OK.
We have a sizable amount of evidence building for said jury.
Like hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues for the city, county and state and hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment that was spurred by Vision 2025.
That doesn't even count numerous other intangible benefits that have value, like creative and vibrant young people staying in town instead of leaving en mass, civic pride, etc.
And do you think any of this would be happening in Brady without the Vision 2025 investment as a catalyst?
I understand funding was included in 2025 for additional projects, but I would dare to say that many of the projects wouldn't have happened without a direct investment in them. Tulsa is still a long way off from having many non-subsidized building going on downtown. Lets just go through the list on the Chamber's Downtown site.
1. Hardesty Arts Center - Private, this is a great project in my opinion as well.
2. Brady Flats - I believe they got city funding, correct me if I'm wrong please.
3. Enterprise Building - Dead as far as I can tell.
4. Fairfield Inn & Suites - I really don't have any idea of the funding on this one.
5. Greenarch - City funding, not moving for some reason, even though it is directly across the street from the ballpark which was supposed to spur this exact type of development.
6. Channel 6 - Private I believe
7. Mathew's Warehouse - I guess this is seperate from Hardesty although isn't it kind of the same thing?
8. Metro @ Brady - Lots of city funding for only 75 units and no commercial. INSANE!
9. Old City Hall/Aloft - Not even gonna comment. While I think a conversion to an ALOFT is really cool.
10. One Place - Don't know, but I think it is private. Or was this TDA owned land? I don't remember.
11. The Riverbend Gardens - Is this even happening, I have never heard anything about it.
12. Robinson Packer Lofts - Again thank you Mr. Kaiser
13. Brady Streetscaping - Public
14. Brady Park - Kaiser
15. City Parking Garage - Public
16. Oklahoma Pop Museum - Mostly Public
17. First Presbyterian Church - Private
18. Boulder Avenue Bridge - Public
19. Oklahoma Pop Museum - Does anyone at the chamber proof these things?
The map includes the following as well
1. ARCO/Downtown 119 - Dead
So in summary we have the Kaiser projects in Brady which are awesome, KOTV, OnePlace, Fairfield, and a Church expansion all done privately. The rest are either dead or heavily reliant on public funds. I would dare to say the jury is still out on 2025. Just because downtown sees development does not necessarily mean that V2025 was the cause. Although that is what the politicians will assume. I believe it is due more to a rekindled desire for people to live/be in urban areas. My opinion only.