News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | Oklahoma real estate boosted by Thunder (http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=9077315)

This is great news!!!

Very interesting. It's very clear that Coyote Ugly is coming largely because of the NBA attention. I wonder what's next?

Sweet news. Bricktown may yet be saved from falling into obscurity.

Now the guessing game begins on who is interested in locating there...

Cool.

Bring on Hard Rock Cafe, that would be sweet!

I believe that Hard Rock has seen it's best days.

I believe that Hard Rock has seen it's best days.

Which is probably why that's what's coming.....

"I'm not at liberty to say, but you will be very pleasantly surprised with what is out there and who is interested in coming," Clifton said." I suspect that means well-known franchises.
Personally, I'd like to see better unique concepts from local owners, but I guess franchises are what they think will get us excited. Better than empty buildings, though.

I'm sure we'll see plenty of both.

I don't think Hard Rock is in a growth stage at all.
IMO, locals aren't going to Bricktown because of bars like Hooters, Coyote Ugly or any other heavily themed concepts. I hope we see the top-notch national restaurants and retailers fill in downtown instead.

Please let it be an OLIVE GARDEN!

(/joke)

I personaly would like to see a BoBo's chicken move to the area. The food won't kill you but, the customers will. j/k

Cool.

Bring on Hard Rock Cafe, that would be sweet!

As others said, HRC has seen it's better days. Maybe if we could have got one 15 years ago. Dallas even lost their HRC. Here are the locations left:

Hard Rock Cafe - Cafes - (http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/locator.aspx)

I would love to see a Hard Rock Cafe in Bricktown. I looked at the list Metro linked to and that is a pretty exclusive list of cities around the world. I am not sure what Dallas losing their HRC has to do with one in OKC.

I agree. I mean just because Dallas lost HRC, does not mean it would not do well in OKC. Dallas also lost D&G store and Prada in Highland Park village. Maybe Dallas is on a decline right now.

I agree. I mean just because Dallas lost HRC, does not mean it would not do well in OKC. Dallas also lost D&G store and Prada in Highland Park village. Maybe Dallas is on a decline right now.

Hardly the case. Barneys of New York opened in Dallas last year doing great!! Dallas has landed AT&T World Headquarters and the Bank holding company Comerica moved their headquarters from Detroit to Dallas. I think OKC will be the first to decline rather than Dallas because Dallas has so many Fortune 500 companies and OKC does not. Can you name one Fortune 500 company that has relocated to OKC? When oil and gas plummets like it did in the 80's then OKC will be right back where it was in that era with no lessons learned. HRC will not make it in OKC, I know OKC is my former hometown born and raised there.

bobo's chicken is delicious though!

Love these smug Dallasites who believe only good things happen in Dallas and continue to disrespect OKC. Just stupid they can't understand both can do well. Why do they always feel threatened when OKC does well?

Hardly the case. Barneys of New York opened in Dallas last year doing great!! Dallas has landed AT&T World Headquarters and the Bank holding company Comerica moved their headquarters from Detroit to Dallas. I think OKC will be the first to decline rather than Dallas because Dallas has so many Fortune 500 companies and OKC does not. Can you name one Fortune 500 company that has relocated to OKC? When oil and gas plummets like it did in the 80's then OKC will be right back where it was in that era with no lessons learned. HRC will not make it in OKC, I know OKC is my former hometown born and raised there.

Thanks for your insight, but I think I'll trust Forbes over a bitter troll from Dallas.

America's Recession-Proof Cities - Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/29/cities-recession-places-forbeslife-cx_jz_0429realestate.html)

HRC is still opening restaurants. They are opening one in 2009 in Seattle. They are opening very slowly, but they are opening. We just have to attract them. Landing the NBA team, building the new Devon building, fixing up the myriad gardens, the C2S project, expanding the canal... All of this will help attract new interest in Bricktown. It may take time, but it will happen.

Love these smug Dallasites who believe only good things happen in Dallas and continue to disrespect OKC. Just stupid they can't understand both can do well. Why do they always feel threatened when OKC does well?

