If You Had Deep Pockets, What Would You Do For OKC?

[okcpulse]

Okay, everyone. Brainstorming time. I thought of this idea on another thread. If you had millions of dollars to spend on developing something for Oklahoma City, what would it be? What would you like to get rid of (non-historical, of course) and put in its place. For me, it is redeveloping east Reno, build a new office tower for downtown OKC, or build a major theme park along the river (assuming Frontier City closes). Or, I could buy Frontier City and White Water Bay, move White Water Bay next to Frontier City Theme Park, and convert it into a theme resort for the entire region. This would include buying up and tearing out dilapidated properties north of Frontier City.

Now, it's your turn. Oklahoma City is your canvas.

[mranderson]

I would do three things. Build a major theme park that would rival Disney, build a complete subway system and commuter rail system for the entire metro (and it includes Shawnee, Guthrie, Purcell, and El Reno), and build a major motion picture studio the size or larger of Universal Hollywood complete with theme park.

[Popsy]

I would buy the cotton gin or grain elevator south of downtown, demolish it and sell the property to the city at cost when Maps III comes along. I would also put a large sum of money into a fund to fight public monies being spent on light rail because there are many other things that OKC should spend money on besides a sink hole that would be used by less than one-tenth of one per cent of the population. Should OKC ever achieve a budget surplus of five billion dollars, I would consider limited light rail between Edmond and Norman if existing track could be used.

[floater]

I would start off by donating several million dollars to OKC Beautiful to fund a beautification program. It would cover downtown, city districts and boulevards, and gateways, especially highway frontage.

I would clear Hub Cap Alley on Robinson and put in a colorful art deco, South Beach-style neighborhood, capped by a residential highrise with one side facing the river and the other side facing downtown.

I would buy property on the parking lots south of City Hall and the Civic Center and put in galleries or cultural centers. I would buy the theater on Main & Hudson and make it a place for films and improv/sketch comedy. I would buy the Nuvox Communications building next to the art museum and convert it to a more artsy use.

Lastly, I would start a public art nonprofit with an multi-million dollar endowment. It would partner with authorities and businesses to bring high-profile art to the river and other high-visibility areas.

[dirtrider73068]

If I had deep pockets, and millions of dollars to spend on okc.
Tear down crossroads mall and rebuild one way better, maybe like the vista mall in lewisville tx, that was 2 storys tall or even maybe the dallas tx gallaria that is 3 storys tall and has a ice rink in the middle of it.
Then to top it off redo frontier city, remodel, update, and exspansion to make a better park out of it.
Or could even if had more leftover, put into a account to fight crime and drugs and one hell of a crime force that did nothing but fight drugs, and get the streets cleared up of gangs and drugs.

[ETL]

Maybe dirtrider73068 should also buy the city of Vally Brook too. LOL

[soonerliberal]

A logical and friendly-to-everyone public transportation system.

[Oki_Man5]

I would suck in the borders to somewhere around Eastern (MLK) on the east to Western on the west and 10th on the north and south, and let that area be all there is that is considered OKC.

[BricktownGuy]

lol. I can top all those.. with this one..

I would built at the request of Clay Bennett & Co. thenew "world class" venue they are looking for, but it would be located in OKC.

[Karried]

That's exactly what I was thinking.. do what it takes to get the Sonics here, build it and they will come.

I would like to build many more community centers both for the elderly and for underprivileged kids in an effort to try to assist parents in some of the more poverty stricken areas ... offer activities with positive role models, things to do to help keep kids out of trouble and inspire them to do good things with thier lives. Help with pregnancy prevention centers ( this being for the kids of course) offering more education & possibly provide more scholarship through these centers.

I also would love a huge theme park area similar to Branson and a river attraction... but with that, you get the traffic and crowds so I have to be careful for what I wish for I guess.

[Kerry]

I would put all my money into Leprechaun.

Actually, I would build Heartland Castle. A 75,000 soccer/football stadium that resembles a Medieval castle from the outside. It would be surrounded by a large park with bronze replicas of siege weapons scattered throughout. A large mote would surround the stadium with drawbridges providing access to the stadium. The mote would be connect to the canal.

All parking would be underground. The park surrounding the stadium would be used for medieval fairs and outdoor concerts or just to relax. The stadium could be used to attract MLS, preseason football games, truck shows, someday the Super Bowl, an alternate site for OU/Texas game, OSU/Texas Tech games, state football championships, and the Heartland Bowl.

The Heartland Bowl would be a fundraiser for the OKC Memorial. It would select the two teams with the best records that did not get invited to another bowl. It would be the first bowl game of the season taking place 2 weeks after the end of the regular season.

[ISayGoPokes]

I would build a large outdoor music venue to attract some of the larger summer shows- like Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, etc...

[ETL]

I would bring Nashville here! That is after creating the third largest theme park in the world though.

[BricktownGuy]

The Heartland Bowl would be a fundraiser for the OKC Memorial. It would select the two teams with the best records that did not get invited to another bowl. It would be the first bowl game of the season taking place 2 weeks after the end of the regular season.

I like that idea.

[mranderson]

I like that idea.

The Heartland Castle and Bowl are ideas we thought of several years ago, and would be a major coup to Oklahoma City. I forget about it sometimes. Thanks Kerry for reviving it.

