Very interesting show that I came across on OETA this past weekend called Oklahoma Horizon. Apparently, a state lawmaker is seriously considering bringing a proposal to the table that will give OKC a internationally known monument that will rival the Eiffel Tower and the Space Needle in Seattle. The proposal calls for a huge oil derrick that will stand over 1100 feet tall with an observation deck and restaurant. I believe the plans also call for using water from an aquifier to create the appearance of a gushing oil derrick. It will supposedly be named "Energy Tower." I also heard the guy say that he has already talked with city officials and Mayor Cornett about the plans. The location is supposed to be near downtown on the Oklahoma River. They already have a video of the proposed tower on UTube and you can also see the video on the Oklahoma Horizon website @ OKHorizon.com. What's really cool is that many of us have been talking about something very similar on here in the past. This would be HUGE for OKC. Imagine the new Devon Tower and Energy Tower totally transforming the OKC skyline. I was SO incredibly stoked when I saw it on Saturday. OKC has truly come a very long way in the past 15 years. I cannot wait to see what the next 15 holds.

Interesting. Maybe we can include a museum with it... In 100 years people may be very interested in what the "Petroleum Age" was all about and, while we can't steal all the business from Houston, maybe we can steal the history.

At over $130 a barrel for oil, it's a good thing water is going to be used in the proposal.

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I'm not sure about this. Oil is not the future. Our dependence on oil may very well be our economic undoing. Not to mention environmental concerns. Bad timing.

this thing is about our history, not future. Yes we should look towards the future, and out future is bright, but lets not forget the past. Anyway, this thing is a pipe dream, just like The American in T-town.

Would be nice to have a HUGE tourism piece, not too fond of the look of it, but he's right, it would be an instant tourist attraction.


www.okhorizon.com Oklahoma Horizon Show Archives

No. No. No.

Why? Why? Why?

This is true, but whatever the future is, it will be shaped by the impact the oil age has had, both good and bad. Actually, the fact that oil has a limited future is one reason such a monument makes sense. In that, as the source of energy is phased out by whatever forces, the need to remind people of its impact and the interest in the attraction as a novelty grows. Kind of like railroad museums (sort of bad example as railroad's are still important, but the magnitude of their impact on the world economy is often forgotten).

That's one reason was I was kind of serious when I suggested a museum... an energy museum. It would be kind of interesting, imo, to see how the abundance of energy from fossil fuels created this culture dependant on that energy and how that dependancy will be met in the future. There is no escaping that our world is the way it is today because of oil and that even a future without oil will be the way it is because oil literally fueled a rapid expansion and dependancy on technology that will need to be met by some other energy source. People of the future will no doubt lament many aspects of the oil legacy that they will inherit, but they will also owe a lot of the technology they'll enjoy to oil and there will be no escaping that oil will be very much a part of their heritage.

Ultimately, it's up to us today to provide the context for such a monument. Sure, if we continue to ignore the imminent pitfalls of oil dependancy, then it will simply be viewed as a monument to a reckless and irresponsible society who disregarded all of the readily apparent warnings because it was simply too inconvenient and uncomfortable to make the short term sacrifices neccessary to avoid destruction (we wouldn't be the first). However, it could as just as easily be viewed as a novel and significant icon to man's succsessful ability to adapt through reason and common experience to avoid a disaster of its own making... we still have a choice.

Because it would be an eyesore. There is nothing architecturally amazing about an oil derrick. The space needle has style. Eiffel Tower has style. Oil Derrick. No Style. It would look like a big erector set. One that is 1100' built to scale would be huge. And if the video has any indication of what it would look like, it just looks like a big bird feeder.

I am for the museum though and maybe a smaller scale one (maybe 200-300'). That plus a great museum would bring enough tourists off the highway.

Sorry for the negativity but just cause we have to opportunity to build something like this doesn't mean we need to. I know beggars can't be choosers but this should stay in the fantasy drawer.

I assume you are familiar with what most Parisians initially thought of the Eiffel Tower. Style certainly was not what most thought of it.

Of course, that doesn't mean this would have the same long term fate as the Eiffel tower, but really the Eiffel tower looks very much like an erector set and, frankly, like an oil derrick with curves.

I hear ya worthy, maybe out basketball team could be named the Derricks? Maybe the city (or whoever is going to pay for this) will hire Pickard/Chilton Architects to design a stylish derrick?

I would suspect that the design that is being shown is not the FINAL design. I'm sure the end result will be much more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Yes,yes,yes!!

If they're going to go that high, why not go higher and have the highest observation tower in the U.S.

What is the highest observation tower in the US?

I say go for the tallest as well. I'm actually shocked that Dallas or Houston hasn't done something like this before OKC, especially when you consider the fact that Houston is THE OIL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

Tulsa is the oil capital of the world. Who is paying for this energy tower? i may have to write this state lawmaker a letter.

Tulsa USED TO BE the oil capital of the world. Houston is the NEW OIL CAPITAL.

Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas at 1149 feet. (tallest in US)

CN Tower in Toronto 1815 feet. (tallest in World)

Space Needle in Seattle 605 feet.

Eiffel Tower in Paris 1063 feet.

How about the new OKC Energy Tower that stands a respectable 1200 ft.

Maybe that's because its a bad idea...

THIS IS MY IDEA!!!! Someone stole it from me. I came up with this idea over 2 years ago and if you look through the history of this message board you will find it. Someone owes me some money if this happens. Actually, I don't want the money but it would be cool to see it built.

Update: Here is my post from Aug 2006. I have an even earlier one but it might have been on the old Oklahomas Own web site.
http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...ight=oil+tower

When and where can I accept my award?

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It's an interesting idea but I'd like to see the derrick concept tweaked for modern times.

It wouldn't have to look exactly like an oil derrick, just evoke that vision. And that could be done with something much more modern and foreward looking.

Get Rand Elliott on the job!