How will the Tulsa State Fair be affected by the loss of Bell's? Will it become just like every other sketchy county fair in Podunk Town, USA? I thought the benefit of the Tulsa fair was that Bell's and the fair activities combined to provide more products and services. Why didn't the county just buy Bell's and sell it to a company that runs amusement parks? A state fair can actually be pretty cool if it's done correctly. The Texas State Fair in Dallas (OU-Texas game) is a great time. How will the Tulsa State Fair ever sell the same amount of tickets it has in the past without Bell's?
Furthermore, the Drillers have already had discussions about moving to a new stadium. Even if the East End situation never works out they will likely continue to seek a new stadium. Without the Drillers and Bell's, how does the fairgrounds plan on making revenue?
I've probably missed something here, so will someone please explain to me what the fair boards' plans are?
Well as I understood the commercials, the mega ride pass was supposed to be "extremely cheap" right now and it's $50. Seems like it didn't effect that cost much.
Attend the Oklahoma City "Oklahoma State Fair" and you will see a Fair with no fixed amusement park rides on site. They once had a nice monorail system that carried passengers around the facility, but that is gone now.
Believe Dallas also has no major amusement park on site of the Fairgrounds, however they recently have been in the process of installing a Sky Ride similar to the one at Expo Square. They also have the big Texas Star Farris Wheel and I believe a few kid rides that stay there year round. Center of attraction at the Dallas Fair Grounds is the Cotton Bowl.
"Tragic midway accidents at the State Fair in Dallas in 1979 and 1983 led to the adoption of a ride safety program that is considered a model for the amusement industry."
The Illinois State Fairgrounds is another one that has no Amusement Park on the grounds. It is larger than a square mile in area, and the center of attraction is the big Mile dirt oval racetrack. The new outdoor Arena is a very nice addition to this fairgrounds. Mega Pass at the Illinois Fair is $50 advance and $60 after the special.
In OKC they tore down the old Ball Park on the North West corner, to allow for additional parking.
http://www.okstatefair.com/documents/2006OSFMap8%205X11.pdf
http://www.bigtex.com/generalinfo/fairgroundmap/fairgroundmap.pdf
http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/maps/2006Map.pdf
http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/index.php
I'd be willing to bet that new "parking" area will be used to park some of Murphy's rides during the fair from now on.
I never went on the Bell's rides when at the fair. So it wont effect me that much fair-wise. My main attraction to Bell's was the enjoyment I got from driving by a lit-up Zingo, seeing it in the distance from TU games, or hearing the screams of people on the rides when I was at a buddy's nearby.
I hope they use the land wisely (surface parking is not WISELY).
The old Bell's parking lot is currently being used to store the grandstands that are used for the Indoor events held in the Expo such as the Starbird show and the ABA Bicycle BMX Nationals and the Shootout / Chili Bowl.
Not sure what the futue holds for that area. OKC made their new PAVED lots Pay to Park, you can still park free in the grass/mud lots.
I have never gone over to the Bells side during the fair. I usually stay in the actual fair area.
Honestly I have only been to Bells once in the 6 years that I have lived here. So it's not like it was real impressive. Old run down rides. Not something I will miss at all.
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A16859
"Despite improvements to nearly every other square inch of the Fairgrounds, Expo Square never even bothered to pave the parking lot that served Bell's."
"... Year after year, Bell's was consistently Expo Square's biggest rent-payer, paying more than Driller Stadium and Big Splash combined. The approximately $12.5 million in rent over the years was nearly pure profit to Expo Square; Expo Square's expenses to host Bell's were negligible."
How about the expense of having a hundred sheriff deputies break up gang fights twice a year?
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
How about the expense of having a hundred sheriff deputies break up gang fights twice a year?
Yeah...That's Robby's fault too.....
Isn't law enforcement psyroll included in the annual budget prior to any incidents that may occur? Are they not paid by the hour or on a salary that has a work schedule regardless of where in the county they may be called to perform their duties? Are their payroll and legals not already in the budget, other than overtime?