I also would build it along with a medievil theme park next door to it.

[Luke]

Aside from a Summer Olympic OKC 2024 campaign...

I would invest in a strategic monorail system all around the metro.

I would make an amazing town center all along the river with a boardwalk.

I would invest in a nice big residential tower downtown.

[gsan]

Hi guys-

I am new to the forum, I love to keep an eye on it and read the great posts. Any way I will get started with ideas for OKC.

1.) Build the biggest ferris wheel in the world next to the Oklahoma river close to Bricktown, if a theme park (Frontier City) gets attatched with it even better.

2.) Build a condo complex similar to deep deuce, The hill etc. close to Bricktown and Downtown. Bottom floors retail, restaurants and a damn good grocery store (no Wal-Mart, no Homeland, no Albertsons) A good grocery thta has everything you need and specialty items. This condo complex needs to be big!!! Hundrreds of homes even thoussands.

3.)Fix up all the overpasses (Like the Denver area)
Each overpass will have a brick or stone Facade with the name of the community and the name of the street.

4.) Pedestrian bridges over highways and busy streets

5.) Build the premier mall on OKlahoma in Bricktown. Give Oklahomans a reason to shop in OKC and not in TX.

6.) Have a state of the art facility for the Hornets, Sonics whomever. Think BIG!!! not the usual Oklahoma mentality. A facility that would make the city proud for the next 25 years.

7.) Have some great statues next to the Indian museum that is going next to the river. Big!!! statues or 1 huge statue.

8.) Fix up Lake Arcadia..
Make it alot bigger.
Hotel
nice cabins
boat dock
restaurants

9.) Build more parks
bigger parks
more trees
swimming pools..like Pelican Bay in Edmond

10.) Sidewalks throughout the city.
Trail system for bikers and pedestrians

OKC is a nice city, but, we need to think bigger. We need to set are selves apart therre are a lot of great cities out there. We need to give tourist, business, families a reason to relocate themselves to OKC. We are of to a good start, but we have a long way to go!

Thanks

[gsan]

Oh..1 more thing.

A race track! 1st of all to bring (NASCAR). I hate Nascar, but it is huge and would bring thousands of people to OKC. The track would also need to have a race course as well as the oval. So that it could bring many racing events


Thanks

[jdsplaypin]

But are the Nascar fans the people we want to bring into Oklahoma? They have a bad stereotype & oklahoma in general is trying so hard to fight off it's bad stereotypes of rednecks & people who aren't cosmopolitan.

[gsan]

Read the post before that. There are a lot of other things that should be done to OKC, but the race track would be a small part of the big plan.

As far as NASCAR fans are concerned. There are all types. My neighbor is a Dr. and he is huge Nascar fan.

The important thing is it would bring people to OKC.

Any opinions on the post before the Nascar idea?

[Kerry]

I am a NASCAR fan and I have all of my teeth so I am not sure what the sterotype is. A single NASCAR race has the economic impact of two Super Bowls (according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). A NASCAR track would be gret. I wouldn't do an oval though. I would make it a road course.

Of course, I guess it is possible that Super Bowl champion coach and NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs is a closet redneck.

[MadMonk]

The road course is a great idea. I'd love to see not only a NASCAR race held here, but some Indycar racing as well. If I had the money to blow, a world-class speedway/road course would definitely be on the list of things to do for OKC.

[muzique808]

Along with many other things, I would like to clean up the highway entrances to the city. We are the "Crossroads of America" and get a huge amount of thru traffic, but most of what they see coming into the city (primarily from the south or west) is run-down motels and industrial parks. I would like to buy up some of that land and redevelop it (with some sign ordinances in place, of course!)

Just my idea anyway.

[jbrown84]

I think these are all things that are very realistic. No offense to those with big dreams.


1. Line all the interstates with fast-growing trees as well as fix up the overpasses with a brick facade, lighting, and signage.

2. Major updates to Will Rogers, Lincoln, and Crown Heights Parks and added security to make sure they remain a safe, clean environment for everyone.

3. A new major downtown park called Delmar Gardens in a nod to history. This park would rival such urban parks as London's Hyde Park and San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The park would stretch from downtown to the river and include fountains, many new trees (but all existing trees would be kept), and a U.S.S. Oklahoma Memorial.

4. Commission world-class artists for new public art in Bricktown, on the Oklahoma River, in the CBD, in the Arts Quarter, etc. Different districts would get works thematically appropriate, especially places like the River and the Asian District.

5. A new mixed-use highrise (and new tallest for Oklahoma) on the land between the YMCA, the elevated railroad, and E.K. Gaylord.

6. Move White Water's assets to empty land next to Frontier City. Millions in upgrades including a couple new major roller coasters would replace abandoned motels and dilapidated RV parks. This would make the park far more competitiive with Six Flags Over Texas and Worlds of Fun.

7. Build a Hyatt Regency with retail on the first two floors at the Galleria site between the new City Center Garage and Sheridan. Festival Plaza would remain intact.

[Pete]

I would build a world-class, high rise convention hotel with condos on top. Something around 50 stories and that would give OKC a new signature skyline.

And I would donate millions for beautification efforts around town in the form of dollar-for-dollar matching that would encourage businesses and citizens to invest in making the citier prettier and cleaner.