From a distance, it appears that OKC has reached the beginnings of a critical mass.

My reasoning:
David Boren's tremendously successful turnaround efforts at OU; the flourishing of Bricktown; the dramatic expansion of direct jet service at the airport; the renaissance of downtown (and the Devon Tower); the Oklahoma River and an abundance of new development sure to come (think Capital Hill and the Stockyards in addition to C2S); the arrival of viable new housing and increased density in the core; the emergence of proactive corporate citizens; etc.

OKC may never be glamorous enough to attract high-profile executive headquarters. But, I think OKC is extremely well-positioned to begin attracting regional offices, professional service firms, and other higher-wage white-collar employers. I'm thinking major accounting firms, banks, consultancies, etc.

Also, with the success of Devon, Chesapeake, Sandridge, and others, OKC may be in a good position to attract other major energy companies. I'd love to see a few come back from Dallas and Houston for a change.

OKC has lost an entire generation to the brain drain, but that will stop now. All the pieces of the puzzle are finally present, and we won't let the momentum slow down. I think in ten years we'll see more plans on the drawing board or under construction for more public spaces such as large parks and plazas. We'll see the beginnings of an integrated mass-transit system using a bus system modelled ater that of Curitiba, along with streetcars and light rail where it makes sense.

We'll see real estate prices in the urban core hitting unprecedented levels. Homes in Heritage, Mesta, and Lincoln Terrace will routinely sell at over $300 per square foot. We'll see the dramatic redevelopment of the West End; the area from Walker to Penn, and from 16th to Sheridan. Great old neighborhoods will be revitalized, urban infill will accelerate, and a few midrises will pop up. 10-Penn will re-emerge as a hot area in the next few years.

Direct air service will continue to expand. We'll see non-stop jets going to Miami, Seattle, Boston, and Philadelphia. We may even see the beginnings of true international service to destinations in Mexico and Canada. Will Rogers World Airport passenger throughput will increase and OKC will grow from a medium-sized regional center, to a larger national center similar to Nashville, Indianapolis, or Kansas City.

The Creative Class will grow substantially in the coming years. Young hipsters who once left OKC for more lucrative, inspiring, and fulfilling destinations now will stay and add their signature style to our city. We'll see a lot more art galleries, jazz clubs, trendy boutiques, niche bookstores, and coffee houses. Our local colleges pump out a tremendous amount of talent year after year. OKC will be an incredible place when we are finally able to reap the benefits of this talent rather than losing it to New York, LA, Nashville, or Dallas.

A major town center style retail development will come to the downtown area within the next ten years. It will serve as an anchor for the new transit system, and will probably be located in the Triange or East Bricktown area. It will feature several large department stores such as Dillards or Macys, and will feature at least one truly upscale department store such as Niemans or Nordstroms. It will also have a Crate and Barrell, Restoration Hardware, Whole Foods, Barnes and Noble, and a host of other stores. Significant in this retail complex will be a major theater such as an Angelika or Magnolia showing strictly independent films and documentaries.

Immigration will continue to change the look and feel of the city. The South Asian and East Asian communities will blossom, and of course we'll see rapid growth in the Latino community. Immigrants will be attracted to OKC for its employment opportunities, below average cost of living, and excellent quality of life. We're going to see the development of a wonderful tapestry of language and culture.

In ten years, we'll see the completion of our urban trail system. You'll be able to bike from Draper to Hefner and from Overholser to Remington Park. The bicycle will become a viable method of transportation with a network of bike paths woven throughout downtown and along the riverfront.

Today, OKC is one of the hottest cities in the nation and people are beginning to notice. We've got to keep some visionaries around and keep this momentum going.