Oklahoma City earning notice, conferences
Oklahoman
STEVE LACKMEYER
Published: October 2, 2008

A second major national conference is coming to Oklahoma City in 2010 when more than 2,000 members of the National Trust Main Street Center gather at the Cox Convention Center.

Mayor Mick Cornett said Wednesday’s announcement by historic preservation association the National Trust Main Street Center, and Oklahoma City being chosen last year to host the 2010 U.S. Conference of Mayors, shows the city is gaining national attention.

"It’s a thrilling opportunity,” Cornett said. "That conference is held in some really large cities. These particular two conferences are great word of mouth opportunities. They are opinion leaders, and hopefully, when they go back, they will share great stories about us. We’re obviously rotating our way into conferences and conventions that we weren’t getting before.”

Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said that Oklahoma City "ably demonstrates the power of historic preservation as both a tool for economic development and a catalyst for improving the quality of life for residents and visitors.”

Hopefully we have a lot of people go to it from a lot of towns throughout Oklahoma and they get a lot of great ideas for their downtowns. This is a win win conference for all of Oklahoma.

"It’s a thrilling opportunity,” Cornett said. "That conference is held in some really large cities. These particular two conferences are great word of mouth opportunities. They are opinion leaders, and hopefully, when they go back, they will share great stories about us. We’re obviously rotating our way into conferences and conventions that we weren’t getting before.”


Okay...okay...I admit it. When they first wanted to build the Ford Center, I didn't see the need for having two arenas right next to each other. But it's working out quite well. We can now have sporting events and concerts going on at the same time we're hosting conventions. That's a huge influx of people into the downtown area, with the resulting spending on food, lodging, and entertainment.

What we need is alot more conference floor space in one area. I read a while back that the Comsumer Electronics Show is looking to move from Vegas for cheaper digs. OKC would fit that bill perfectly except that the floor space needed for that show far outreaches anything that OKC has.

Here's the site for this year's mayor's conference.

The 76th Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors (http://www.usmayors.org/76thAnnualMeeting/)

I believe the National Main Street Conference is next week. Will be another big week for OKC.

Forget weeks....this entire year is big!

Okay...okay...I admit it. When they first wanted to build the Ford Center, I didn't see the need for having two arenas right next to each other. But it's working out quite well. We can now have sporting events and concerts going on at the same time we're hosting conventions. That's a huge influx of people into the downtown area, with the resulting spending on food, lodging, and entertainment.

LOL. Neither did former Mayor Humphreys...he wanted to tear out the arena and convert it to convention space.

What we need is alot more conference floor space in one area. I read a while back that the Comsumer Electronics Show is looking to move from Vegas for cheaper digs. OKC would fit that bill perfectly except that the floor space needed for that show far outreaches anything that OKC has.

Is 200,000 sf enough? That is what we are going to have with the new C.C (but 10 years away)

Is 200,000 sf enough? That is what we are going to have with the new C.C (but 10 years away)

In a word, no. This is one of the largest conventions held anywhere in the world every year in space requirements. Next year's convention in Las Vegas will use all of their convention center plus space in two hotels. It will cover over 35 football fields worth of space. This won't be the kind of convention we'll be competing for.

What we need is alot more conference floor space in one area. I read a while back that the Comsumer Electronics Show is looking to move from Vegas for cheaper digs. OKC would fit that bill perfectly except that the floor space needed for that show far outreaches anything that OKC has.

Plus, its not just floor space for something like the CES, its also flights and hotel rooms.

Plus, its not just floor space for something like the CES, its also flights and hotel rooms.

Absolutely, and those were a couple of the "challenges" OKC has in gaining Tier II status (according to the Chamber's Convention Center report). The new Convention Center alone isn't going to do it (and the only challenge directly addressed w/MAPS 3). Some of it is chicken/egg type stuff.

Absolutely, and those were a couple of the "challenges" OKC has in gaining Tier II status (according to the Chamber's Convention Center report). The new Convention Center alone isn't going to do it (and the only challenge directly addressed w/MAPS 3). Some of it is chicken/egg type stuff.

To really get to that Tier II status we'll need the convention space as well as about 2500 hotel rooms in downtown. The great thing about OKC as a convention destination, as it is right now is:
1. Emerging destination: I.E. it's a fresh destination to promote. New/upgraded facilities and attractions. Sort of like a best-kept secret kind of thing. People come here, never having visited, and they're amazed.