Don't recall commissioned law enforcement officers being able to submit an invoice for working a particular incident.
Aren't all the government service employees that respond to an accident scene are paid by the hour? However the wrecker service that is called to the accident gets stuck with holding and storing a damaged vehicle they pick up from the same acciden4t. That damated vehicle may or may not be picked up from the wrecker service by the owner. The wrecker service owner, which most are the owner/driver in rual areas, are not paid by the hour.
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
Attend the Oklahoma City "Oklahoma State Fair" and you will see a Fair with no fixed amusement park rides on site. They once had a nice monorail system that carried passengers around the facility, but that is gone now.
Believe Dallas also has no major amusement park on site of the Fairgrounds, however they recently have been in the process of installing a Sky Ride similar to the one at Expo Square. They also have the big Texas Star Farris Wheel and I believe a few kid rides that stay there year round. Center of attraction at the Dallas Fair Grounds is the Cotton Bowl.
"Tragic midway accidents at the State Fair in Dallas in 1979 and 1983 led to the adoption of a ride safety program that is considered a model for the amusement industry."
The Illinois State Fairgrounds is another one that has no Amusement Park on the grounds. It is larger than a square mile in area, and the center of attraction is the big Mile dirt oval racetrack. The new outdoor Arena is a very nice addition to this fairgrounds. Mega Pass at the Illinois Fair is $50 advance and $60 after the special.
In OKC they tore down the old Ball Park on the North West corner, to allow for additional PAID Parking.
http://www.okstatefair.com/documents/2006OSFMap8%205X11.pdf
http://www.bigtex.com/generalinfo/fairgroundmap/fairgroundmap.pdf
http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/maps/2006Map.pdf
http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/index.php
WTH?
international beer garden, tiger show and wild west show?
seriously?
quote:
Originally posted by teddy jack eddy
.
because nothing brings out beer snobs like the fair...
Looks like just more enhancements for the fairgrounds.
Link (//%22http://www2.ktul.com/news/stories/0607/428936.html%22)
quote:
It will be the new main entrance to the Fairgrounds. And, once inside, visitors will find a brand new International Beer Garden, a tiger show and a wild west show, all where Bell's once stood.
Part of the old Bell's land will become a parking lot during fair time and a staging area for upcoming construction projects. The rest of the land will be revamped to give the Fairgrounds a new image.
Two other entrances will be upgraded and redesigned all before the start of the 2007 Tulsa State Fair in late September..
Sounds good to me.
Get a nice buzz and choose between Siegfried and Roy or Blazing Saddles...that's a good day.
I'm for it as well.
Huge Blazing Saddles fan..."Dang, that was lucky. Doggone near lost a four hundred dollar handcart.'
A garden of beer...sounds like heaven.
quote:
Originally posted by Townsend
Get a nice buzz and choose between Siegfried and Roy or Blazing Saddles...that's a good day.
I'm for it as well.
Huge Blazing Saddles fan..."Dang, that was lucky. Doggone near lost a four hundred dollar handcart.'
Anything by Mel Brooks is hillarious.
The name on my boat is "Abby Normal".
I am not real sure about the tiger show (not even very sure what that means), but I like the idea of the beer garden & wild west show. Provided, of course, that the beer garden has decent beer (not just Coors & Bud). It would be nice if there were a local brewery to provide beer (and if we could change those stupid 3.2 laws).
Speaking of local breweries...
I was in Kansas City last night and we had this reception at the Boulevard Brewery. We got private tours, then had this incredible party on their balcony patio overlooking the downtown Kansas City skyline.
Sure wish Tulsa had such a place...
Nice beer too.
Hopefully a tiger show is nothing like a donkey show. Not sure from the vague descriptions if these are worthwhile projects or wild wastes of money.
quote:
Originally posted by recyclemichael
Speaking of local breweries...
I was in Kansas City last night and we had this reception at the Boulevard Brewery. We got private tours, then had this incredible party on their balcony patio overlooking the downtown Kansas City skyline.
