A new call center?

[Patrick]

Maybe not...we need to look into what Texas Governor Peryis doing to attract business to his state!

-------------
"City considered for call center


By Paul Monies
The Oklahoman

Financial services giant Washington Mutual Inc. has put Oklahoma City on a short list for a new sales and service center that could employ at least 1,500 people.
San Antonio media have reported that Oklahoma City is among a handful of cities competing for the center.

The Seattle-based company has looked at several sites for the call-center operation in the downtown Oklahoma City area, sources familiar with negotiations said. Washington Mutual also is considering San Antonio, Phoenix and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Spokesman Joe Arbona said the company is searching for a new location for a "few operations" but declined to confirm the list of finalists.

"We are looking at a few key cities but haven't made any decisions," Arbona said. "We're still in the process of selection."

Sources familiar with the city's proposal told The Oklahoman it appeared in recent weeks the call center would go to San Antonio. However, they are still holding out hope that Oklahoma City could prevail.

"We've submitted proposal after proposal, but we haven't heard back from them in a while," one source said. "It sounds like they've worked things out in San Antonio. We'd love to have them. We gave them a heck of a proposal, and they liked it."

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett referred questions to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. Officials there declined to comment on Washington Mutual's interest in Oklahoma City. The San Antonio Economic Development Foundation also had no comment.

Oklahoma City and San Antonio are considered front-runners for the project. Both have relatively low costs of living and large, qualified work forces.

The wild card might be incentives. Oklahoma's nationally recognized Quality Jobs program has attracted numerous companies to the state. Washington Mutual also could take advantage of downtown's federal Empowerment Zone, which offers a pool of tax breaks and incentives. However, Texas has a $200 million "closing fund" administered by Gov. Rick Perry to sweeten any local offerings.

Last month, Perry allocated $7 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund to attract Tyson Foods Inc. to Sherman, Texas, for a new meat-packing plant. Durant was a finalist for that project.

Publicly traded Washington Mutual, which offers services from banking to insurance, is the nation's largest savings and loan association. It doesn't have any retail banking branches in Oklahoma but has been moving aggressively into the Texas banking market. "

[xrayman]

I know many people here won't like this because I am again going to question leadership in the mayor's office. When I heard this on the radio, I couldn't believe it. From the story above:

"Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett referred questions to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce."

Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. Before anybody says, "What would you have said?" A LEADER would have said (something akin to), "I understand that Washington Mutual is looking at Oklahoma City and that's wonderful news. We believe this city has much to offer to any company looking to come to our great city. I can't say much more than that at this point, but it's exciting to see interest in Oklahoma City from so many companies. When several cities are in the hunt, you'll win some and lose some, but it bodes well for the future that Oklahoma City is apparently on the short list; we're honored - and hopeful."

Without knee-jerk support for the mayor - consider this: He referred the media to the Chamber of Commerce!
Stand tall and proud, Mr. Mayor! Lead!!!!!

[Patrick]

On this issue you just aren't aware of the inside workings of city hall! Of course the mayor knows what's going on. Again, Mick does most of his work outside of the public eye, so the article isn't going into the depth that's needed to explain the whole story. I don't think you're interpreting the article correctly.

Anyways, just remember that the public doesn't always know everything about what's going on, especially with Mick Cornett. He's actually pretty smart in his dealings with the media. He tries to remain as private as possible about city issues. In the past we had problems with mayors being a little too close to the Gaylords! I'm sure glad we don't have that problem with this mayor.
Instead of addressing all of the fine details like previous mayors, Mick keeps silent.

Just look at the Dell deal! The media wasn't aware of it until a few days before the announcement was made. Mick kept his lips shut, as did the Chamber.

Anyways, truth is our whole city has put forward proposals for this call center. Problem is, we as a city can't match the $200 million that the state of Texas is putting forward.

That's a problem Brad Henry might want to deal with.