2. Convention space/hotels/attractions - all within walking distance. Event planners and conventioners alike really raise their eyebrows when shopping for a destination wherever this exists because it dramatically reduces transportation and logistics costs. Look at San Antonio. It is a compact destination with lots of hotel rooms, attractions and convention space. And you don't need a car or even a taxi - other than to get to and from the airport. This is why SA is the largest convention destination in the country.
This is one reason why the placement of a convention center in downtown is so critical. Place it too far from hotel sites and you have a problem selling the facility.

Kudos to the CVB for booking this event!

I love it that OKC landed this, but what constitutes a Major convention? The last professional convention I attended in Indianapolis this April had over 26,000 attending. Don't get me wrong, i think we should take everything we can get; but is this really a major event?

It's major compared to what OKC was getting a decade ago. You're right, it's all a matter of perspective.

We as a city can not host those kinds of conventions. The largest convention I'm aware of that we host is the Pre-Paid Legal Services annual company meeting which is attended by around 15,000-18,000 people. Pre-Paid Legal is actually HQ'd down in Ada.

Yeah and Pre-Paid sells out EVERY SINGLE HOTEL/MOTEL in the entire city. Most conventions don't want people that spread out. We are already at risk to lose the Pre-Paid convention to Dallas because of our limited space.

Yeah and Pre-Paid sells out EVERY SINGLE HOTEL/MOTEL in the entire city. Most conventions don't want people that spread out. We are already at risk to lose the Pre-Paid convention to Dallas because of our limited space.

^^So, when we build The MAPS Convention center,assuming there will be a convention center hotel,how large would that have to be?or how many more rooms in total will have to be built to attract/retain major conventions?

To really get to that Tier II status we'll need the convention space as well as about 2500 hotel rooms in downtown. The great thing about OKC as a convention destination, as it is right now is:
1. Emerging destination: I.E. it's a fresh destination to promote. New/upgraded facilities and attractions. Sort of like a best-kept secret kind of thing. People come here, never having visited, and they're amazed.

2. Convention space/hotels/attractions - all within walking distance. Event planners and conventioners alike really raise their eyebrows when shopping for a destination wherever this exists because it dramatically reduces transportation and logistics costs. Look at San Antonio. It is a compact destination with lots of hotel rooms, attractions and convention space. And you don't need a car or even a taxi - other than to get to and from the airport. This is why SA is the largest convention destination in the country.
This is one reason why the placement of a convention center in downtown is so critical. Place it too far from hotel sites and you have a problem selling the facility.

Kudos to the CVB for booking this event!

I agree with all of your points except about San Antonio being the largest convention destination in the country. It is very popular but far from the largest in attracting conventions. Try Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, etc. first.

actually I think they book more total conventions. At least it used to be that way.

^^So, when we build The MAPS Convention center,assuming there will be a convention center hotel,how large would that have to be?or how many more rooms in total will have to be built to attract/retain major conventions?

The MAPS 3 Convention Center costs/plans doesn’t appear to include the hotel. At the ULI presentation, think they put that cost at an additional $50M (may be wrong on that and will have to go back and verify)

For a Tier 2 City, the Chamber’s Convention Center Report stated:


On average, there are approximately 2,900 total hotel rooms within one-half mile of competitive and comparable markets primary convention facilities. Including existing and planned properties, there are approximately 1,600 existing hotel rooms within one-half mile of the CCC, ...

The average number of rooms available at headquarters hotels in the competitive and comparable markets analyzed is approximately 770. (recommended 650)

We need way more than 650 rooms in the convention hotel, but that would suffice..it just wouldn't give OKC quite the leverage we need in retaining larger conferences who are going to want at least all of their leaders in one hotel. Breaking conferences up into multiple hotels is very taboo, especially if a hotel is miles from the convention center.

Follow up from my previous post, from the ULI presentation:

Currently have 2,000 rooms downtown and we need 4 to 5 thousand (within the next 15 to 20 years). Am presuming they are of the opinion that it will be about 10 years before the C.C. opens (they kept talking about the long "lead time" and we needed to decide where the C.C. was going to be located very soon...like by the end of the meeting...LOL)

For the C.C. hotel, they also recommended 600 to 700 rooms (non-phased) and the hotel doesn't need to open at the same time as the C.C. (said we had plenty of time, but it had to be done within 6 months of opening...LOL).

