotel; an added expense of anywhere from $1 to $3 million. There is also the possibility of connecting the two via a covered walkway at ground level.

[5alive]

+1 for the roundabout

[gopokes88]

When does this project actually start moving dirt?

[Pete]

When does this project actually start moving dirt?

The OG&E substation has to be completely relocated first.

They have started on the new site by the river but I don't think it will actually move until some time next year.

[bradh]

The OG&E substation has to be completely relocated first.

They have started on the new site by the river but I don't think it will actually move until some time next year.

they're doing a ton of boring under I-40, which I presume is electric lines going to the new station, so I think they're making good progress?

[dankrutka]

+1 for roundabout
-1 for skybridge

[shawnw]

+1 for roundabout
-1 for skybridge

I'm generally against skybridges, but I'm actually okay with this one since there may be events in the hotel directly related to a conference, it's nice to have the ability for the contiguous flow...

[Colbafone]

Man, as an avid convention attendee, this is the one time you MUST have a skywalk. I will be pretty let down if they don't include it.