Convention Center

[Southsider2]

Good pic^. I agree I think it looks great and it just gives a cool vibe when you're in the park at night. Will look even better once the remainder of the interior installation is up as well as the exterior lighting.

[Pete]

In the third photo center right, you can see a massive pit for utility construction.

[HOT ROD]

speaking of utilities, wouldn't it be great if the current location could be relocated to near I-40 (or somewhere else at the edge of downtown) and the existing location at Grand Ave and EK Gaylord be repurposed for a highrise hotel? I'd love a 30 floor Hyatt or W hotel to go in there.

[btmec]

]I have always said Oklahoma City had the potential to be like Dallas as far as entertainment. Now the City needs to go after big companies that are paying good salaries.

Oklahoma City needs to change the building codes for businesses and developments. When you go to the Dallas area you see shopping centers that look upscale even though they have a Ross or Old Navy there. There was one area I was driving through that had nice center medians, no powerlines, and upscale facades on buildings. In OKC the throw up these shops that have no character and after a few years just make the city look bad. I've traveled all over the world and I've seen more character in former Soviet Eastern Europe than in OKC.

[Canoe]

I second this opinion. Our stores look like N. Texas warehouses.

[Pete]

[bucktalk]

I want nothing but good to come from this new development. I want to see guests from all over coming to OKC to enjoy our city. But I sure worry that convention events, due to COVID, will be almost existent for a couple of years or more. Yikes :-(

[bucktalk]

Oklahoma City needs to change the building codes for businesses and developments. When you go to the Dallas area you see shopping centers that look upscale even though they have a Ross or Old Navy there. There was one area I was driving through that had nice center medians, no powerlines, and upscale facades on buildings. In OKC the throw up these shops that have no character and after a few years just make the city look bad. I've traveled all over the world and I've seen more character in former Soviet Eastern Europe than in OKC.

Totally agree. I groan each time I see another strip mall type development being built. Absolutely hate how city planning committees and developers seem to be okay with such minimal architectural features. Yawn!!!!

[Pete]

It's not a matter of building codes, as Dallas has plenty of cheapo strip centers.

It's the investment willing to be made by the developers.

OKC recently raised the bar for landscaping and a few other things. But 95% of this is up to the individual developers.

[Rover]

I second this opinion. Our stores look like N. Texas warehouses.

I can show you huge portions of Dallas that look just like OKC development. The metroplex has almost twice as many people in it as the ENTIRE STATE of Oklahoma. So, if you want to pick out the nicest portions of Dallas metro and compare to the average places in OKC, it is not a fair comparison. Its like expecting someone who can only afford an off the rack Macy's suit to look as good as someone wearing a Brioni.

[GoGators]

OKC residents love to defend the suburbs and promote the sprawl that surrounds OKC, and then turn around and complain that the sprawl they wanted actually looks like garbage and has no character. It's sprawl, it's not supposed to have character.

[ourulz2000]

Comparing DFW to OKC as a whole is impossible. DFW has so much more population & tax revenue than OKC its not close. Frisco, Plano, Allen, Southlake, Aledo, Keller, Flower Mound, The Colony, Colleyville, Alliance, the list goes on of really nice suburbs. However, if you go south of I-30 in DFW it's mostly rough.

From an entertainment perspective, OKC is not that far off from DFW when it comes from things to do (minus pro sports). OKC has far more options than Fort Worth, but behind Dallas obviously. However, currently downtown Dallas is not safe. Homeless everywhere, and gangs. It's been a rough past 3 months and hasn't gotten any better. Most outdoor seating for restaurants are gone. Even the famous Katy Trail through uptown is a risky proposition this year. If you value safety then Uptown, University Park, or Collin County obviously nice areas for a night out. Dallas has had a steady increase of crime the last 5 years. The biggest issue being that crime is spilling over into historical safe areas and downtown. Assaults and violent crime increased every year in Dallas under the previous Dallas mayor's tenure. In 2020, Dallas is on its way to the most murders in one year since the 1990s.

[HangryHippo]

I was surprised by how sh*tty downtown Dallas was during my last trip. I took DART in from DFW and that was taking my life into my own hands and it didn't get much better once I got off the train.

[dankrutka]

I was surprised by how sh*tty downtown Dallas was during my last trip. I took DART in from DFW and that was taking my life into my own hands and it didn't get much better once I got off the train.