Also, let me remind you that the mayor is a registered user on this forum. Thus as a moderator, I do have to protect him from personal attacks. Let's try to prevent similar put-downs in the near future. I think all of us know where you stand in regards to the mayor. And that's okay...it's your opinion.

[xrayman]

Patrick,

I respect you, your posts, and your role at OKCTalk. However, every time someone criticizes the MAYOR OF OUR CITY they cannot be threatened with making "personal attacks." The man is a fine gentleman with whom I happen to disagree with on several issues - mainly in leadership style. I really can't question his honor, integrity or anything else on a personal level. He's a good and honest man. However, any poster here must feel like he can criticize - in a political context - the MAYOR of our city!! When a man or woman throws his hat into the political arena, they are open to criticism and most certainly expect it! That is what our system of government from City Hall to the White House is all about. Simply joining and being a member of an internet forum, where political and policy decisions are discussed, should *never* make a PUBLIC OFFICIAL (paid with OUR tax dollars) immune to criticism under the "personal attack against fellow posters" rule in the Terms of Service. It is not a "personal attack" to disagree with the highest elected official in our city. As I said, I respect your role here, but I resent the intimidation that comes with suggesting that any criticism of the mayor is a "personal attack."

As for this issue - I didn't say Mayor Cornett didn't know what was going on. I wrote that his referring the media to the Chamber of Commerce was not - in my opinion - effective leadership. I never said he didn't know what was going on. I didn't say he should "speak out of school." I simply said I thought he had a chance to show the city that he is leading. My hypothetical statement from him would have, in my opinion, shown leadership to the public, where a referral to the Chamber of Commerce simply looked weak.

Let's have honest discussion on these issues and stop worrying about protecting the mayor under the guise of his membership here. He is a big man and knows he is, as mayor, at times a lightening rod. To squash dissenting opinion of Mayor Cornett during his tenure at City Hall simply because he is a member of this forum would simply be wrong.

[Patrick]

In regards to the call center, I think Texas' $200 million "closing fund," administered by Gov. Rick Perry to sweeten any local offerings, is overpowering anything we could offer Washington Mutual. At this point, I'm not even sure offering $200 million in state funds would be worth attracting a call center. For us to offer such an amount though, would require the state's help. Texas just has more resources to work with than Oklahoma does. I suppose our mayor could come up with similar a incentives package for corporations, but would this really be a proper way to spend taxpayer's money? Well, I suppose it depends on the type of business you're trying to attract.

What do you guys think?

[SoundMind]

I believe Dell was given a subsidy, but it wasn't near what Texas is offering Washington Mutual. The last time OKC considered a subsidy this large was when they were trying to attract the United Airlines Maitenance facility; obviously, that might have been worth the multi-million dollar investment.

Remember that in Vision 2025, Tulsa recently proposed close to $300 million to subsidize a Boeing facility. Again, this would've beena manufacturing facility, not a run of the mill call center.

[mranderson]

I heard we are still in the running. That would make 15 major call centers for Oklahoma City.

I just wish the city would try and get better businesses. although I work in one, and for what appears to be a good company, I am still not thrilled with call centers. They may have great benefits, but the pay sucks. You can not buy a house and drive a new ride. You must choose one over the other. And if you have kids? Forget it. Poverty. Ten bucks an hour just is not enough. That is what most pay. Many less than that.

At least I may be off the phone soon.

[Midtowner]

A call center? Yeah, we really need more $8.00/hr jobs pumping out people who can barely afford crappy apartments on their own.

Unless this proposed call center would employee most of their workers at 25K and up, I would really be hard pressed to find a reason to spend tax money to get jobs that will require more tax money (food stamps, medicaide, section 8) to have.

[Patrick]

A call center? Yeah, we really need more $8.00/hr jobs pumping out people who can barely afford crappy apartments on their own.

Unless this proposed call center would employee most of their workers at 25K and up, I would really be hard pressed to find a reason to spend tax money to get jobs that will require more tax money (food stamps, medicaide, section 8) to have.

