This was a pretty safe assumption but the new SS City Manager made it "official".
http://sandspringsleader.com/news/city-manager-predicts-rapid-progress-for-projects-lowe-s-no/article_0e506d36-afc1-11e0-9940-001cc4c03286.htmlThough Lowe’s is no more, Rogers said Sand Springs can not afford to wait for the ‘big box store’ boat to come back. That may never happen, he said.
“It can’t be what it used to be,” he said of the city’s expectations for economic development in the River West area. “Big box may not be the answer. We’ll probably have to approach it from a different perspective.”
A restaurant, retailer and professional developments are still planned for the area, Rogers said.
The big challenge, he said, is in overcoming peoples’ expectations of what economic development in the city will look like.
He anticipated a mix of retail, restaurants and professional services - mostly tax-generating businesses - in the River West. It will likely be a place where people can come, shop, get professional services and buy groceries, clothing and more all in one spot, he said.
The River West redevelopment is among the items on Rogers’ list of items he wants addressed in Sand Springs.
He said he also wants to see code enforcement and the overall attractiveness of Sand Springs, including old industrial sites, the downtown area and city-owned properties. Those need to be cleaned up, he said.
On one hand, I agree with what he's saying. On the other, I also agree with many of the comments on the article.