Possible Downtown Ballpark for Drillers (Tulsa: buy, tax, live in)

[happytown]

I know what you are saying, but Tulsa almost passed the river projects. With a good campaign this project looks like a better sell. Its way more sophisticated since it is tied into MTown/DTown along with a new ballpark. Very exciting stuff. Just needs some shakers and movers to push it!! It definitely will be Tulsas Bricktown, but Tulsa style! How weird and cool is that.

[sgrizzle]

To clarify, the new Drillers proposal and the Global Development project are two seperate things. Global wanted to do the ballpark and surrounding structures privately. The new plan is for a publicly funded stadium paid for by donations and an increase in the hotel/motel tax so it doesn't hit the resident's bottom line.

[Synopsis]

Ah, thanks for clarifying things sgrizzle.

[sgrizzle]

The trust agreement is now finalized and the next step is for the trust and the Drillers to sign the lease. Construction should begin in 60-90 days and the Drillers will play on their new field in 2010.

[sgrizzle]

More pictures:
Tulsa World: Slideshows - Illustrations of the new Drillers Stadium

[happytown]

Nice view of the skyline. I started this thread. I knew it would happen via my crystal ball. Do you happen to have better renderings of the ballpark itself, since it is about to break ground? I was hoping for an Art Deco design.

[sgrizzle]

I have seen public and some non-public ones. All the work to date has been more on the functional side. The Drillers will have year-round practice and workout facilities including batting cages and pitching mounds and a world class gym. There will be an emphasis on the site being available for public festival with the plazas and berms as well as making it ready for outdoor concerts. To my knowledge there are no renders of the exterior that have been finalized. I assume that "the look" will mainly consist of facade work and is a minor element in overall construction.

[TU 'cane]

Those numbers are ridiculous. $70 million for a downtown ballpark? Serving over 2.5 million people?? Sure I live in SW Missouri and I'm going to go to the Tulsa's Drillers' AA ballpark and spend all my money there. They're making it look good people, don't buy into it. There's nothing wrong with their current stadium or location.

[BigOkie]

Originally Posted by TU 'cane

Those numbers are ridiculous. $70 million for a downtown ballpark? Serving over 2.5 million people?? Sure I live in SW Missouri and I'm going to go to the Tulsa's Drillers' AA ballpark and spend all my money there. They're making it look good people, don't buy into it. There's nothing wrong with their current stadium or location.

You obviously haven't studied it enough. Relocating was the will of the current tenant. It also makes more sense for the city because they were never getting any sales tax from merchandise being sold since the ballpark was on county land.

Besides, it's too late anyway. The trust is created and they intend on breaking ground in weeks.

[sgrizzle]

Originally Posted by TU 'cane

Those numbers are ridiculous. $70 million for a downtown ballpark? Serving over 2.5 million people?? Sure I live in SW Missouri and I'm going to go to the Tulsa's Drillers' AA ballpark and spend all my money there. They're making it look good people, don't buy into it. There's nothing wrong with their current stadium or location.

Here, let me give you some actual information:
$60M for Ballpark, gym, year-round training facilties, redevelopment of 7 block area including possible museum. The ballpark also serves as festival grounds and concert venue. Given those wide array of events, $2.5M is not unreasonable. I know several Tulsans who went to see Dave Matthews recently at the OKC ballpark.

There is plenty wrong with the current location. It is the oldest, most oversized and flimsiest ballpark in AA baseball. The Rockies are wanting a better facility for training their players and the drillers want to be able to cater to VIP's and year-round events. The Drillers stated long ago they were leaving the fairgrounds and it was just a matter of where they landed. Now, thanks mostly to donors, we are getting a whole new ballpark development, greenwood is getting the boosts it needs, the memorial is going to get built and direct costs to the taxpayer are ZERO.