Tulsa Drillers moving to Jenks (Oklahoma City, Sapulpa: bankrupt, school district, sales tax)

[rjacew]

I would like to see a proposal for a park along the new river project. They could put outfield right next to the river and any home runs would have a chance of going into the river...People in the upper deck could watch the game or watch canoes going around the lakes and river. I believe that this riverside park would attract more people than one downtown.

[DavazzDemise]

http://kotv.com/newsimages/640/8011dc83-2367-45ba-8e75-fb9491cf2149.jpg (broken link)

[happytown]

PROPONENTS FOR relocating the Tulsa Drillers to the suburbs attempt to soothe those adamantly opposed to the idea with six words they believe will make everything better: "But they're only going to Jenks."

Exactly. That's what doubles the pain, enflames the frustration and fuels the resolve to help do whatever is necessary to help convince the Drillers to stay in their hometown. More specifically, in their hometown's downtown.

A city losing a sports franchise isn't new. Ask Brooklyn about the Dodgers, Baltimore about the Colts and Seattle about the Supersonics.

Sadly, that already-long list continues to grow. We just never dreamed Tulsa would become a serious candidate to join it, which happened when an investment group offered to build the Drillers a stadium at a proposed $1 billion development in Jenks.

Wichita, Kan., which is another city already on that dreaded list, is comparable to our town. Like Tulsa and the Drillers, Wichita has a professional baseball club that's a member of the Double-A Texas League.

This is the Wranglers' final season in Wichita. The franchise is headed to Springdale, Ark., where it will become the North west Arkansas Naturals when the 2008 season opens.

But here's the key difference between Wichita and Tulsa: The Wranglers are moving 280 miles farther from Wichita than the Drillers would be if they eventually take the 15-mile hike south down U.S. Highway 75 to Jenks.

And that's why those six lousy words, "But they're only going to Jenks," drive me and thousands of others absolutely bonkers.

Unlike Wichita, out of sight, out of mind, doesn't apply to Tulsa's situation.

It would be painful for Tulsans who sincerely care about downtown revitalization to watch the Drillers play in Jenks if the River District Development Group is successful in raiding our city and stealing our baseball team.

Tulsa desperately needs the Drillers to move from their current location at 15th and Yale to a downtown location. There reportedly are at least two potential downtown sites under consideration.

The deep-pockets involved in the 300-acre Jenks development will survive just fine without our baseball team. All they have to do is follow their intriguing blueprint and find another business unique to Oklahoma to fill the spot where they have the Drillers penciled in as part of a grand plan to build a village filled with shops, restaurants, offices and housing.

Drillers' owner Chuck Lamson has been unfairly attacked by some critics for even considering the option to leave Tulsa. Lamson must make a business decision that is best for both his family and to ensure long-term success of pro baseball in this area.

That's why Lamson, an honorable, honest and ethical human being, is sincerely conflicted over the decision he may soon have to make about the relocation of his ball club.

This isn't about Lamson. It's about Tulsa leaders and those people putting the Jenks development together.

So Tulsa officials must find a way to make Lamson's decision an easy one. If it takes moving heaven and tons of Tulsa earth, this city's powerbrokers must put together one of those Godfather deals to make Lamson a proposal he can't refuse.

If the development folks want to build Lamson a $40 million ballpark, Tulsa must identify individuals with the creativity to produce an option that would blow Jenks' offer out of the Arkansas River.

A $60 million, retro-designed, state-of-the-art facility near the Blue Dome District would do it. It would be the perfect other bookend to go along with the $240 million BOK Center already under construction.

From major-league cities like Denver, Baltimore and Cleveland, to minor-league locales like Memphis, Toledo and Jacksonville, this country is chock full of examples of a ultra-successful downtown revitalization projects that were launched by building a baseball stadium.

It can be done without raising taxes. The city has financing tools to use that were specifically created for redevelopment of blighted areas.

A downtown ballpark would also be centrally located for baseball fans everywhere in the Tulsa metropolitan area. Move the team to Jenks, you take a chance of losing many people from fast-growing cities like Owasso, Claremore and Skiatook, who won't make the longer drive.

It's going to require somewhat of a leap of faith by Lamson to select downtown Tulsa. If the Jenks proposal comes to fruition, the ballpark is guaranteed to be surrounded by several businesses that potentially could attract fans.

But Lamson wouldn't be relocating based solely on the belief that if the city builds him a ballpark, other businesses will come downtown and join the fun.

Several people have already taken the leap. The have gone heavily into debt to build businesses and living areas in the general vicinity of several potential sites for a stadium.

Recent history in several cities verifies the contention that once the Drillers set up house downtown, new businesses will soon follow.

Ever since Oklahoma City built Bricktown Ballpark and the Bricktown shopping area quickly blossomed, envious Tulsans said we wanted our city to be just like our big brother down the Turner Turnpike.