Sure wish Tulsa had such a place...
Nice beer too.
threadjack:i agree... been there many times... great brewery... that is a great place for a private party...
recently, rumor had it that the prodigal son of a local "old money" family had gone off and gotten trained as a brewmaster in europe and spent some time back east... reportedly he was in the process of relo'ing to tulsa... he was to be opening a local brewery, NOT a brew-pub... the tale went that he had the funding and had even looked at some potential sites... it was far enough that they had even gone so far as to bring in some bavarian consultants... the end...
i have no idea what happened...
i had been sworn not to spill the details so as to not queer the deal... the source for this info was rock-solid...
Bruno, please don't get our hopes up. How a city the size of Tulsa exists without a brew pub (I'm not even asking for a brewery) is beyond me.
What ever happened to T. Pauls brewery? FYI- That was councilor Eagleton's brother.
RM- similar story about Boulevard. I discovered the brand when I went to a wedding up in KC around '89 or '90, I think. The brewery wasn't near as big back then but they were serving it at the reception which was at the Kansas City Club. We brought a few cases back since you couldn't get it in Tulsa at the time(uh, oh call the beer patrol). Their wheat is my favorite.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
Bruno, please don't get our hopes up. How a city the size of Tulsa exists without a brew pub (I'm not even asking for a brewery) is beyond me.
brew pubs are incredibly difficult to sustain... insane equipment costs, massive overhead and then you still have to make good food or it dies... regardless of how good the beer is... we've seen it here... hell, KC saw large numbers come and go (i was there from 92-00)...
but, i'd be happier than **** to see a plain old local t-town microbrew...
kansas city club is cool old place, been there many times as well... we had ours at the carriage club (a great venue and next to the plaza) and my wife insisted upon kegs of boulevard unfiltered wheat, which is why i married her...
I don't think I will ever understand the incredible rush to get rid of Bell's. That place was a Tulsa jewel. It provided many, many kids their first job, and it was locally owned.
On the other hand, I do not understand the tremendous effort on behalf of the Arabian Horse show. This is a out-of town group with no real long-term commitment to Tulsa.
I hope the kids that cannot go to Bell's this summer remember the names of the people who were responsible for the loss of Bell's when they start voting.
I can't say I know the econmics of it very well Bruno, but I know towns like OKC, Omaha, and Des Moines each support a couple and that I enjoy going to them from time to time. I made the mistake of buying drink$ for everyone at a downtown brewpub in Des Moines on the occasion of a friends wedding. It seemed like a really cool thing to do to shout "drinks for everyone!" [8D]
quote:
Originally posted by The Shadow
Your kids might miss Bell's, but kids don't always understand what is bad for them.
Patrick Kurek was killed on a Bell ride in 1997.
I have it on pretty good authority that the County officials offered to buy Bell's out as early as the year 2000, but Bell's wouldn't sell. So, the County had no choice but to let the lease run out and not renew it.
Not only that, but the County did not want to be a co-defendant (as a deep-pocket landlord) in a future wrongful death suit for an amusement park it doesn't own or operate.
I understand exactly the rush to get rid of Bell's. I wouldn't let anyone I love ride one of their rides if it was up to me.
Good grief, I can't believe you are bringing that tragedy up.
A six year old girl drowned at Big Splash in 1986, and an 8 year old girl drowned at Big Splash in 1998:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=980530_Ne_a14girld
a five year old almost drowned in 1997:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=970831_Ne_a19woman
...and A two year old girl nearly drowned at Big Splash in 2002,
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=010803_Ne_a19pare
but there has been no hue and cry to turn Big Splash into a parking lot.
People die on Tulsa roads, but we don't stop driving. People are shot by criminals here, but we don't stop living here.
No charges were ever filed in that case,either against Bell's Amusement Park OR the Oklahoma Department of Labor ride inspectors. The family reached a settlement with Bell's. The material that was found to be the problem in the Wildcat accident was used for 15 YEARS before there was a problem, and after this accident, the federal government issued a warning to all amusement parks, presumably because they were also using the stuff.
