Convention Center

[bchris02]

Is The New OKC Convention Center Worth It? - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

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The fact of the matter is the Cox center doesn't cut it for a city this size. Its so bad its almost an embarrassment. Smaller cities like Little Rock, AR for crying out loud have better convention centers. I would see the argument that OKC doesn't need this convention center if the current facility wasn't so bad. Charlotte has seen a ton of intangible benefits from its convention center. It has increased activity and vibrancy in Uptown and it has raised the city's profile.

[Just the facts]

Is The New OKC Convention Center Worth It? - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Beware the Facebook comments.

This is exactly why the CC should been sold as a quality of life project and not a financial/economic generator. Convention attendance by non-residents should have been the icing on the cake, not the main attraction.

[G.Walker]

Bump:

Shouldn't we be seeing some updated renderings for this project by now? The architecture firms Populous/GSB were selected over a year ago...

[Laramie]

"I mean, hitting that sweet spot is really key," McIntyre said, "and Charlotte's done that very well."

But, by all accounts, the 'sweet spot' didn't just happen -- Charlotte had to work at it.

When the convention center wasn't generating the 500,000 annual hotel room-nights (a common industry performance measure) that the city's paid consultant had projected, city leaders convinced taxpayers to put $16 million into the creation of a 700-room headquarters hotel. The Westin opened in 2003.

"After the Westin came on board," said Mike Butts, Executive Director of Visit Charlotte, "we were able to book more business."

We have $30 million in a contingency fund. That fund may have to be used for the proposed White water facility ($10 million) and to 'sweet spot' the convention hotel ($20 million). MAPS IV may be used to address the things we didn't get accomplished in MAPS III.

This is exactly why the CC should been sold as a quality of life project and not a financial/economic generator. Convention attendance by non-residents should have been the icing on the cake, not the main attraction.

Great point! We need new money from 'out-of-state' residents infused into our local economy. The project should have been sold as a 'quality of life project.' The icing on the cake would have been the financial aspects generated by the convention center complex (700-room convention center hotel, jobs, taxi service, restaurants) as was with the Charlotte case.

Oklahoma City leaders need to stress the economic aspects of building for the future.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[Spartan]

Yes, I've been there and while the ball rooms and lobby look nice (though even that is fading), they, along with the exhibit area, are way too small and lack some of the amenities that other venues in similar sized cities have.

Also, the renovation was completed over 15 years ago, id say we got some pretty good burn out of it. Back in 1993 we obviously didn't have anywhere near the convention interest that we do now and didn't need a large new building. We needed to have something though so upgrading the myriad was the best option available and the most likely to keep from derailing the MAPS ballot. There was already major objection to MAPS 1 and with the negativity the convention center received on the MAPS 3 vote and continues to receive. Can you imagine how adding a completely new convention center to a ballot that already included the canal, ballpark, ford center, and river improvements would've effected the MAPS 1 vote? It would've been much more difficult to justify it and the $230 million price tag back then.


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If the Cox's spaces are fine but not large enough, then why isn't the new $250M convention center not significantly larger?

[shawnw]

I thought they were, but it's sans arena, meaning more of the space is event space...

[PhiAlpha]

If the Cox's spaces are fine but not large enough, then why isn't the new $250M convention center not significantly larger?

I would say that more than doubling the sellable convention/event space in phase one is pretty significant.


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[kevinpate]

If the Cox's spaces are fine but not large enough, then why isn't the new $250M convention center not significantly larger?

Because that would have made the M3 ask too large, especially for a package item that already wasn't immensely popular. By including a Phase I only, it's like getting a kiddo to try a single new veggie, knowing you'll be adding another one later. You don't try to shove both both the gullet at the same time.

[Urbanized]

A major problem with the current space is that it isn't clear-span. Another problem is the lack of loading docks. Both factors make the Cox Center less than competitive, regardless of space.

[Pete]

Also, the CC can be significantly expanded to the west and the Convention Hotel will have lots of meeting space as well.

[Pete]

Bump:

Shouldn't we be seeing some updated renderings for this project by now? The architecture firms Populous/GSB were selected over a year ago...

No.

According the the MAPS3 timeline, A&E for the project isn't scheduled to be finalized until 2016.

We may see updated plans before that, but they have plenty of time to get this done.

[Laramie]

Also, the CC can be significantly expanded to the west and the Convention Hotel will have lots of meeting space as well.

An advantage when it comes time to expand.

Glad to know that the convention center hotel will have its own meeting space in addition to those inside the new convention center. This would have been a tough sell to the voters who felt as though the new CC was pawned off on the voters.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[edcrunk]

I'm ready for this to move forward. I had a hard time being patient during the OG MAPStoo.

[Plutonic Panda]

I agree. At this point I'd be happy just to see renderings

[Laramie]

Did the City move the convention center complex project to the back burner or put it on hold?

Bids have been asked for a number of projects; yet we haven't heard anything new on the convention center & hotel complex.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[warreng88]

Did the City move the convention center complex project to the back burner or put it on hold?