That may be the reason our city and state government isn't willing to invest up to $200 mill to attract it here. I guess Texas is a little more liberal in its spending practices....probably becasue they have more to spend.

[xrayman]

Just to be clear, I fully agree with the sentiment here that this particular company is not worth chasing with taxpayer dollars. There's been too much of that as it is. In fact, news of another call center wouldn't be particularly exciting to many people. They aren't exactly premium jobs. A company presence, from a company like Washington Mutual would be nice, but I agree that $8 an hour jobs are not what we need. OKC needs to land two or three plums and then we can watch the market work. I believe in this city and I think our future is bright, there's too many good things happening for it not to fall into place. It won't happen by accident, but a lot of people are working hard and are ready for this city to move to the next level.

[nurfe75]

Oh goodie goodie. I was just saying to some friends the other day that Oklahoma City just doesn't have enough call centers. Thank God we might snag another one.

How about this idea? The mayor works on attracting REAL businesses with REAL jobs that pay a liveable wage? We're already the call center capitol of the country. I won't be disappointed if we lose out on this.

Just a thought.

[nurfe75]

Oklahomans need to stand up and stop being satisfied with these table scraps. Nobody wants more crappy low paying call centers in this city. We're a big enough joke as is.

[zuluwarrior0760]

Nearly a quarter of a billion to lure a lousy 1500 low paying jobs????

Not likely....

The 200 million dollar "enterprise fund"....is the ENTIRE FUND administered
by the governer to sweeten offerings on the local level to get companies
to come to Texas.........the article even states that Tyson Foods only got
7 million in incentives from that fund....and they had way more than 1500
potential hires......

So, the good news for the Mayor is, Oklahoma City doesn't have to come
up with 200 mil to get another call center that will make us the undisputed
call center capitol of the world.......

As to the criticizer's point, I'd just as soon let political rhetoric be rhetoric.......
I don't want cheerleading or spin from the mayor......if he can get it "done"
behind the scenes....he has my permission to stay quiet as he likes....

[nurfe75]

Don't you guys just love cubicle farms? I know I do.

[xrayman]

I don't want cheerleading or spin from the mayor......if he can get it "done"
behind the scenes....he has my permission to stay quiet as he likes....

Let's be honest. That's all the mayor has in Oklahoma City. It is a largely ceremonial post that includes - saying the right things. I don't want the call center, but the mayor should RECOGNIZE in public that a company the size of Washington Mutual is interested in possibly having a presence here in Oklahoma City. Win some, lose some, Oklahoma City is on the radar screen. The mayor of Oklahoma City can't "get it done." It is - again - a largely ceremonial post while the City Council and the City Manager (hired by the Council) does the work by committee. I am all for dumping this awful system of municipal government and bringing some accountability to our city through a strong mayor system. Great cities are built, in large part, by great mayors. You can't be a "great mayor" when you don't have the responsibilities that go with the job in most of our large cities. Again, my point here is that what little this mayor DOES HAVE (cheerleading, PR, etc.) he should use to a much greater extent than he has chosen to do so far. He's done some good things, put some things on the table, but that's about where his job description ends. That's not the mayor's fault. However, he should use what he DOES have more effectively.....in my opinion.

[nurfe75]

I like the way he stole the election from Jim Tolbert by having his campaign officials call everyone in OKC and tell them Tolbert was a Democrat, knowing this town is full of Republicans. It was supposed to be a non-partisan race (especially since being a Mayor has absolutely nothing to do with party politics), but noooooo. That was pretty classy of him.

[HOT ROD]

OK Everyone. Look at what they are saying about you (OKC), SA mayor said "OKC throwing in the towel!!" with Cornett's alleged announcement.