As an interesting aside, the family was represented in the case by Clark Brewster.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=050717_Ne_A13_Parks50371
..and the Murphy Brother and Big Splash insurance mess was not a problem?
Quote
Bell's was a good place for kids, and families. We will be diminished by losing Bells, and the people that made it happen should be ashamed of themselves.
If county officials had ANY concern about safety, I never saw any indication of it, and county officials have not been in the habit of being quiet about Bell's. The right thing to do, if there had been safety concerns, was to find a way to help Bell's.
By the way, should you walk by the Zipper on the midway at the 2007 Fair, and see bolts flying off, remember your concerns about Bell's.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
I can't say I know the econmics of it very well Bruno, but I know towns like OKC, Omaha, and Des Moines each support a couple and that I enjoy going to them from time to time. I made the mistake of buying drink$ for everyone at a downtown brewpub in Des Moines on the occasion of a friends wedding. It seemed like a really cool thing to do to shout "drinks for everyone!" [8D]
and at one point we had three at once... and now we have none...
late last year, i sat down with a group of interested parties to try and get one but the numbers did not play out...
there are many books and discussions on this very topic... i've read that good brewpubs are good pubs and happen to brew good beer... it is a tough business to maintain...
i knew one of the cherry street owners and 3$ pints with 15$ entrees were hard to move in tulsa...
it is another symptom of our lost youth... get me 20,000 college kids and more young pros and you'd be able to get it rolling...
that all being said, i gotta give him props, i'd bet good money elliot nelson could do it...
quote:
Originally posted by brunoflipper
that all being said, i gotta give him props, i'd bet good money elliot nelson could do it...
Bingo- has access to the funds, doesn't appear to be afraid of risk, and so far everything he's done has worked.
Tulsa's restaurant/bar market has always seemed pretty fickle to me. Concepts that work elsewhere just fall on their face here.
Wichita's micro-brewery has been going strong for at least 10 years now.
Cherry St. Brewery was pretty well-executed, had the location, atmosphere, food was good, beer was good, clever marketing idea using the IPO concept for ownership (though I could write a long dissertation on the disadvantages), etc. However, that was almost doomed from the git-go. I don't remember all the reasons, I just remember that there was bickering amongst the shareholders and Tom Ackley who spear-headed the project.
I was real surprised Tulsa Brewing Co. didn't last. It didn't have near the charm that CSB had, but the owners were very competent and successful owners of other restaurant/bar concepts.
More at KTUL (//%22http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0607/432576.html%22)
quote:
Bell's was a Tulsa landmark for 56 years. But, the park lost its lease last last November after county officials said the park was bringing in less money each year and that it meant they didn't have enough funds to update their rides or keep them safe.
The site will now be the new main entrance to the Tulsa Fairgrounds. When the fair begins in late September, fairgoers will find a brand new international Beer Garden, a tiger show and a wild west show, all where Bell's once stood.
Bates had an interesting take (last week's UTW) on why there was a hurry to get Bell's out this year: To use that space as a staging area for equipment for the Arabian Horse Show starting in '08. I guess they wanted to make sure the lot would be scraped in time. He connects some interesting dots to make the point.
IHRA used the Fairgrounds parking lots for pre staging their Sooner Nationals show last month. Expo is a great place for handling that type of traffic.
The Big Ugly Fence around Bell's went up in record time (to keep Bell's out after this weekend?)
I hadn't driven by in awhile even though I just live 6 or so blocks from the Fairgrounds. Based on what I saw in the rubble, I don't see how Bell's will ever re-open. I didn't see anything salvageable laying around from Zingo unless all they saved was the track bed and that was already hauled off.
Here's piles of 56 years of sweat equity. Like Bell's or not, it was a sad sight:
(http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q55/71conan/TN/HPIM0695.jpg)
(http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q55/71conan/TN/HPIM0694.jpg)
Another piece of my childhood bulldozed. I am glad that I wasn't there for this. It's hard enough seeing these pictures.
