Like Doug Loudenback, I am in love with history. I'm always wanting to know the story behind the story.

After a dozen years of reporting on Jim Brewer, I've done the one story in today's Oklahoman that I doubt anyone has ever done - the story of Brewer himself. With his time in Bricktown drawing to a close, it's appropriate to consider what he did and did not accomplish, his overall footprint on Bricktown, and just who he really is.

He has no streets or plazas named after him, no plaques, no sculpture ... so the question is, what is Brewer's legacy and what, if anything, should be said or done to make note of it?

-Steve

Thank you Steve for good, in depth coverage of the "man we love to hate."

I've always wanted to be a trend setter, so I'll say it first, "Brewer really is the bastard we thought he was." Seriously, I have no ill will towards the man, and your history of him explains a lot of why he is who he is.

It will be harder now to think bad for Brewer's only looking out for number one, since he apparently has spent his entire life doing just that. From exile in a chicken coop to being the "Mayor of Bricktown" is quite a ride.

Because of his declining health, his influence in BT should also decline. But his legacy will endure for quite a while.

I've included some more background about this story at OKC Central — All about downtown OKC.

Interesting article about an interesting man. I never heard or read the nature of his illness. Is it public knowledge?

I'm assuming so since it was in the business section of the Sunday Oklahoman, the state's largest newspaper.

So what is it?

I'm honoring the family's request not to get into any more specifics. Let's just leave it at he's not in good health.

Do you have some special access to portions of the article that nobody else can see?

'Cause I don't see jack squat about the nature of it.

Oh. Steve said he didn't put it in there...So you didn't even read the article before flinging poo. Nice work there.

I believe one of his sons sometimes posts on this board, so maybe he'll answer your question. But this story wasn't meant to pry into his health situation.

I think.............I know who..................he is......................of course............................................ ......I could be wrong.

__________________
...this shortest straw has been pulled for you

so he is the reason why we have a lot of great things in bricktown and also the reason why we have so many vacant buildings and nothing being done about it????

Yes, I did read the article. I misunderstood his question. I thought he was asking that was it public knowledge he wasn't in bad health, not the exact illness he had. My bad.

As I said in your blog, very well done ... and I enjoyed the video, too. Good job.

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Doug
http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtownOKC.htm
http://www.dougloudenback.com/oklahomacity.htm
http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/

Let me put it to you straight...he came from a broken family with the heart of a man, and all his life he worked hard to prove he could take care of his family (that included his 4 sisters) ......as his son (we have fought with the best of them) i wish i could of learned the principles that he lived by all his life. However he wanted me to live by the silver spoon because he never did. Jim Brewer has the largest heart of any man that i know today (not just because he's my father) cause he cares about OKC....Thank you Steve Lackmeyey (I never thought I'd Say That) you have been on both sides of the the fence but in the end you know my father was a good man and Thank You...

sons

I have respect for Jim. He is a business man that started from a struggling, young life. If some say he's bitter, then so be it. But I've seen what he's done and visited with him on many occasions. He does care but has to be strong too, especially in these backstabbing days where it's dog eat dog in a greedy world. You can't deny that fact. Even in your own workforce. While I might not agree with everything in life, I just make it a happy life because it's the only one I got, and it's only myself that can make it that way.