I agree with xrayman on the issue with Cornett, it is one thing to acknowledge the competition but it is one thing to shoot your foot in your mouth. It seems like every leader in OKC history (with the xception of Humphreys, like it or not) said or did something stupid like this that hurt OKC! When will the leadership of OKC recognize that other cities view us as serious competition! Read the article below, San Antonio viewed OKC as THE COMP for 4,500 good paying jobs in 5 years.

http://www.ksat.com/news/4231625/detail.html

I think the mayor should not announce to the media he gives up, but instead be confident if not defiant about anything involving new business (and hence residents) to Oklahoma City. Who cares if it is a call centre, it would have absorbed downtown office space!!!!!!!

WAMU has two towers in downtown Seattle (one they are currently building even as we speak) but yet they are still expanding. Imagine their presence in Oklahoma City! Ask Des Moines, theres nothing wrong with Administrative jobs!

Heck, these jobs apparently would have been higher paying than the Dell jobs and there would have been comparable amount. The mayor should have touted both companies as 10,000 new jobs to Oklahoma City. That is progress. Even if they are admin call centre or whatever, if you have all of the call centres in the nation, then your skillset and hence salary demands also rise!

Patrick, I think you should reconsider your thoughts about our mayor or perhaps have a talk with him to "shut his mouth" if he has nothing positive to say about OKC to the media. It is one thing to think what you think, but once you say it - it speaks volumes!

And the mayor of this city (no matter if ceremonial or not) IS the voice of OKC, if not Oklahoma! Read that article again!

[xrayman]

This has bothered me enough to get up and write in the middle of the night. It's not necessarily that Mayor Cornett has said anything negative on this issue - it's that he chose to DEFER. Defer to the -------------------- CHAMBER OF COMMERCE!! A ***non-governmental*** non-profit organization of independent business! The MAYOR of our city told the media to ask the **Chamber of Commerce** about Washington Mutual! I understand the limitations of the mayors office; in fact, I recognize it as an office hardly worthy of the cost to the city for elections every four years. Why not just send the president of the Chamber out to do all the ceremonial cheerleading? Especially when the mayor is going to send the media to their office for comment on possible economic development in our city?

[floater]

I do agree on some level that we need more actors making things happen. There is only so much the chamber and city hall can do. The same people seem to be involved in getting things going; it does seem that things are just "done" without the active participation or consultation of residents. We had public meetings on MAPS for Kids, but what about the riverfront? Project Next is a great example of the public shaping of a civic agenda.

A beefed up city staff that moves forward with initiatives (and not just maintains "quality") may or may not be the answer. But until city coffers are dramatically enhanced with higher taxes, that probably won't happen. Our conservative orientation to government keeps us from increasing the number of services city gov't provides. We have shown a willingness to pay for specific projects, but not as much for fundamental activities like neighborhood reinvestment, community beautfication, and business attraction -- those have been "outsourced" in a way to other actors -- to the state's Main Street program, OKC Beautiful, and the chamber respectively. Do you all think that's enough? Everybody has a different answer.

Until that orientation changes, what we can do is expand that civic base. Get more people and organizations to make things happen. It happened with The Nature Conservancy and the buffaloes, and is happening with AEP and the shoring of our creative, professional class. The chamber doesn't have be the only player in business attraction -- the research and medical community is doing its part for our bioscience cluster. How about organizing aerospace group that aggresively pursues aerospace companies? We can do the same for manufacturing, logistics, even retail and restaurants. It just takes volunteers and a certain amount of money.

[HOT ROD]

Whenever something is going on in Seattle or Washington State, our mayor is the one everyone talks to. Even moreso than our governer, the mayor of Seattle has more power and influence! Look at Seattle!

Everyone's opinion of Seattle is positive.

That is what I am saying. The leadership should be leaders, speak up - positively about Oklahoma City! New business coming? Well, toot your horns and make sure it happens. Dont tuck your tail between your legs when the media comes to you for a press conference. The media seeks out weakness just like a lion does on the plains, if you are not strong then they will hunt you down (or in the case of the media, run a negative ad). This was probably true in the case of WAMU, but look who ran with it - San Antonio! They said their biggest competitor, Oklahoma City, threw in the towel! Because the mayor of OKC was weak.