Bids have been asked for a number of projects; yet we haven't heard anything new on the convention center & hotel complex.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

See post 1586 by Pete. The schedule of the newer timeline has always been 2016 to start. The process of buying the land is already going on.

[bchris02]

Did the City move the convention center complex project to the back burner or put it on hold?

Bids have been asked for a number of projects; yet we haven't heard anything new on the convention center & hotel complex.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

I hightly doubt that. The convention center is one of the primary pieces to MAPS3. If anything gets moved to the backburner or cancelled, it won't be the convention center. The hotel maybe, but not the center itself.

[kevinpate]

The likely to come convention hotel, while not unimportant, is not a part of MAPs

[soonerguru]

This is exactly why the CC should been sold as a quality of life project and not a financial/economic generator. Convention attendance by non-residents should have been the icing on the cake, not the main attraction.

Some of our key business leaders simply don't get this. By God this is going to be an economic development gold mine in their eyes. Everyone who doesn't see it that way is a hippie or naive or a fringe tea partier.

I get why we want a quality convention center. I do think it will be good for our city. Just don't try to snow me with exaggerated economic development claims.

Frankly, they would have done better by saying: "We want to be a big league city and we have a fourth-tier city convention facility. It's time for an upgrade. And if we don't make an upgrade in a few years, we are in danger of losing some of the conventions we regularly host."

This would have been an honest claim that a lot of people -- while not thrilled about a convention center -- would have grudgingly accepted.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what MAPS is. Most of these folks would call themselves conservative Republicans. To a lot of them, government investments in city amenities need "pay for themselves." Well, no. We invest in some things for which value is difficult to quantify, but they make our lives better, such as parks, and sidewalks, and public spaces. They don't "pay for themselves," but they make our lives better and more enriching, and they make our city more viable for growth and improvement.

Not saying the Convention Center is going to really improve our lives, but it makes sense that we have a bad one right now and would be better off as a city with a good one. It would be cool to host conventions beyond square dancing and multilvel marketing gatherings.

Maybe someday we could host a political party convention. Or something with a global interest. That would be great for our city. And we are proud of our city but would be highly embarrassed to host such events in a second-rate facility.

[Laramie]

I do not see the old Myriad being razed and any grid restoration taking place. I can be ok with that.
I think the current location of the former Myriad will eventually be the site for a newer, better Peake arena when it is time to countdown the last useful years of the current Peake.

Yes, around 2024 (MAPS V); Oklahoma City will be ready to build a new 20,000-seat state-of-the-art NBA arena to keep the franchise here for another 20 years.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[bchris02]

Some of our key business leaders simply don't get this. By God this is going to be an economic development gold mine in their eyes. Everyone who doesn't see it that way is a hippie or naive or a fringe tea partier.

I get why we want a quality convention center. I do think it will be good for our city. Just don't try to snow me with exaggerated economic development claims.

Frankly, they would have done better by saying: "We want to be a big league city and we have a fourth-tier city convention facility. It's time for an upgrade. And if we don't make an upgrade in a few years, we are in danger of losing some of the conventions we regularly host."

This would have been an honest claim that a lot of people -- while not thrilled about a convention center -- would have grudgingly accepted.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what MAPS is. Most of these folks would call themselves conservative Republicans. To a lot of them, government investments in city amenities need "pay for themselves." Well, no. We invest in some things for which value is difficult to quantify, but they make our lives better, such as parks, and sidewalks, and public spaces. They don't "pay for themselves," but they make our lives better and more enriching, and they make our city more viable for growth and improvement.

Not saying the Convention Center is going to really improve our lives, but it makes sense that we have a bad one right now and would be better off as a city with a good one. It would be cool to host conventions beyond square dancing and multilvel marketing gatherings.

Maybe someday we could host a political party convention. Or something with a global interest. That would be great for our city. And we are proud of our city but would be highly embarrassed to host such events in a second-rate facility.

I agree with this completely.

The fact is the Cox Center is well below what is considered a decent facility for a city the size of OKC and this city will not likely keep the conventions it has let alone attract new ones without a new convention center. Most people who oppose the convention center don't realize the city needs a new one because they don't realize how bad the Cox center actually is.

Hosting a political party convention is the kind of thing to shoot for. Not just that but other conventions of national and global interest. Nobody thought Charlotte was ready to host the DNC in 2012 but we pulled it off. I think its something OKC should shoot for.

[Urban Pioneer]

MAPS 3 convention center subcommittee favors "expanded" concept with more space, $35M higher price tag. #OKC
11:01am - 24 Sep 14 Bill Crum

[krisb]

MAPS 3 convention center subcommittee favors "expanded" concept with more space, $35M higher price tag. #OKC
11:01am - 24 Sep 14 Bill Crum

Of course they do. Which project will they have to steal from?

[Plutonic Panda]

...

[catch22]

Of course they do. Which project will they have to steal from?

Wow! $35 million. There goes the $30 million in reserve for the entire MAPS program.