BOK naysayers

By BRUCE PLANTE - 9/23/2009





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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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tulsaGuy, (9/23/2009 6:57:49 AM)
Amen !!! Double serving for those critics who used the arena-under-construction as a political club to beat up those city officials whose policies built the arena. Why the silence from all those streets/arena/mayor complainers?

justiceawaits, Claremore (9/23/2009 7:10:15 AM)
Excelent!!! Mayor Taylor has had her share of shortcomings, but the Arena is one thing she got right. It has been long overdue. The city finally is able to attract A-list entertainment and the tax money collected from ticket sales has helped out the city, not to mention all the construction jobs it provided the last couple of years.I am sure the parking fees were not chump change either. The infrastructure upgrades and street improvments in the area were a nice perk too.

FromTheHeart, (9/23/2009 7:11:49 AM)
i have not seen the financials from the BOK center...how much profit has it made and where is that profit being utilized to help Tulsa. Anybody know the answer?

SS_Hippy, Tulsa (9/23/2009 7:14:34 AM)
is that the American Idols crowd?

Democrats Rock!, (9/23/2009 7:30:27 AM)
Taylor didnt start it, Lafortune did, she finished it up and got the credit Bill was due!

Matt in BA, Broken Arrow (9/23/2009 7:37:01 AM)
good cartoon Bruce, yes there were naysayers, probably the same ones who forgot when the BOK center was started and how it was funded.

2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (9/23/2009 7:43:38 AM)
I still remember the posts from two and three years ago... "but, nobody will go downtown..." Hope you all bring a knife and fork. I thought about setting up a tent to watch the dinner line form...but, alas, I don't expect any of the CAVE people to actually show up. Great toon, Bruce

papito_z, (9/23/2009 8:01:00 AM)
I agree with FromtheHeart. Is it in the black yet? I hope so. Someone needs to pay for the money we are losing on moving City Hall. Maybe after that, we can turn some highway street lights back on and open the city pools again. At least it gave us a reason to move the homeless from downtown to midtown.

Beentheredonethat, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:21:45 AM)
Yes, BOK Center has been great for Tulsa. Look a the revenue it generates for the businesses downtown. Also, no more driving to OKC for entertainment.

cant_stop_jack, five (9/23/2009 8:22:02 AM)
That's funny, because that's about all there is to eat at the joint. Why did they not build places to have restaurants instead of wasting space on design. LAAAAAAME!!!!!

Ayo, T-Town (9/23/2009 8:24:36 AM)
HaHa......Smackdown!! Good job, Bruce. FromtheHeart and paito_z.....hehehehhe, some people just are too mentally handicapped to know when to eat their crow pie and remain silent. I'm sure you can find whether it's completely in the black. We do know that the tax base for the city skyrocketed. The place has been open barely a year. It's been voted in the top 10 of the world for venues and top 5 for national venues. (or something close..juz going from memory) Would you like a big spoon for that crow? Forks are for grown-ups who know how to admit their errs. Batter upppppp!!! Bring on the ballpark.

Daven, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:28:37 AM)
I dont think Taylor is taking credit for the BOK Center. We all know this is part of V2025 which is a result of Lafortune. He was there on the opening which was very appropriate. If anything I think she takes credit for the operation of the BOK Center which she should. Bruce, the naysayers have not gone away. They have just changed their focus to the ballpark. ha ha.

Cooldaddy, Broken Arrow (9/23/2009 8:29:37 AM)
BOK Center is a splendid place for top notch events.

irishtulsan1977, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:34:33 AM)
My biggest problem is the parking. You have to pay $20 if you want to park near the BOK center during big concerts. That's highway robbery.

The Bug, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:39:10 AM)
Kudos

Daven, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:41:07 AM)
I pay $5 to park about a block away at the city parking. Easy in and easy out.

Scooterman, (9/23/2009 8:45:44 AM)
Good cartoon Bruce. I have to admit that I was one who didn't quite get the need for the BOK but know I am glad that it's here. I think it's great that the BOK center is pulling in the $$$ but still think the design is ugly and doesn't fit in the with art deco that Tulsa is famous for.

DowntownDan, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:46:44 AM)
Daven, you had to park a whole block away? That's unacceptable! There is no parking downtown! The enormous garage attached to the convention center is also an entire block away! Not to mention the big garage across from the BOK drive-in bank. I will not attend a BOK event until they bulldoze everything around it and surround it with a giant gravel parking lot. Why should I have to walk a whole block? This is Oklahoma, we don't walk anywhere, even for one measly block.

cant_stop_jack, five (9/23/2009 8:47:56 AM)
Exactly, Daven. I paid $5 right across the street in the garage. I am not sure who the irish guy paid. lol, that's irish for ya. lol. And why is highway robbery different that street robbery or sidewalk robbery? Only idiots pay $20 for parking.

Tulsa World Staff Writer Brian Barber, (9/23/2009 8:48:57 AM)
We print BOK Center financial reports every quarter of the fiscal year. For its first fiscal year, it made more than $1 million profit after offsetting its expenses and nearly $3 million in sales tax revenue for the city, county and state. To find these stories, simply do an archive search under my name and BOK Center.

cant_stop_jack, five (9/23/2009 8:49:19 AM)
Scooterman, how could you not have vision and see what the need for the BOK?

cant_stop_jack, five (9/23/2009 8:52:46 AM)
Downtown Dan, all the parking complainers are LAZY! Lazy slugs. You have a building for that is supposed to seat thousands of people and downtown dan wants to park at the front door so he does not have to walk a block. Lazy slugs. No wonder Oklahoma is so fat, downtown dan hates walking a block. you walk that much to your frig everyday to drink beer. wow. why do I read these postings? They are from the underbelly.

psychedelikrelik, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:58:41 AM)
Sarcasm is wasted on some folks, 'Dan. I parked at the Brady for free and had a nice, short walk to the BOK.

dustyoutlaw, Tulsa (9/23/2009 8:59:16 AM)
Outstanding Bruce. Homerun!!! They said nobody would go to Staples Arena because of traffic congestion, parking problems, nearby gangs and yada yada yada. They do. While I personally don't spend a lot of time in Arenas anymore every city with a population base that can support an arena should have one. The BOK is a class structure. The sound could be a little better for concerts but trust me I've been to far far worse. And maybe as I age my hearing should be checked. LOL Good job Bruce.

DowntownNow, (9/23/2009 9:02:02 AM)
Thank you Tulsa World for that information. So, for the BOKCenter that cost upwards of $200 million in tax dollars on a porject that was supposed to sput huge amounts of surrounding development in downtown, the return just isnt there. That's not to say that the BOKCenter isnt a great venue, it is. The selection of shows are great BUT, it hasnt lived up to its promises. Restaurants have come and gone around it, unable to support operations on nights events arent happening. Lands immediately around the site are either unavailable of simply the desire isnt there to build immediately across the street from it (case in point the site at Denver and Cheyenne, 3rd to 4th). At $1 million profit in its first fiscal year, even adding the $3 million in new sales tax revenues, it will take 50 years+ just to recover the public investment. That doesnt take into account long term maintenance, drop in revenues that are likely after an inaugural year, etc. Perhaps had Tulsa planned and consolidated its development in an area supported by both the ballpark and the BOK with plenty of available lands immediately around it, the 'build it and they will come' mentality might have paid off.


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