Devon Energy Center

[OUGrad05]

Agree or disagree with him, Shadid is really getting after it as a council member. Nothing is getting by this guy...

He seems to be following those things closely.

Why can't local media get it right? No public incentives were used to lure CR to OKC. The money is for expansion AFTER they get here. They could just as easy add those new jobs in Enid where they will have 2 vacant office buildings.

Doesn't matter, tax payer dollars are still being used. His point is a valid point.

Shadid needs to wake up or shut up!!!

Silencing dissent is the wrong move. You should welcome dissenting voices and discussion/debate around issues like this. $7,000,000 is a lot of money especially considering Hamm had planned a relocation to OKC regardless. Maybe $7,000,000 is over the top?

But when you look at the math, 700 jobs to downtown okc, thats 700 people living in/around OKC. At an average salary of 75,000/yr (likely a very conservative estimate) that is $52,500,000 the first year alone. Seems to me like the long run economics for the city make this deal look halfway decent. I wouldn't offer 15k/job especially since they were likely coming regardless. Nothing wrong with sweetening the pot...but wishing people would shutup because you disagree is not smart.

[earlywinegareth]

Driving home this afternoon in the rain...cloud ceiling right at 500' could see all the downtown buildings except only 2/3 of Devon then losing it in the cloud bank = awesome.

[UnFrSaKn]

Yep, saw the same thing. No camera though... plus traffic. Pretty safe to say they can't do much up top. That's gotta be awesome taking the bucket hoist up through it though.

[soonerwilliam]

Wasn't he the only one to vote against it. I think that says it all. He seems to always be against progress. Think goodness for the other 6 or 7 who voted for and not against economic progress in OKC.

[mcca7596]

Shadid against progress? That's funny. He just wants to have voters' interests at the forefront. He is the most progressive member of the council, by far.

[Thunder]

Wasn't he the only one to vote against it. I think that says it all. He seems to always be against progress. Think goodness for the other 6 or 7 who voted for and not against economic progress in OKC.

Incorrect.

Please read what mcca7596 has to say along with thousands of Oklahomans.

[USG'60]

Wasn't he the only one to vote against it. I think that says it all. He seems to always be against progress. Think goodness for the other 6 or 7 who voted for and not against economic progress in OKC.

Be honest, man, are you one of the "good ol' boys?" How have you been benefitting from the corruption as usual?

[Just the facts]

Doesn't matter, tax payer dollars are still being used. His point is a valid point.

For or against doesn't matter - but you have to be honest about it. If you don't have honesty, what do you have?

[OUGrad05]

For or against doesn't matter - but you have to be honest about it. If you don't have honesty, what do you have?

Who's not being honest? Did the city or did they not offer a 7 million dollar incentive? Doesn't matter when the city spends the money, before, during or after the move...it was offered as part of the move.

[mcca7596]

I think it does matter when it was offered; giving money to a company to help create new jobs is different than relocating existing jobs. The city has given around 3 million to Chesapeake and will be giving money to Boeing too. I think incentive funds for Dell's Campus came from the same fund as well. I never heard as much fuss about any of them as Continental's pending payment.

[Just the facts]

Who's not being honest? Did the city or did they not offer a 7 million dollar incentive? Doesn't matter when the city spends the money, before, during or after the move...it was offered as part of the move.

"Dishonest" is saying the money is going to pay for the relocation of a company that said it is already moving to OKC. One local TV station and one City Council Member said that and it isn't true. That is my only point. The money is going for the creation of new jobs AFTER the company relocates - these are new jobs, not relocation jobs. If access to this fund persuaded CR to move to OKC vs some other city then great, that is exactly what it was designed to do. Mission accomplished and can I have some more please.

[ljbab728]

"Dishonest" is saying the money is going to pay for the relocation of a company that said it is already moving to OKC. One local TV station and one City Council Member said that and it isn't true. That is my only point. The money is going for the creation of new jobs AFTER the company relocates - these are new jobs, not relocation jobs. If access to this fund persuaded CR to move to OKC vs some other city then great, that is exactly what it was designed to do. Mission accomplished and can I have some more please.

I absolutely agree, Kerry. I hope some of the naysayers have much more of the same to complain about.

[soonerwilliam]

Great news! Sandridge announced it is going to build a new tower about the same size as their 29-story headquarters and triple their workforce to around 2,000 employees (within the next 5 years). Tom Ward said other oil/energy companies may also make DT their home in the future (maybe more new towers!).

[Thunder]

Great news! Sandridge announced it is going to build a new tower about the same size as their 29-story headquarters and triple their workforce to around 2,000 employees (within the next 5 years). Tom Ward said other oil/energy companies may also make DT their home in the future (maybe more new towers!).

29 floors? :-(

Devon got 50-52 floors.

Sandridge can only do 29? LOL C'mon, can't they project that there will be a need for more floors than that in the future? Modern skyscrapers can last 50+ years under regular maintenance. No need to build another skyscraper when the time comes for more expansion when they can just build a 1,000 footer today. They can lease extra spaces until the time comes when they need to expand within the tower.

[SkyWestOKC]

Maybe they are doing similar to Devon did when they first announced plans. Most of the rumors were 30-35 stories. Then it was announced later that it would be around 50-60.

[Thunder]

Maybe they are doing similar to Devon did when they first announced plans. Most of the rumors were 30-35 stories. Then it was announced later that it would be around 50-60.

Gawd, I hope you are right. Now all of us will have sleepless nights waiting for the finale announcement.

Btw, my guess is the old Ford Dealership across from the Ford Center for this tower.

[mcca7596]

Btw, my guess is the old Ford Dealership across from the Ford Center for this tower.

Your guess would be totally wrong, Thunder. That site, again, is for the new Convention Center. It said in Steve's story that the tower will be built directly east of the current tower, as speculated, at Broadway and Kerr.

[ljbab728]

Gawd, I hope you are right. Now all of us will have sleepless nights waiting for the finale announcement.
.

I'm going to sleep just fine tonight, thank you. LOL

[KayneMo]

Took this picture on September 10, 2011. I love this view!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaynesh...n/photostream/

[UnFrSaKn]

Gawd, I hope you are right. Now all of us will have sleepless nights waiting for the finale announcement.

[Dustin]

Took this picture on September 10, 2011. I love this view!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaynesh...n/photostream/

Awesome!

[soonerwilliam]

I agree!!!

[soonerwilliam]

Steve said 850ft. in his newspaper article about the Devon Tower topping-out on Wed. I was surprised he didn't say 844ft. instead. Curious!

[UnFrSaKn]

Out of state quote:

Speaking of size, how large will the parking structure be? I'm assuming it will have sufficient height and space for multitudes of large 4x4 pickups with oversize tires. But will it have room for farm tractors and combines also?

[Thundercitizen]

Out of state quote:

That would be an "out of touch" quote.