Where? I take DART all the time into downtown and have never had an incident. Ever. So, what happened? I hear this from a lot of people who literally fear being around Black and Brown people.

[Martin]

Where? I take DART all the time into downtown and have never had an incident. Ever. So, what happened? I hear this from a lot of people who literally fear being around Black and Brown people.

you ask a fair question and then spoil any further dialogue with what appears to be a backhanded accusation of racism. this isn't how you have productive discussions and, honestly, you should know better.

[ourulz2000]

you ask a fair question and then spoil any further dialogue with what appears to be a backhanded accusation of racism. this isn't how you have productive discussions and, honestly, you should know better.

Ignore the ignorance. DFW is a massive melting pot and became a minority-majority Metroplex in 2010. There are very few places in DFW where there is only one race. However, I would never allow my wife or children on DART alone. Violence is violence and people talking about it / reporting it is not racist. It is what it is.

100s of arrests this year alone: https://www.dart.org/about/dartpolic...cility2020.pdf
https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2017/12/11/...ated-assaults/
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/l...242124086.html
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/po...otout/2354804/
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crim...were-too-late/
https://www.dmagazine.com/publicatio...urviving-dart/
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/lo...0-2a69ae78b969
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crim...-dart-station/
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crim...ng-police-say/
https://www.fox4news.com/news/dart-d...day-bus-attack

[dankrutka]

you ask a fair question and then spoil any further dialogue with what appears to be a backhanded accusation of racism. this isn't how you have productive discussions and, honestly, you should know better.

I am sharing my experience with these claims. I hear them over and over. I have made a habit of asking people their basis. Not one person has ever had anything happen. It’s very clear they are uncomfortable around Black and Brown people. I was just sharing what I’ve observed. I didn’t accuse you of anything. I asked a question and shared my experience. But I apologize for not explaining why I asked with more detail and thus specifically implying your bias. My bad.

I’m not sure how to interpret those statistics and articles in the next post. The DART rail and bus system is massive and runs through a lot of DFW. There are a huge number of stops. Many of these articles are about fights that broke out near a station, typically by people who know each other. The media loves these stories and sensationalizes them. And I’m not saying there are no problems... but to say it’s unsafe does not match my experience.

Again, you can call me ignorant, but I ride the DART through downtown all the time. I have never seen a single incident. Ever. And people who’ve told me it’s dangerous haven’t seen one either when I ask them. I was just trying to ask why you think it’s dangerous... is it media reports? Did you witness something? I am honestly curious.

[ourulz2000]

I have to ask, who are these people uncomfortable around brown and black people?. DFW is a minority-majority metro. Less than 45% is white. Dallas is 29% white. Do these people leave their house? It’s expected in DFW to be around every skin color. Unless you’re in Westlake you’ll be around brown and black people. Just wondering.

[dankrutka]

I have to ask, who are these people uncomfortable around brown and black people?. DFW is a minority-majority metro. Less than 45% is white. Dallas is 29% white. Do these people leave their house? It’s expected in DFW to be around every skin color. Unless you’re in Westlake you’ll be around brown and black people. Just wondering.

Do you not think there's segregation in DFW? lol. There's massive and widespread housing and school segregation across the metro. Most white people I know live in predominately White neighborhoods and have no close friends of color. And, yes, many of those people—often White—express fear from media reports of downtown or public transportation. My Black friends and colleagues share regular experiences with racism and profiling. So no, DFW is not the integrated, cosmopolitan utopia you've dreamed up.

[ourulz2000]

I’ve lived all over DFW for 20 years. That’s just not my experience when it comes to friendships, integrated neighborhoods, multi racial families, multi racial churches, and exclusivity. Sorry it’s not yours.

[Swake]

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/u...ate-statistics

[David]

"I'm afraid of big cities because of the violence" is a major white supremacist dog whistle, I read that comment the exact same way Dan did except probably with more eye-rolling.

[ourulz2000]

I live in Dallas. During the last 5 years it's become overrun with crime. Especially in the heavily populated areas. Don't take it from me, take it from the African-American City Manager, African-American Mayor, and African-American citizens.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crim...ke-city-safer/
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/lo...8-38786ea63fab
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crim...action-needed/

[Pete]

We are way, way off subject here.

Back to discussing the Convention Center, please.

[Plutonic Panda]

nm