To heck with that idea. We can build a better stadium, and we can make the Blue Dome district better than Bricktown. That shopping and eating area is nice, but it's dominated by chain restaurants.

Tulsa already has several innovative entrepreneurs like J. Elliot Nelson, who is my new risk-taking hero. With James E. McNellie's Public House, The Continental and El Guapo's Cantina, Nelson had the courage to build three downtown restaurants that are definitely not cookie-cutter operations.

One of the Spanish meanings for the word "guapo" is daring. Nelson, 27, certainly is daring. City officials need to develop that same quality and dare to be great enough to come up with ideas to keep our baseball team in the city.

Look, Jenks is going to thrive with or without the Drillers. But Tulsa's task of revitalizing downtown becomes daunting if those developers convince Lamson to accept their offer.

That's why the next time you hear the Jenks proponents say their six frustrating words, fire back with these six: "The Drillers belong in downtown Tulsa."

Don't stop saying it if you're committed to this mission. And continue helping in any positive way you can until the downtown stadium becomes a reality. This is one fight Tulsa simply cannot afford to lose.






I think it is starting to get heated up with the idea of moving the ballclub downtown. Thank God... But come on.....as usual someone has to take a swipe at Bricktown.....When the chains are so so few in numbers or are need because it is a meat market(like IHOP...I like it because it gives a 24hr place to eat)...Any city wouldnt be able to help it when you have big time money that wants to come in and help...lets see in my crystal ball if downtown Tulsa will give in to at least a few chains...too much money from the outside big boys to not be lured in to revitalize a big area....So few chains in bricktown and they were secured a million years ago!!...look them up on the bricktown website....plus Bricktown is a larger district and is seeing a surge of many private eateries and shopping--That I promise many are not mentioned on the website...takes some time to update. I think the idea of wasting 60,000 mil dollars would be a complete disaster....that comes close to a real Pro team Bpark.......The redhawks are a TRIPLE A BALLCLUB for crying out loud...The ballpark was a lil' more than 32,000 mil dollars in OKC and is considered the best in its league(triple A)....I hope Tulsa doesnt make a mistake just to be better and lose money where it could be spent elsewhere in the area....think about it....60 mil for a double A team??...Now that is just ridiculous...Im very sure the numbers will go down significantly if the ballpark is built in downtown Tulsa. Its just a farm team for the redhawks and then to the Royals or Rangers...More power to it if it can just be relocated downtown--thats all I want!! Im just being realistic guys.

[Jammie]

Well, as you know, I'm not a sports fan. (I know, that's odd.) But the problem is that it may cause discord between Tulsa and Jenks and that wouldn't be good at all since they're basically the same area. And being an out of stater, I've got to add that I hadn't heard of Jenks until a few years ago. Of course, Tulsa is known throughout the country. They might be better off to just leave well enough alone and keep them in Tulsa.

Just curious though~are there any other pro teams that are located in such a small city as Jenks? Don't get me wrong~we loved the Jenks area since we're used to less populated places then the center of Tulsa. It just almost seems out of place for them to have a big time team located there, doesn't it?

[peggydavis]

Happytown, was your post above quoting a news article? Just wondering. It was a good post. I have been keeping up with the Sonics (not hamburgers) saga in the Seattle Times, and the story is so similar to what I have been reading in their paper, except they are not very polite in Seattle.

Jammie, Enid has the Oklahoma Storm, a basketball team. I think Lawton is getting some kind of team too.

[happytown]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Well, as you know, I'm not a sports fan. (I know, that's odd.) But the problem is that it may cause discord between Tulsa and Jenks and that wouldn't be good at all since they're basically the same area. And being an out of stater, I've got to add that I hadn't heard of Jenks until a few years ago. Of course, Tulsa is known throughout the country. They might be better off to just leave well enough alone and keep them in Tulsa.

Just curious though~are there any other pro teams that are located in such a small city as Jenks? Don't get me wrong~we loved the Jenks area since we're used to less populated places then the center of Tulsa. It just almost seems out of place for them to have a big time team located there, doesn't it?

I have friends that live there...As everyone probably knows by now....I believe in restoring older areas like midtown (tulsa) just as an example. Jenks is around 10,000 people and is a drive away from Tulsa. A 20 min drive. So it would be bad for the ballclub to move there. I also would want people to invest in Downtown Tulsa instead of a suburb. The investment in Jenks is great and all....But would take away from Tulsa...Big time. Imagine Edmond sucking the life out of OKC (no harsh words...just the facts). No one wants that to happen....Soooo many beautiful places to visit around Downtown Tulsa. It needs money and it doesnt help w/Jenks taking away from its....Mother. Jenks is known for its HHigh school football and the name of my cat lets keep it that way!

