MAPS 4 Stadium

[gopokes88]

Yet OKC has spent zero on Memorial expansion. Zero on making a Cali Uturn over Council and Rockwell. Zero on roads feeding to Council or Rockwell. Zero on any improvements which is my point. I understand the turnpike is a different agency but OKC roads are trash out there. This is a huge growing OKC based company yet zero from OKC. We need to ne proactive not reactive. The side road will still not help much due to their constant growth. By time its done the growth is bigger. And it only dumps onto unready Rockwell.

So while we talk Maps downtown there is huge pain for many citizens around our city not being addressed. Same thing is happening at Chisolm Creek roads/area. Cosco alone will overun roads.

I think some of that will fall under turnpikes responsibility not okc.

[TheSteveHunt]

Or perhaps a young hispanic will come down there, see all the fancy stuff, do what it takes to get a big downtown PR gig...and then sell out his family and friends for a new $300,000,000 whirly-gig installation for MAPS 5 when the time comes....

I'm guessing part of this "strengthen ties between north and south OKC" talk is an attempt to dance around their belief that Hispanics from south OKC will like soccer and go to matches there. Or something to that effect. I would suggest that soccer has a younger and more ethnically diverse demographic. And I, as an old white guy, might not see the benefit and dismiss it's benefit.

[Laramie]

Im having a hard time wondering how a 10,000 seat soccer stadium (in renderings it hardly even looks like a stadium) could cost upwards of $100 million. Seems much higher than it should be.

Also, any bets on whether they also ask for TIF money to develop around the stadium?

Im having a hard time paying $100 million each for two different stadiums, here and state fair, in the same maps. I think we need to evaluate which is more necessary and go with that. Its seems the state fair arena is and would be used much more than this soccer stadium.

This will be a riverfront permanent stadium--instead of a temporary pop up. As Plutonic Panda mentioned about building on 'the cheap,' this stadium will not be cheap or inexpensive by today soccer standards, looks to have good quality. Notice the Bricktown Canal in the video, was this a hint about the canal extension...

We'll need both facilities; therefore, don't feel like we have to pick & choose. Each project will be approximately $100 million each; what we initially paid for The Peake; then we had to add $90 million in upgrades (NBA ready) along with a $10 million practice facility.


Renderings of Oklahoma City Energy FC’s new training facility at the Northeast Regional Health and Wellness Campus at 2600 NE 63rd St Oklahoman, 2015

Energy FC already have an MLS style practice facility. This increases Energy FC chances to elevate to MLS which has a national television contract with ESPN runs from 2014 expires in 2022.

There's a huge soccer & international TV fan base in Tulsa with greater potential to support MLS than OKC. Thunder have large season ticket fan base from Tulsa and Wichita.

[Zuplar]

Today at work there were a few people talking about this proposal. It’s unbelievable how much wrong info is already out there. They all believe that everything in that proposal is getting built. When I said no it’s just the stadium. They all were like that doesn’t sound right why would they show all this other stuff. So it’s clear this whole proposal is a plot to trick people into believing they are getting a bunch more than what would actually happen if this were to get votes on and pass. I sure hope that if this makes the cut, that they do a better campaign of telling the truth that it’s only the stadium.

[TheTravellers]

... I sure hope that if this makes the cut, that they do a better campaign of telling the truth that it’s only the stadium.

Why would "they" want the truth out there when the nice pretty pictures are already doing their job for them and drumming up support for it among the people? And by "they", I mean the Chamber, powers-that-be, etc.

When Mike Dover wanted to put a sign in my yard when he was running for City Council, I told him to hold off until I researched all the candidates and their positions to see if he was the one that would get my vote (he didn't, Cooper did), and both him and his wife were kind of surprised that I'd do that kind of research (they did say it was a good thing, though). So most people (like your co-workers) will just see the pretty pics and skim over it and think that the whole thing is getting built. It's going to be up to folks like you and me and all of us to clear up the misinterpretations...

[OKCRT]

Maps for stadiums so certain groups of people can make even more money.

Good idea folks! Just wish I was one of them that was getting the benefits.

[BDP]

Today at work there were a few people talking about this proposal. It’s unbelievable how much wrong info is already out there. They all believe that everything in that proposal is getting built. When I said no it’s just the stadium. They all were like that doesn’t sound right why would they show all this other stuff. So it’s clear this whole proposal is a plot to trick people into believing they are getting a bunch more than what would actually happen if this were to get votes on and pass. I sure hope that if this makes the cut, that they do a better campaign of telling the truth that it’s only the stadium.

Did you get the sense that they thought all of it is being proposed as a MAPS project? That is, that the housing and retail would be funded by a penny sales tax?

I can see how some may feel misled by the renderings, but it would be interesting to know if those who felt misled supported it more or less when they learned that the city wasn't paying for the commercial developments shown in the renderings.

[Laramie]

What you saw in that video wasn't any different than previous MAPS proposals--lots of placeholders along the way or route of the Bricktown Ballpark, The Peake, Streetcar and others...

Good job Zuplar, you were able to clarify what projects will be on the MAPS 4 initiative so far. Our city leaders IMO have always been upfront and transparent about these initiatives. Don't know if any of these drafts on the arena & stadium have been finalized; many will come to fruition in some form or another as all previous projects followed with development.

Can't wait to see the draft of Bricktown Canal extension.

