A Provocative Casino Question

[waterboy]

I spent the weekend in Norman watching our son's soccer team get thrashed repeatedly. While there, I tried to view the area with a neutral eye and contrast with the images upon arriving back to civilization (Tulsa).

These two things were apparent.
   1. OKC works. We made the obligatory visit to Bricktown. The great hiways they built with our taxes made getting there a breeze. They had an Art Festival, a Rock Concert across the street at the Ford Center, numerous high school prom activities with limos, horse drawn carriages and busses. There was a celebration of the Murrah bombing this weekend with lots of visitors and a planned run the next day. I drove right to a street parking space close to the stadium, though there was plenty of $5 parking buildings to be found. Had dinner at Coaches (average) and watched with amazement at how easily the crowds were managed and how beautiful the venue.

Crossed over the I-35 bridge and saw the Oklahoma River filled with water and lined with the same method I outlined in my Canal proposal. Even the gates. Awaiting development.

Its still OKC. Flat, windy, plain looking outside of the Bricktown but things are working there.

   2. They have casinos there but they do not dominate the entertainment offerings of the area. There were no full page color ads in the local magazines, there was only one billboard that I saw and it was cheesy. Even the local entertainment rag, the Gazette, was not dominated with casino advertising. It was not part of general conversation either.

So here's the question. Why is there so much Casino activity in Tulsa? Its top of mind with the general population here. Billboards all over town. New casinos opening on all four corners of town. Magazines with full color ads.

Is it because we lack other entertainment avenues? Are we economically desperate for their ad dollars? Are we more prone to gamble than our cowboy neighbors? What?

BTW the worst thing I saw on the trip was near the turnpike exit on 35 in OKC. A newly built huge (everythings big there) auto salvage operation with no fences. Big ugly sign that says "Sapulpa Auto Salvage West"! So much for green country sophistication.