Because Dallas has become such a pit. The traffic is terrible, as well as being hard to find anything. Over populated, people are moving out of Dallas to the burbs.

My niece lives in Frisco, they have a pro soccer team, brother said the build youth soccer fields that extend for about a mile. One of the fastest growing towns in the US.

OKC has not been growing as fast, but it has been steady. We had a 4% growth in real estate value this last year, while the rest of the country is falling apart.

As long as OKC continues it's moderate and steady growth, reasoned community planning(MAPS), and family friendly development we could become more attractive to businesses and families then Dallas.

Hardly the case. Barneys of New York opened in Dallas last year doing great!! Dallas has landed AT&T World Headquarters and the Bank holding company Comerica moved their headquarters from Detroit to Dallas. I think OKC will be the first to decline rather than Dallas because Dallas has so many Fortune 500 companies and OKC does not. Can you name one Fortune 500 company that has relocated to OKC? When oil and gas plummets like it did in the 80's then OKC will be right back where it was in that era with no lessons learned. HRC will not make it in OKC, I know OKC is my former hometown born and raised there.

My bestfriend is a manager at the Barney's in Dallas, and sales have been slow. I am fully aware of the corporate world in Dallas, and yes it is strong. But retail is a different story in Dallas. It has declined in recent years. I am not sure where you are getting your facts.

I just hope that Bricktown gets a sports bar. We drive down from Tulsa and usually come early to eat and drink. Something like Dave and Buster's would be great, they are building one in Tulsa as we speak. Coach's is about the only sports bar around and it is weak.

I would hardly call D&B a sports bar, it's more like Chuck E Cheese for adults.

As for Hard Rock, we don't want it here. Maybe if the year were 1988, but it's not. In the 90s when Hard Rock expanded like crazy and everybody and their dog had a Hard Rock it lost it's appeal and cache. When Hard Rock was located in just London, NY and Chicago you would be happy to be the next city included on that list but when they have one in Biloxi, Mississippi, then it's hardly the cool place it once was.

dave and busters average floor plan is way too big for any building in bricktown proper.

When Hard Rock was located in just London, NY and Chicago you would be happy to be the next city included on that list but when they have one in Biloxi, Mississippi, then it's hardly the cool place it once was.

Before you go running down Biloxi just be aware that the Hard Rock Cafe in Biloxi is located in their new Hard Rock Hotel/Casino. Just because you can't afford the food at HRC doesn't mean you have to hate the concept.

I'm not sure I can get that fired up about many national chains, but I think this is what the landlords have been holding out for and if that's what it takes to fill up bricktown, then so be it, I guess. I do worry about Bricktown being just like every other touristy entertainment district in the country, but, again, it's better than all the emptiness there is down there now.

Hopefully, it will help the emerging areas downtown like Mid-Town, Automobile Alley, and the Triangle as well, which seem to be more about creating something unqique, more urban, and more local than the BT guys.

Before you go running down Biloxi just be aware that the Hard Rock Cafe in Biloxi is located in their new Hard Rock Hotel/Casino. Just because you can't afford the food at HRC doesn't mean you have to hate the concept.

I'd much rather have the Pink Taco or Nobu found in Vegas's Hard Rock Hotel than any actual Hard Rock Cafe.

I just hope that Bricktown gets a sports bar. We drive down from Tulsa and usually come early to eat and drink. Something like Dave and Buster's would be great, they are building one in Tulsa as we speak. Coach's is about the only sports bar around and it is weak.

:tiphat:

No kidding!! A real sports bar would really make Bricktown an entertainment destination. I don't even feel that something along the lines of a D&B is necessary...even something like a Buffalo Wild Wings in that area would likely be very successful. With Bricktown being between Stillwater and Norman - as well as right next to the Thunder - that it would only make sense for the next addition to Bricktown would be a sports bar.

Oh well...here's to hoping!

I think a Wingstop or BWW would do great where the Dacquiri Zone was. That was a decent place to watch a game.....