[BoulderSooner]

Pappa Murphy’s Park. The Sacramento Republic USL stadium (one of the best in the league ). http://papamurphyspark.com/tickets-seating/seat-map/

It cost 3 mil to build. On city(or county) owned land

There is no way Okc should be spending 70-100 mil for a usl team And a mls team is years and years off. If ever

[Laramie]

Pappa Murphy's Park Stadium

Nice facility for USL soccer; this would never qualify as an MLS stadium with seat expansion & upgrades. Sacramento is on MLS radar for an MLS franchise; however this facility could be expanded and used as a temporary venue. Sacramento would have to comment to a quality venue with seats; not bleachers and plastic chair back seats like you see in Taft Stadium.

The main concern the MLS have with the current Columbus Crews' Mapfre Stadium--predominantly bleachers. Columbus has proposed a new MLS stadium to keep the team in Ohio vs. a relocation to Austin, Texas.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^^ that stadium sucks. Been there in person. Hopefully we can do better than that.

[Dob Hooligan]

Pappa Murphy’s Park. The Sacramento Republic USL stadium (one of the best in the league ). http://papamurphyspark.com/tickets-seating/seat-map/

It cost 3 mil to build. On city(or county) owned land

There is no way Okc should be spending 70-100 mil for a usl team And a mls team is years and years off. If ever

I think we are apples and oranges. Sacramento stadium sounds like cost is bleachers only. We need to know all acquisition and preparation costs for both OKC and SAC before we make assumptions, IMO.

[Zuplar]

Did you get the sense that they thought all of it is being proposed as a MAPS project? That is, that the housing and retail would be funded by a penny sales tax?

I can see how some may feel misled by the renderings, but it would be interesting to know if those who felt misled supported it more or less when they learned that the city wasn't paying for the commercial developments shown in the renderings.

Yes they thought it was housing, retail, everything. What I saw on the network was calling it a new adventure disctrict, which I can see why would be confusing.

[Jersey Boss]

So did any of your co workers say where they got this wrong impression from? After being told the truth did any voice a change of mind, one way or the other on how they would vote?

[TheSteveHunt]

This Stadium crap is only good if you are 100% collapsatarian. Great way to prepare for a post America Oklahoma City. This crap is killing us.

[OkieRedRaider]

Not my area of expertise but I wonder if it would make sense to try and get an AAF expansion team with a new stadium. With the league playing when no CFB is going on it might have a decent fan base.

[OKCRT]

I would be in favor of a Papa Murphy type with a cost of 5 mil. max.

[chuck5815]

This Stadium crap is only good if you are 100% collapsatarian. Great way to prepare for a post America Oklahoma City. This crap is killing us.

Exactly. But the Young Influencers should be able to make some excellent Instagram posts in the stadium. And isn’t that ultimately what life is all about?

(I.e., convincing everyone that you’re doing better than you actually are)

[d-usa]

Papa Murphy Stadium is not a permanent stadium, and I doubt it would spur a lot of growth and investment considering it could go away any given year.

That’s why I supported that kind of stadium as a temporary solution in CC.

[Zuplar]

So did any of your co workers say where they got this wrong impression from? After being told the truth did any voice a change of mind, one way or the other on how they would vote?

One of the local news channels. And yes they are all reasonable people in when I told them, Hey you know that's just for the stadium, they said oh, Well not sure I'd vote on just a stadium.

Which I tend to think would be the majority of people. A stadium alone for a minor league team that might not even be here in 5 years due to who run/operates it, or even a slim chance at a MLS franchise just isn't worth it IMO. I know soccer is gaining traction, but realistically it's still far from even something like hockey, which isn't wildly popular here like football or basketball. (not saying it's not popular, just not same level) I know some point to the AAA baseball we've had here, to which I'd say the only reason it survives, is because MLB doesn't care if it makes money. It's a development league. So even if no one showed up, they'd still most likely continue to stay here. Maybe not quite that extreme, but the bar is much much lower. And at the end of the day I know we like options, but do we have the population to support so many options? I tend to think not yet. So at the end of the day my priority is keeping the Thunder, and if that means sacrificing things like not building a soccer stadium and losing the Energy, so be it.

[kwhey]

Pretty much how I feel also. No way I would vote in favor of this. And I might be mistaken but I don't see the price tag. If this is on the ticket I see the end of maps coming. Building stadiums for billionaires just doesn't smell right.

Bet you were on board with the Peake getting renovated.

[scottk]

I think some of that will fall under turnpikes responsibility not okc.

Maybe that is why nothing has occurred, lots of finger pointing of who would foot the bill. That area of the turnpike was built about 30 years ago, other than a few intersection modifications, that stretch looks basically the same as it did in 1990. The population of the OKC Metro was also 414,000 less people in 1990.

[OKCRT]

Bet you were on board with the Peake getting renovated.

Yes I was and voted in favor. That is not the same thing as building a 100 mil stadium for minor league soccer. Not even in the same universe. If they needed a new arena for the Thunder I would be first in line to vote for it. If there was an NFL team coming here I would also vote in favor of a billion dollar+ stadium. Minor league soccer just doesn't move the needle for me.

[kwhey]

Pappa Murphy’s Park. The Sacramento Republic USL stadium (one of the best in the league ). http://papamurphyspark.com/tickets-seating/seat-map/

It cost 3 mil to build. On city(or county) owned land

There is no way Okc should be spending 70-100 mil for a usl team And a mls team is years and years off. If ever

It is a pop up stadium

[kwhey]

Yes I was and voted in favor. That is not the same thing as building a 100 mil stadium for minor league soccer. Not even in the same universe. If they needed a new arena for the Thunder I would be first in line to vote for it. If there was an NFL team coming here I would also vote in favor of a billion dollar+ stadium. Minor league soccer just doesn't move the needle for me.

You are a hypocrite then.