News and Events

“Core ideas; Downtown plans taking shape” (Our Views, Dec. 27) highlighted changes in downtown during the past 15 years and impact of the Interstate 40 relocation on future development. Transforming this area into an entirely new downtown district will occur over the next several decades as we replace the deteriorating highway with an iconic boulevard and implement the recently completed “Core to Shore” master plan. Changes won’t stop there, with a significant downtown streetscape plan funded in the recent bond program and continuing expansion of residential, hotel, office and retail development.

Achieving success depends on our ability to continually retool in face of changing demands and opportunity. Public support for needed retooling led to passage of both MAPS campaigns, the first producing more than $3 billion of public and private investment in downtown.

Creating the downtown business improvement district (BID) in 2001 is a prime example of a needed tool to support downtown’s expanding development. Seeing the success of BIDs across the country, then-Mayor Kirk Humphreys, business leader Fred Hall along with a list of leaders too long to include in this space, set out to create in Oklahoma City what had led to positive development in many others.

Not long ago, the primary focus of downtown organizations was strictly on “clean and safe” services. Today, these are a given. Without them, you’re not even in the game. Today’s market requires retooling not only BID services but downtown organizations overall. Downtown OKC Inc. is retooling to meet increasing needs in market research, communications, downtown events, planning and advocacy. Through the leadership of our board of directors, we must also continually monitor for unmet needs in downtown development and identify where new tools are needed.

Retooling downtown also requires balancing a “24/7” environment with one conducive to residents who may not always be thrilled with live music playing through the night. Representing this new and growing constituency requires assessing even the simple issues of trash collection times as we adjust to accommodate this new environment.

Mayor Cornett’s recently announced proposal to retool the Ford Center in preparation of a permanent NBA team is another prime example of needed retooling. Recruiting a major league business is not unlike any other significant company that produces economic growth across the metro. With the Hornets, Oklahoma City saw over $65 million per year of economic impact, which contributes to increased quality of life, new jobs and creates a valuable economic development tool for further job recruitment.

What tools are needed for Oklahoma City’s future? An expanded convention center? A convention hotel? A light rail system? How do residential, retail and Core to Shore fit into tomorrow’s picture? And, what will it take to integrate these new and vibrant districts?

As we collaboratively work to answer these questions, our willingness to consistently assess available tools and implement new tools as needed is paramount. These past 15 years have shown that when we rise to this challenge we not only surprise other cities, but ourselves as well.

By Brett Hamm, President of Downtown OKC Inc., Oklahoman Jan. 5, 2008