I have a set of the same photos I took last Friday, very very sad and foolish indeed.
Interesting to look at the chain of events, Expo purchases the Sky Ride for a song at $600,000 and then spends an additional $126,000 to help disassembly and move Zingo. Plus whatever costs for the ongoing clean up of all the pictured rubble. Say another $100,000. Add in the lost rent for this season. Close to a million dollars so far.
Had Bell's stayed we would still have the Amusement park and they could of sold the Sky Ride in yearly payments traded out for rent for the next 10 years. Now the City/County owns the Sky Ride and have moved into the maintenance and refurbish business of a specialized piece of equipment they have absolutely zero knowledge of it's background, previous problems and existing problems. Added to the fact they now are going to need to train personnel on the operation, training of operators and attendants to run the machine.
Sounds like a tangled web of affairs that could of been solved much easier by leaving the physical park as it was, moved an asset or two on a spread sheet and kept the park open. Thus generating revenue in the form of payroll and rent proceeds plus continue to entertain and put smiles on folks faces for years to come.
Not ALL progress is a good things, and there goes your proof.
Rest in peace, Bells.
good lord...
i also spent many memorable days there as a child but the fact that bell's had become such a completely neglected ****-hole negates any of the nostalgia i feel for the "bell's of old"...
in its final days, bell's needed a dramatic overhaul or it needed to go... the simple fact is that it was not self-sustaining and the family ran it into the ground... bell's died of attrition and not ill conceived public policy...
And Fair Meadows is self sustaining?
I suppose their rent is pro-rated for only the six or so weeks they actually are open during the 52 weeks of the year. Don't think they have any sweat equity in the construction of buildings, much added equipment and tools or facility maintenance on their side of the Expo that Bell's was burdened with. Speaking of tools and maintenance equipment, way who owns and maintains the Champion Road Grader that Fair Meadows uses for track maintenance?
What happened to the concept of our Tax Dollars paying for the construction and use of Public Facilities so as to be a place for the Tax Payers and their families to actually have some leisure time and entertainment during their off times from busting their donkey at their jobs to earn the money to pay the taxes to build these PUBLIC USE FACILITIES so they may have a couple hours of entertainment now and then ?
Perhaps the next time the City/County Vision 2025 or what ever other future tax collection group it is that asks the TAX PAYERS to fork over additional tax dollars to construct a facility, they should also inform the public of the process of CHARGING the end users promoters, producers and tenants for the use of that facility.
Open book set fee rental contracts should be available online.
No brother n law required Security Guards at marked up prices.
No brother n law cleaning fees at marked up prices.
No Brother n law Concessions. They need Open Concessions, not a bid process with exclusives. Concessions with reasonable pricing not gouging.
And it should also be required to provide cold water fountains that serve FREE WATER to the public in these types of public facilities. $3 to $5 for a bottle of water is ridiculous.
No exclusive Beverage Contracts either. Only folks benefiting from that are the beverage distributor and the Expo. Exclusive beverage contracts may exclude events that are sponsored by competing beverage companies. For instance Red Bull and Boo Koo Energy drinks fund many motorsports events.
If the facility has an exclusive with Coke the contracts read no other beverage is allowed to be advertised, sold or given away during the event. That rules out a long list of entertaing events that the TAX PAYERS who paid to build the facility may like to purchase a ticket to go see when that event comes to their town. But with exclusive beverage contracts that most likely will not occur.
Seems the Tax burden should be set with a budget that also provide maintenance, upkeep and improvements on the facility long after the initial construction of the Public Use land and structures are completed. That would assist the private businesses like Bell's and help them grow and prosper instead of breaking even or loosing money.
Was the loss of over 5 Million dollars in buildings, paving, labor and other assets and the end results of what the County has done to damage Bell's necessary? And what about the 1 Million in other expenses paid by the taxpayer to purchase the Sky Ride, move Zingo and perform the final cleanup?