The $50M number stuck in my head was fairly close to being the mid-range amount. That is the Public portion of the $200M to $220M C.C., 4 star hotel (public amount of 20 to 30 percent or $40M to $66M)

The Convention Center needs to be 200 to 250 thousand sf with the 2nd phase expansion by 50 to 100%

The Chamber's report had it on the low end of the ULI numbers, the "Prime Exhibit Space" sf amounts for
Phase 1 (MAPS 3) = 200,000 sf
Phase 2 as being = 100,000 sf (additional)

Have to love one of the closing remarks attributed to W.C. Fields: "Sometimes you have to take the bull by the tail and face the situation"

600 just seems so low to me. The former CVB vice pres of sales was a close family friend, and before he moved to Texas to be pres of the Dallas CVB, he was saying we needed 750 AT LEAST if not more in OKC in order to be competitive. This is the man who was solely responsible for bringing in conventions right after MAPS 1 was finished, until two years ago or so.

Spartan,

I agree, it seems low to me as well. his "750 AT LEAST" puts us right in the average. The Chamber's report said the average was 770 and they only suggested the 650 number. Why go below the average? Seems you are selling yourself short from the beginning. Can't recall if it was the Chamber's Report or the ULI (may have been both) stated that the C.C. hotel isn't going to commit 100% of their rooms to the convention either, so the 650 number becomes even smaller.

The numbers suggested (sf, rooms etc) are based on current needs. If the Mayor is correct on the timing and we are 10 years (mol) away, what are the needs going to be by then? Again, seems like we will already be behind the curve on opening day.

I think our issue with bigger conventions/events (ones that involve lots people coming in from out-of-town from all over) is the link between DOWNTOWN and TRANSIT centers (AIRPORT, BUS station, TRAIN station,etc). The bulk of the people are not driving cross-country, ya know?

Any downtown circulator (streetcar or whatever) will help WITHIN the downtown area...to get people around from HOTEL to CONVENTION to FOOD/ENTERTAINMENT...but it is merely one COMPONENT of the puzzle. We MUST have some friggen awesome (read: FAST) linkage between transit centers and the downtown area.

Someone mentioned CES, good example of a larger-scale convention. Not entirely impossible, though unlikely. Consider this: most major air carriers have a presence here with a good flight frequency and alternate equipment (read: planes) can easily accommodate the influx of people since the carriers themselves can already bring in and service whatever mainline they have in here, for the most part.

I'm not saying this needs to be built yesterday or el-pronto, but it would need to happen prior to ramping up to larger conventions and would make us look much more attractive to conventions/events of all sizes.

Someone here mentioned hotel rooms. We have witnessed examples of how FAST okc can get hotel towers built...BAM! Entertainment options/hours-of-operation would expand almost overnight, once the businesses see the demand.



Given the ACCESSIBILITY and FACILITY combination, I think we can do some serious damage to the convention market!

Spartan,

I agree, it seems low to me as well. his "750 AT LEAST" puts us right in the average. The Chamber's report said the average was 770 and they only suggested the 650 number. Why go below the average? Seems you are selling yourself short from the beginning. Can't recall if it was the Chamber's Report or the ULI (may have been both) stated that the C.C. hotel isn't going to commit 100% of their rooms to the convention either, so the 650 number becomes even smaller.

The numbers suggested (sf, rooms etc) are based on current needs. If the Mayor is correct on the timing and we are 10 years (mol) away, what are the needs going to be by then? Again, seems like we will already be behind the curve on opening day.

Precisely. Even in the most extraordinary circumstance, a CC hotel will only commit 90% of rooms--so that's less than 600 from 650. Severely limiting, not much bigger than OKC's current largest hotel..

I think our issue with bigger conventions/events (ones that involve lots people coming in from out-of-town from all over) is the link between DOWNTOWN and TRANSIT centers (AIRPORT, BUS station, TRAIN station,etc).

We MUST have some friggen awesome (read: FAST) linkage between transit centers and the downtown area.

What does San Antonio have??