That is my opinion, and that is fact.

[mranderson]

"but look who ran with it - San Antonio! They said their biggest competitor, Oklahoma City, threw in the towel!"

I have not heard anything about Oklahoma City raising the :surrender . What I heard is the Washington Mutual facility is still between Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

What I can not understand is why a city would offer 200 million to lure a call center that only needs one tenth of that amount, if that much.

They are only projecting 1500 jobs. Dell is projecting more than three times that number... And word is starting to ciruclate from inside as to a very high number.

[HOT ROD]

I posted earlier in this thread (you should check it out) an article from San Antonio which collaborates the terms of the WAMU deal and what OKC said and San Antonio's reaction.

http://www.ksat.com/news/4231625/detail.html

The article said that it appears OKC threw in the towel and that OKC was San An's major competitor. The article said nothing negative about OKC but that it sensed that OKCs leadership gave up.

This point is what I have been talking about, that when leaders deal with the media they must be leaders and promote OKC. Otherwise, the media will sense weakness and run negative articles - which could prove dividends against OKC as people around the world see how ignorant our peers think we are for giving up.

[rxis]

I guess we all just don't understand why Texas would shell out $200m for a call center. What sort of large call center would pay more than $25k a year with benefits?

[soonerguru]

For the love of God, Texas is NOT shelling out $200 million for the call center. The $200 mil is the entire fund for all economic development incentives.

Regarding Mick, he's done a pretty good job. I was actually pumped about him as a candidate until he back-doored that Hillary-scare calling campaign, sending OKC municipal elections into partisan territory. Bad move by an otherwise classy guy. He seriously lost my respect with that move.

On another note, he pays lip service to sprawl issues but the people who love the 'burbs are his constituents. He's not doing anything substantive to address the problem of sprawl, which, if it continues unabated, will have disastrous consequences for our city and quality of life.

I also noted that he told a reporter that we are "at least a decade behind" when it comes to luring high technology. He may be right, but why say that when you're being interviewed by a national publication? Why not talk about the rapid change in quality of life, our growing tech sector, our thriving downtown enhancements? As far as I could tell, he only mentioned the MINOR LEAGUE baseball stadium and canal. Big woo. I'm sure tech company officials will be enticed by that.

Good luck to Mick. He's going to need it. I still think he may make a decent mayor. If he truly becomes a leader, and risks offending some of his bible-thumping constitutents for the betterment of the city, he could become a GREAT mayor.

[HOT ROD]

I also noted that he told a reporter that we are "at least a decade behind" when it comes to luring high technology. He may be right, but why say that when you're being interviewed by a national publication? Why not talk about the rapid change in quality of life, our growing tech sector, our thriving downtown enhancements? As far as I could tell, he only mentioned the MINOR LEAGUE baseball stadium and canal. Big woo. I'm sure tech company officials will be enticed by that.

Good luck to Mick. He's going to need it. I still think he may make a decent mayor. If he truly becomes a leader, and risks offending some of his bible-thumping constitutents for the betterment of the city, he could become a GREAT mayor.

EXACTLY MY POINT!!!!!!!!!!

He may be a great, classy person but he needs to recognize he is the leader of Oklahoma City - and he does not have to sell us short all of the time. Tout our positives infront of the media, dont always shoot your foot in the mouth.

That is one thing I can say about Tulsa and most mid sized cities, they never downplay their attractions or accomplishments. When their leadership is interviewed, it makes you think they are New York City or something as they never downplay or "explain" their shortcomings (as Minor League, or a decade behind, or so on).

Crap, this is what makes me so irritated with OKC leadership. They think so small time, when OKC is a city of 540,000 and 1.25m metro. Dangit, can they get a clue?