What is the bottom line of Bell's expenses in the moving, storage, demolition and destruction costs when this is all said and done?
All for additional parking and staging areas ?
Oh almost forgot the additon of the International Beer Garden during the Fair, like we need more stumbling drunk people during a family oriented evnet such as the State Fair.
Let's put another Beer Tent right at the entrance and encourage drunkeness and drunk driving and public intoxication at a public family event.
Good Grief !
What happened to the smaller skyride with the open parachute styling? Were they required to dismantle it also?
AMP, like Bruno and yourself, I grew up with Bell's. My friends worked there, I took dates there in high school and screamed on Zingo. I will miss it dearly. Not the Bell's that was destroyed though. That was a nasty piece of work that never seemed to be improved and I did not look forward to taking my child there and exposing him to possible risk of decaying rides. About the only redeeming value it had as entertainment was the Log ride and the smaller Skyride. A testament to what happens when a business takes its existence, business relationships and customer relationships for granted.
We all lost.
Brief History Lesson
"The Oklahoma state legislature created county FREE Fairs in 1915, and Joe Bartles and his mother Nannie Bartles donated 40 acres for the Washington County Fairgrounds.
That is still the site of the Washington County Free Fair."
"A 7,000-seat grandstand was built in Dewey, Oklahoma along with a one-half mile racetrack and several exhibit buildings after World War 1."
Fair was FREE paid for by Tax Dollars as it should be.
THE TRACK PAID FOR BY TAX DOLLARS AT DEWEY, OKLAHOMA
(http://myweb.cableone.net/gmeador/images/carrels/deweyrace.jpg)
I have to admit, I've become more disgusted by Bell's being thrown out since I saw what a heap of rubble their business has been reduced to. I'm probably also taking it a little more personal having known Robbie growing up and seeing two men who have never known any other business looking around at those heaps and seeing a huge personal investment ruined.
I was never worried about ride safety the last few years at Bell's, I just didn't want my girls there after dark. Bell's couldn't very well put up a "No homies allowed" sign without people crying racism and security guards can't randomly pick out people and throw them out before they start trouble otherwise you have people screaming "profiling". It wasn't as tidy as it used to be.
Bell's was caught in a tough position of either raising gate prices and making the park no longer accessible to everyone, or tightening their belts and working with what they had to work with on limited funds. You can't spend what you don't have unless you are the government.
An irony I see is attornies like Clark Brewster have helped raise the liability insurance rates at amusement parks all over the country which has either cut into funds available for maintenance and upkeep, or raised the gate fee beyond what is reasonible for a family outing for an afternoon.
I'm not allowing one incident at Big Splash to direct this question, but how well maintained is that 23-year old park? The idea of swimming with a few hundred other people just grosses me out.
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
I have to admit, I've become more disgusted by Bell's being thrown out since I saw what a heap of rubble their business has been reduced to. I'm probably also taking it a little more personal having known Robbie growing up and seeing two men who have never known any other business looking around at those heaps and seeing a huge personal investment ruined.
I was never worried about ride safety the last few years at Bell's, I just didn't want my girls there after dark. Bell's couldn't very well put up a "No homies allowed" sign without people crying racism and security guards can't randomly pick out people and throw them out before they start trouble otherwise you have people screaming "profiling". It wasn't as tidy as it used to be.
Bell's was caught in a tough position of either raising gate prices and making the park no longer accessible to everyone, or tightening their belts and working with what they had to work with on limited funds. You can't spend what you don't have unless you are the government.
An irony I see is attornies like Clark Brewster have helped raise the liability insurance rates at amusement parks all over the country which has either cut into funds available for maintenance and upkeep, or raised the gate fee beyond what is reasonible for a family outing for an afternoon.
I'm not allowing one incident at Big Splash to direct this question, but how well maintained is that 23-year old park? The idea of swimming with a few hundred other people just grosses me out.
when i was at big splash two years ago, there was, literally, duct tape on some of the slides and pumps... it is only a matter of time before something goes horribly wrong there...
