This will be one of the best things to ever happen to this city!Decades ago there was a roundtable discussion with then mayor Susan Savage and a bunch of young Tulsans to discuss what we needed as a city. I was living in St. Louis but I had family and several friends that participated. A couple of the young (at least back then
) participants actually worked for Savage at the time, so they thought they had at least some degree of a sympathetic ear.
The conciseness, was that Tulsa's festivals and organized events were what really brought us together as a city and attracted/retained young folks. Mayfest, Reggae Fest, Octoberfest, Outdoor Amphitheater events, Tulsa Run, and dozens of others. The amphitheater was too small for anything meaningful, and concerts in the ballpark were quite dismal. There was nowhere for a real festival like you found in other cities.
So, there was this campaign to convince the mayor, and the chamber, that Tulsa needed a festival grounds.
I think everyone was very excited because the Savage agreed to take the recommendations into consideration, but ended up pushing this idea for a $200 million swim complex instead, that to this day, no one can figure out where that came from. It really pissed off a lot of my friends and I think it lead to at least one of them resigning.
I moved back to Tulsa in 2000 and learned that Mayor LaFortune was also approached unsuccessfully with this exact concept, as was Taylor, and the Blair property was always the primary option, because it was considered a huge untapped resource. I remember when the police would tape-off the Blair property for the 4th of July so that people wouldn't use the lawn. Thousands lined up on it's edge to watch the fireworks. Must have been quite a site from the air to see thick bands of humanity huddled together on the edge of a huge unused green space.
This idea has been a long time coming.
It's probably the largest common-sense development this city has ever seen. Lots of new folks responsible for making it real, but also some of the same. A few less hairs, and a few more grey hairs on most, but it's finally happening. Of course in my opinion (and others as well) it should have happened before the Ballpark, and BOK, both of which have been great assets.
There are no negatives to this. The concept is excellent. The location is perfect. The timing (while perhaps a couple of decades late) is still good. I can't imagine anyone being against this for any valid reason. It will have a positive impact on this city beyond any public project we have ever undertaken.
. . . and what makes it even better is that it's not tied to any politician trying to build a monument to themselves!