This is what OKC needs. We have 2 in Jacksonville. They have 7 22' screens and 6 30' screens. It is like watching the game at a movie theater. The players are life size on the screen.

Sneakers Sports Grille (http://www.sneakerssportsgrille.com/)

Thanks for your insight, but I think I'll trust Forbes over a bitter troll from Dallas.

America's Recession-Proof Cities - Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/29/cities-recession-places-forbeslife-cx_jz_0429realestate.html)

Seems like your speaking from experience!!! lol lol...............................

i'd be willing to bet that progressive boy doesn't even live in dallas, but actually garland, grand prairie or rockwall...

Haha. Nice one, ed.

Before you go running down Biloxi just be aware that the Hard Rock Cafe in Biloxi is located in their new Hard Rock Hotel/Casino. Just because you can't afford the food at HRC doesn't mean you have to hate the concept.

I wasn't running down Biloxi, I'm just saying...London, NY, Chicago, Biloxi...one of these is not like the other.

I can afford the food, I just choose not to. Hard Rock's coolness went out when the wave did.

I wasn't running down Biloxi, I'm just saying...London, NY, Chicago, Biloxi...one of these is not like the other.

Hmmm. I seem to remember some people from Seattle saying the very samething not even 3 months ago. Just saying...LA, NY, Chicago, OKC...one of these is not like the others.

Kind of funny how two people can see the same thing and one sees it as a credit to Biloxi/OKC for having the ability to attract an international franchise, while the other sees it as evidence of the decline of an international franchise.

Hmmm. I seem to remember some people from Seattle saying the very samething not even 3 months ago. Just saying...LA, NY, Chicago, OKC...one of these is not like the others.

Kind of funny how two people can see the same thing and one sees it as a credit to Biloxi/OKC for having the ability to attract an international franchise, while the other sees it as evidence of the decline of an international franchise.

:whiteflag Maybe I'm not communicating this well. My original point was not to knock Biloxi but to say that HRC lost its cache when it started opening locations practically everywhere. I would say the same for Miami, Fl. as I did for Biloxi. NY, Chicago and London are world class cities. Most of the other sites for HRC are not.

When it's just a few locations, it's cool, it's a destination. But when most people in the US can drive a few hours in any direction and hit an HRC then it's no longer a destination and has become a glorified Olive Garden.

Actully I was just being a hard-a$$. I know what you are saying. There is a certain novelty that come with exclusitivity (is that even a word). As venues expand they lose the novelty and are basically left with food quality/service as the only attraction. That was the problem with Planet Hollywood - crappy food but a unique environment. I don't think HRC has fallen near as far as PH. I still think HRC is a pretty exclusive club and I would like to see OKC on the list.

One place that can expand without damaging their reputation is Ruth's Chris Stakehouse. Best steaks on the planet.

One place that can expand without damaging their reputation is Ruth's Chris Stakehouse. Best steaks on the planet.

I bet we are now at the least on Ruth's radar with the Thunder in town...That would be an awesome addition to OKC

. . . . . IMO, locals aren't going to Bricktown because of bars like Hooters, Coyote Ugly or any other heavily themed concepts. I hope we see the top-notch national restaurants and retailers fill in downtown instead.

Exactly Tuck . . . . who needs another same ol', same ol' franchise joint. Give me first class independent operators with new concepts using our big league local design talent to create and open establishments with imaginative decors and menus to match.

Sounds like you're talking about Red Prime... ;)

Sounds like you're talking about Red Prime... ;)

Damn skippy . . . . and all those that I hope will follow in the future.

Smith & Wollensky :)

Boulevard is better than Smith & Wollenski's, or the other chains.

Now, if we could just get a McCormick and Schmicks, or M&S Grille....that would be sweet and different. A top notch seafood place. Steaks we have...fish and Italian are AWOL in this market.

Fish maybe, italian, no.

Italian are AWOL in this market.

I disagree. Papa Dio's is top notch "family owned" Italian, with reasonable prices. I'd compare it with any of the Italian restaurants on "The Hill" in St. Louis.

Don't forget Bella Vista on the southside as well.