Hmmm. Another reason to not go there aside from the "yuck" factor.
Conan, I would have posted earlier, but you "No Homies Allowed" comment was exactly what I was thinking.
I grew up in Tulsa, and my mom would drop us off for "Sym-funny Days" in the 60s. However we took some neices and nephews there a year of so ago and encountered the "gansta' wannabees" and that was it for us.
At evening's end, there were more deputies there that there were us honkies. Of course we had no weapons.
Please note this isnt a "Bells Problem," I like the policy at the Riverwalk in Jenks that doesnt allow unattended teens after 7pm, or something like that.
In hindsight, if they would have raised gate admission and ride prices, the gangstas would have looked elsewhere for trouble, Bell's would have had money for upgrades, been able to pay more in rent, and their public image wouldn't have ended up tarnished.
For those suffering from withdrawals, ride the phantasmagoria:
http://www.secretfunspot.com/phantasmagoria.htm
Randi Miller is dead meat.
And ya know, I still remember the Wildcat and the Himalaya (and the cool music that emanated from it).
Being of the same generation as the Bob Bell that built the train in a little frame garage for the children to ride, it is inconceivable to think that a home grown industry in the amusement arena would come to a sudden end and the family owned business would not be allowed to remove the assets of their years of hard labor.
This is another illustration of the silent government of Tulsa and once the 2025 and the other "4" bonds were issued those who would profit wanted to pledge future revenue so they could have their share now. A dollar collected in Tulsa and spent here is a dollar more than a dollar collect here and taken some where else and spent.
Bell's dream came true but the deflating of the dollar over the years robbed it of the money to keep it in the like new condition. It was not a story of one mom and pop industry encountering the same conditions but the story is retold by many such in the retail market.
We do not have the money to fix up our bridges and roads with millions of dollars but we condemn an family owned business because they could not raise their revenue to keep it in first class shape.
I'm going to address everything I've heard here that points to Bell's being run-down, and that their business was failing.
Bell's wasn't Disney, but what they had to offer was fun enough to keep guys like me coming back for more all summer. The place was clean, easily cleaner than a dozen parks I can think of off the top of my head. The rides were older, but well maintained. Granted, there were so many areas that a little paint could have greatly helped, but don't let a little faded or chipped paint make you think that the place is falling apart.
I'm not saying the place was fantastic, as it was in a bit of a slum before the eviction, but it was on the verge of a huge comeback. Don't believe me? Here's a few facts: Mind Melt, a 140 ft. drop tower was just added in 2004; this season, the park had a huge make-over project scheduled that would have given the park a new face for the 2007 fair; also for the 2007 season, Bell's was set to build some kind of thrill ride that would have cost them $750,000; and let's not forget the most important sign of revitalization: the huge new roller coaster that was coming in 2008.
So Bell's wasn't as pretty as it should have been for the last few years, but the times were about to change... I think the Murphy Bros. knew this, that might have spurred them on to give Randi Miller that $5,000 'campaign grant'. Hey, wasn't it Randi that started the whole evicting Bell's thing?
Also, are people still complaining about the 1997 death? That was a tragedy - no doubt, but do you know how many people have died at much stricter parks this year? Too many; there's a certain small risk factor involved with amusement parks, albeit much smaller than that associated with driving cars or flying on airplanes.
Anyway, I'm pretty ticked that Bell's is gone, and I really hope they make an announcement as to where they are going soon. Anyone here anything yet?
We're all sick they left. Where were you, (or some PR guy) when these stories could have been told? Did Robbie make the case to the public? He certainly had plenty of opportunities.
Even though plans are easier to present than to execute, it would have been harder to evict them had the public known they were planning for improvements.
As far as Murphy bros., it is slowly becoming clear to the public that they have been and will be the deciders of that kind of entertainment on the fairgrounds. What they have done to Big Splash is similar to what happened to Bells only they won't be evicted. The big dog gets the best spot in the garage. Amended, the nastiest dog gets the best spot in the garage.