What does San Antonio have??

The Alamo.

Seriously though, I haven't been in San Antonio since the Spurs-Nets finals, which has been a few years now. I don't remember much of any mass transit besides buses, and I remember that I usually walked everywhere rather than wait for a bus. Maybe it's changed.

I think San Antonio got a lot of good press by having the River Walk before anyone else had anything like it, and it became a destination for conventions because of it and their decent weather. I guess Sea World might be a draw as well.

San Antonio has no better options for getting downtown from the airport than we do at this point.

Just got back from a trade show there and walked everywhere. There was a trolley system (rubber tires) and then bus and cabs...thats all. The river walk is a draw and it is a matured entertainment and retail locale so that helps. As far as access from the airport no better than OKC, and maybe worse due to the traffic and distance.

I'm trying to think of how many cities have much mass transit from the airport. I would know, because my husband adores subways and he pretty much forces us to take the subway from the airport if it exists. London, of course. We take it in Chicago if my daughters can't pick us up and I used to use it in Atlanta sometimes. We always take a cab in New York, and I'm going through my head trying to think of other cities where we take anything but a cab. Miami. No. New Orleans. No. Washington D.C. I can't remember. Dallas. No. Houston. No. Denver. No. Seattle. I don't think so. LA. No. I haven't been to SF in quite a while.

So, I'm thinking that while many cities have mass transit, transit from the airport can be problematic. If other people think differently, please correct me. But, I don't think having to take a cab to a hotel in OKC would prevent people from coming to a convention here. What I do think is a problem is if you have to rent a car to get around. It's after I get to the hotel that I really like to be able to use mass transit. That's another reason why the streetcar is so critical, IMO.

The Alamo.

Seriously though,

Hahaha

In St. Louis you can take light rail from the airport into downtown. You can transfer at Forest Park to Clayton and the inner suburbs. The St. Louis system is not extensive, but they did do a good job of configuring their two lines in such a way as to link the primary business and entertainment districts. From experience, it's good for commuting if you happen to live right along it but it's not practical for going all over the city. It is, though, a great setup for conventioneers or the casual sightseer.

betts, here is what I know (rail transit from airport to downtown):

New York: subway (JFK AirTrain), to NYC Subway; I think subway goes to LGA
Chicago: subway (the L) to both airports, Metra is close to O'Hare
Vancouver: subway (SkyTrain)
DC: subway (Regan National), subway under construction (Dulles)
Baltimore: light rail
Seattle: light rail *brand spanking new
Portland: light rail
SF: subway (BART)
Oak: trolley to subway (airBART)
STL: light rail
ATL: subway

Im pretty certain about the aformentioned cities/airports. I think LA has light rail under construction and Denver had/has a plan for it. I think Detroit has a link and Boston also. I can't remember if Philly had, so long ago for me.

Sorry to detract from conventions; Maybe we should do another thread for this, but it is interesting.

In St. Louis you can take light rail from the airport into downtown. You can transfer at Forest Park to Clayton and the inner suburbs. The St. Louis system is not extensive, but they did do a good job of configuring their two lines in such a way as to link the primary business and entertainment districts. From experience, it's good for commuting if you happen to live right along it but it's not practical for going all over the city. It is, though, a great setup for conventioneers or the casual sightseer.

I think that the general lay of St Louis makes it easy to configure transit lines (it all just generally goes west out of downtown STL)--OKC not so much.

I think Detroit has a link and Boston also.

Boston has the Big Dig going to their airport..

Philly has SEPTA. They also have a nice Amtrak setup to just about anywhere.

Boston has the Big Dig going to their airport..

Boston has the Big Dig and Boston has subway service to Logan Airport, and part of the Big Dig project does go to the airport. BUT, the subway service to the airport has nothing to do with the Big Dig.

betts, here is what I know (rail transit from airport to downtown):

Im pretty certain about the aformentioned cities/airports. I think LA has light rail under construction and Denver had/has a plan for it. I think Detroit has a link and Boston also. I can't remember if Philly had, so long ago for me.

Sorry to detract from conventions; Maybe we should do another thread for this, but it is interesting.

Correct on Boston. I'm pretty sure there is no rail service at Detroit's airport.

Philly is definitely connected by rail.