[happytown]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

Happytown, was your post above quoting a news article? Just wondering. It was a good post. I have been keeping up with the Sonics (not hamburgers) saga in the Seattle Times, and the story is so similar to what I have been reading in their paper, except they are not very polite in Seattle.

Jammie, Enid has the Oklahoma Storm, a basketball team. I think Lawton is getting some kind of team too.

Ya- that is from the Tulsa World. The Sonics...If they move to OKC....will now make OKC look kinda bad for outright stealing the team via bad press. Oil Barons in OKC need to shut up. The Sonics will unfortunately have an association with Sonic corp. just for people to blah blah blah...If you know what I mean....I would rather associate them with OKC history....Tinker Air Force base conducted many experiments on a community (moore) for transcontinental supersonic transportation....That sounds better...The team originally adopted the name because of the possible Boeing plant in Seattle...Nothing happened though in Seattle....So it really makes more sense in OKC...But whatever! I hope they change the name if they do move...but again OKC will be grateful for any team...But the community is getting snobby with other possible franchises that before the hornets they would have loved to lure in...example are the Penguins(NHL)- they realized the market was too pumped for the NBA...Which is way better than the NHL...especially for big time national exposure for a city.

[MrsSteel]

HappyTown, thanks so much for posting that article from the Tulsa World.

I truly hope the Drillers can stay in Tulsa. The city of Tulsa is the anchor for the metropolitan area. It should remain the anchor for sports, arts, & entertainment.This sort of thing is actually quite important to companies that are considering moving to a metropolitan area. When these companies city a city losing its assets - even if it's just to local suburbs - they become suspicious and are more likely to locate elsewhere.

[midtown girl]

Yes happytown, we need to keep the Tulsa Drillers in Tulsa. As for moving them to downtown to spurn urban renewal, what about mid-town? The county commissioners have already hurt mid-town by kicking Bell's out of the fairgrounds. Can anything be done to make the drillers want to stay there? If not, then by all means get them to move downtown. I say if they want to move to Jenks, they should not be able to take the name Tulsa Drillers with them, they should have to change the name completely (no Tulsa, no Drillers). As for a 7,000 seat ballpark, they fill the one they have maybe twice a year; so of course they need a bigger ballpark.
We do need more downtown, but not at the expense of other areas of town.

[happytown]

Originally Posted by midtown girl

Yes happytown, we need to keep the Tulsa Drillers in Tulsa. As for moving them to downtown to spurn urban renewal, what about mid-town? The county commissioners have already hurt mid-town by kicking Bell's out of the fairgrounds. Can anything be done to make the drillers want to stay there? If not, then by all means get them to move downtown. I say if they want to move to Jenks, they should not be able to take the name Tulsa Drillers with them, they should have to change the name completely (no Tulsa, no Drillers). As for a 7,000 seat ballpark, they fill the one they have maybe twice a year; so of course they need a bigger ballpark.
We do need more downtown, but not at the expense of other areas of town.

Midtown girl. It sounds like you really do live in Tulsa. I completely agree with you midtown. They should completely change the ballclub if they do move to Jenks. Unfortunately, the billion dollar riverwalk development in Jenks is a huge lure for a small ballclub. Tulsa has to keep the drillers and revitalize D- town and midtown to survive the suburban attack by Jenks. The article below by some guy named bubba depicts what will probably happen. A grassroots effort by Tulsa could possibly keep them in town so cross your fingers!

The Jenks Drillers

Nah, they will still be the Tulsa Drillers.

They will just play their baseball games in Jenks, where city officials and private developers seem to have sufficient intelligence and determination to achieve river development WITHOUT sticking the taxpayers with the bill.


Yesterday, Chuck Lamson the president of the Tulsa Drillers announced that the team had signed a non-binding letter of intent with the River District Development Group to create a 7,000-seat ballpark within a 300-acre multi-use site being developed next to the Oklahoma Aquarium and the existing River Walk complex.

The River District Development Group had previously announced plans to build the $1 Billion dollar complex featuring a town square, restaurants and cafes, 852,000 square feet of retail shops, 400,000 square feet of office space, 300 condominiums overlooking an 80-acre lake, 650 hotel rooms, a small convention hall and now a baseball park.

And the Jenks developers intended to do it without a penny of taxpayer money. They not only have not asked for tax dollars, they indicate they do not want them.

So why is it that Tulsa county tax payers are being asked to fork over almost $300 million to go with a little over $100 million of private funding for river development, mostly in the city of Tulsa?

Beats the heck out of me.

When developers in Jenks can raise a billion dollars in private funding and the best developers in Tulsa can come up with is just a bit over 1/10th that amount and then try to sucker the taxpayers of all of Tulsa County, including Jenks, for another $288 million it should be causing a lot of people to be asking a lot of questions.

The first of which is why are the city leaders and developers in Jenks so much smarter than those in Tulsa, where the city can not fix the streets, mow the weeds on city right-of-way or keep the lights on along its expressways?