Robbie got plenty of media attention. I don't think he made a clear case of the planned investments and improvements to the park, instead he took up the victim card.
^^He did mention their expansion plans several times, that's how I found out about them. Unfortunately, I got interested in all this far too late, and by the time I decided to do everything, they had already taken down some rides.
^That could be a lot of what it was. If you look at his website, it looks like he was planning to make some sort of protest with a petition and everything, but he decided it was a losing battle and gave up. Besides, he's actually wanted to move for awhile now, remember two years ago when they just about made it to Jenks?
This way, they got the fair to pay them loads to help remove Zingo and other rides, and they look like unfortunate victims to many.
Heck Whales, by the time the thought of evicting Bells was made public the decision was already made. I know many people who are ambivalent on the issue, but I do not know any that are glad to see it go.
Now, if they razed it and had SOME plan for the land, perhaps they would have some support. But getting rid of a below grade amusement park for a below grade empty lot is not an improvement.
Next up: an abandoned city hall. Wait, they have to pretend to debate this first. In my short time here I have learned - what the establishment wants they get. Everything else is just a pony show.
Having talked with Bob Bell when he was negotiating with fair board it was pointed out that in Tulsa it was what one leaves on the table that binds the lease. When he move onto the fair grounds, after getting the lease, it could have been removed within two weeks. Due to his continuing to improve the small amusement park for the children, it grew to where it become a threat to the floating amusement park that was placed on the fair grounds at the fair time. In the following negotiating of leases, the 120 days for removal was not extended to cover the improvements. It was impossible to remove the additions over the years in that limited time. So again what was left on the table put a home grown competitor out of business.
The fair grounds is supposed to be owned by the people, for the pleasure of the people, instead it has become a qua se private venture at the tax payers expense.
Now what is new in the Tulsa politics? Is it the mayor buying the tensile decorated millionaire choice of buildings, that in a rapid switch of title, helped to bike millions of dollars from the public in flawed stock sales?
You can bet that any councilor that votes against it will be replaced in the next election.
Whatever the county wanted that space for, it must not require shade since they apparently bulldozed every tree on the site.
Tulsa's biggest surface parking lot?
^I keep hearing two conflicting stories. One source says the area will be used pretty much only for parking, with one part being used in the fair. The other story that a couple of news sources have been passing on is that some of the land will become parking, while other parts are used for a new entrance, a beer garden, and a couple of shows.
I still don't understand why they would want the main entrance off on the corner like that, but whatever...
Why'd they have to take all the trees down?
^So the cranes and heavy equipement could get in there. Plus, it's going to end up mostly as a parking lot...
Has anyone heard anything about what good ole' Robbies been up to lately? I know it's going to be awhile, but I keep wondering if he's making any progress at all on the new park.
This had a little more substance than most of the stories you see on local TV -- I wish we had more of that.
http://www.kotv.com/news/topstory/?id=135092
So now the rides are gone, the trees are gone, and workers are just about finished converting the land to a parking lot.
"There are people who benefit financially if we're gone," Bell said. "And whoever that is, that's the reason we're out of there."
Records show Jerry Murphy's wife gave $5,000 to the campaign of Fair Board Chairman Randi Miller in 2004. And Jerry Murphy himself gave $5,000 to the campaign of new county commissioner John Smaligo, four months after he won his seat on the board, and four months after Bell's lease expired.
Chairman Miller could provide no example of any other tenant being forced to even provide a business plan. That includes the Murphys who signed a new lease last year, just months before the Bells lost theirs.
That new lease the Murphys signed last year does contain a major change. It gave the Murphys the first choice at using the land occupied by Bell's, if Bell's were to ever leave.
That new lease the Murphys signed last year does contain a major change. It gave the Murphys the first choice at using the land occupied by Bell's, if Bell's were to ever leave.
Coincidence?
Randy has got to go.
I'm thinking she doesn't need to wait for an election either.
I agree, Randi has got to go.