Tulsa baseball appears to be safe (Jenks: per square foot, tax, live)

[BigOkie]

City council this evening by a vote of 6 to 3 passed a measure to create a Stadium District downtown to add an assessed value tax of 6.5 cents per square foot to provide funding for a $60 million dollar downtown ballpark. $30 million of that amount has already been ponied up by private donors.

For those of you not familiar with Tulsa history, our ballparks have typically been at the fairgrounds, away from the CBD. Late last year, Jenks, a Tulsa suburb, began wooing the Tulsa Drillers (Texas League Colorado Rockies affiliate) to the possibility of them building a stadium near the Jenks Riverwalk.

You can read more about the proposed new location of the ballpark at the link below:

Save Tulsa Baseball

[Synopsis]

That's good to hear. It would have been a shame to lose the Drillers to Jenks.

[Unsui]

Hello,
Am considering relocating to Tulsa, eventually.
Since Tulsa doesn't have any pro sports teams that I know off, I'm interested in Minor League Baseball.
While driving around the city, I saw the Drillers Stadium, then heard later that they were moving to a newer one. Upon doing a small amount of research, I saw stats that showed the current Drillers Stadium to hold nearly 11,000. Is this correct?
And the new stadium to hold about 6,500. Is this also correct?
If this information is true, does anyone know why they are building a new stadium with fewer seats?
Is it like some cities I've seen where the local governments use this as their reasons to raise ticket prices?
And did Tulsa residents have any real say in this stadium move...or were they simply told they had a say, yet regardless of that 'say', the government entities did what they wanted to anyway?

[pokefan11]

Originally Posted by Unsui

Hello,
Am considering relocating to Tulsa, eventually.
Since Tulsa doesn't have any pro sports teams that I know off, I'm interested in Minor League Baseball.
While driving around the city, I saw the Drillers Stadium, then heard later that they were moving to a newer one. Upon doing a small amount of research, I saw stats that showed the current Drillers Stadium to hold nearly 11,000. Is this correct?
And the new stadium to hold about 6,500. Is this also correct?
If this information is true, does anyone know why they are building a new stadium with fewer seats?
Is it like some cities I've seen where the local governments use this as their reasons to raise ticket prices?
And did Tulsa residents have any real say in this stadium move...or were they simply told they had a say, yet regardless of that 'say', the government entities did what they wanted to anyway?

Your numbers on seating capacity are correct. Currently Tulsa has the largest AA baseball stadium certainly in the Texas league and I may have heard in the country, but not entirely sure. Don't get me wrong the citizens of Tulsa really back this team, baseball has been played at the minor league level in Tulsa for over 100 years, but 11,000 seats for a AA minor league team is alot. The only nights that the stadium sees that many fans is free ticket nights or fireworks nights. On some nights just a couple thousand, it just depends. The average attendance is about that of the seating capacity for the new stadium so it really just makes sense to make it smaller. Not only will it appear more full even on slow nights, but will help make Drillers tickets a hot item on the good nights.

As for the move there are differing opinions. Many people see no problem with the current stadium, but having gone to other minor league parks Tulsa is way behind the curve. I personally think the current stadium looks like a giant erector set. The concourse is far to small, the amenities too few, and I think by having it on the fairgrounds the potential to create urban walkabilty in the area has disapated. Most people you talk to however support the move downtown. This is what most cities are doing and this stadium is really the last big piece needed to get things going again downtown. It was either going downtown or to the suburb of Jenks and the citizens of Tulsa were very quick to get the thing downtown. I think the move will be great and the area they picked for the ballpark could not have been better. It is going to be another gem to the city of Tulsa and to the downtown area and I am anxious to see the developments it helps spur.

[nevergoingback]

I sure hope that they still hold Bedlam at the old stadium. It's a tough enough ticket already.

[pokefan11]

Originally Posted by nevergoingback

I sure hope that they still hold Bedlam at the old stadium. It's a tough enough ticket already.

That is the one event that I have been wondering about since they announced the new ballpark and its seating arrangements. That game easily packs in more than 11,000. I am assuming however that they will tear down the old stadium, but I guess we will see.

[TulsaArtist]

The old stadium was a bit large for the average attendance. Thats not the reason they are moving though... Building the new one smaller will help the place feel more alive and make for a better ballgame experience. The energy is better when a place is close to full, versus half empty. Plus this stadium will be very nice structural/quality/amenities wise, and will have one great view. And now you will be able to walk to restaurants and such right after the game which will be nice.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by TulsaArtist

The old stadium was a bit large for the average attendance. Thats not the reason they are moving though... Building the new one smaller will help the place feel more alive and make for a better ballgame experience. The energy is better when a place is close to full, versus half empty. Plus this stadium will be very nice structural/quality/amenities wise, and will have one great view. And now you will be able to walk to restaurants and such right after the game which will be nice.

I agree with every observation you made. Since it hardly every came close to filling up, this will make it a more pleasant and vibrant experience, plus it will be a HUGE step in the continued revitalization of DT. Walk out of the stadium after the game and have dinner or go to a local club and take in some jazz. Or, do it before the game. It's all good.