In Boston, Logan Airport is a stop on both the Blue Line (subway) and the Silver Line (Bus Rapid Transit via dedicated lanes, actually does use the a dedicated tunnell that was part of the Big Dig). Both offer easy connections to the entire regional transit system, including commuter rail, subway and bus.

A major national conference was in town last week. The Association of State Floodplain Managers held its annual meeting at the Cox Center. Rooms sold out fast in the Renaissance, Sheraton and Courtyard. One problem having public-sector conventions is a lack of available government rate rooms. This conference partially solved this problem by also blocking rooms at the Skirvin, which does not offer government rates, and directing the exhibitors and sponsors (mostly private sector consultants with expense accounts) to stay there. The Hampton Inn had not been open at the time the conference was planned, but I know that a number of attendees also stayed there.

The preliminary reviews of the conference were fantastic. Some minor complaints about the HVAC systems and A/V systems in the Cox Center, but overall attendees LOVED downtown and Bricktown. In the case of these conferences, transit from the airport is actually far less important that location directly adjacent to restaurants and entertainment venues. Conference planners can easily offset airport transit needs, and most travelers will take a cab or shuttle to and from the airport if they know they will be able to walk around during the entire conference with no need for taxis, etc.

There is no doubt a need for another conference hotel, but it may need to be subsidized in order to offer the block rates and especially the government rates necessary to attract major conventions. The Renaissance can do this because it is, in effect, subsidized by the fact that it controls and operates the bulk of the actual meeting space (and the food service for this space) in the Cox Center. Still, a hotel subsidy would be a very small investment given the economic impact that a large meeting has on downtown and Bricktown.

In Boston, Logan Airport is a stop on both the Blue Line (subway) and the Silver Line (Bus Rapid Transit via dedicated lanes, actually does use the a dedicated tunnell that was part of the Big Dig). Both offer easy connections to the entire regional transit system, including commuter rail, subway and bus.

Correct. Just to avoid any misunderstanding, only the silver line (brt, not rail) uses the big dig tunnel. The blue line rail is not in a big dig tunnel.

No, blue line subway long predated the big dig...and to be fair, the blue line transfer from the station to the terminals is a real pain, especially with any baggage.

Cleveland, OH has a rail line that runs directly from its airport to a main downtown terminus. If my memory recalls, it was one of the first public transit lines (1967) to directly link a major airport to a downtown.

You know, in talking to people on the street, I get the sense that even the more educated yokel doesn't understand how big this is going to be for OKC.

Someone mentioned that its a "coming out party" for OKC (which is incredibly funny in the other context) but quite correct in the "Big Fish" context.

There will be a "get to know OKC party" every night and probably every moment that these guests are in town.

Agree...think most are saying, "<<BIG YAWN>>...a bunch of Mayors are getting together...so what?" Now if you wee talking Governors or something like a national political convention...

I think many of us get it UP, and if I'm not mistaken, it should coincide with the deadCENTER film festival, which Mat Hoffman and other celebrities will be appearing at. Should be a HUGEEEE week downtown and for the City.

And don't forget about the Flaming Lips teaming up with the Philharmonic for a concert during the convention. GENIUS, I say.

Not to rain on the parade, but 400-600 attendees does not make a MAJOR national conference. The softball hall of fame had over 7000 per session during the tournament this saturday and pumps tons more money than the mayors convention. I'm happy for any conventions that we can land here in Okc but quit breaking your arms patting yourselves on the back for something that won't put as much money into city coffers as a weekend poker run. We are still taking babysteps when it comes to sizeable national conventions.......but that's Ok. Lets quit blowing this out of proportion.

I don't think it's the size of the convention that is so important in our eyes, but rather the implication of hosting the mayors' convention. Recent cities hosting the conference include Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Chicago. The President usually attends. It's more about gaining national recognition for OKC from an important group than it is numbers of people eating in Bricktown and staying in local hotels.

Some of you folks would be negative about anything. This is indeed a major conference that will attract media and policy makers from coast to coast.

Sure, there are more people at the square dancing convention, but this has national prestige and implications.

I don't think it's the size of the convention that is so important in our eyes, but rather the implication of hosting the mayors' convention. Recent cities hosting the conference include Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Chicago. The President usually attends. It's more about gaining national recognition for OKC from an important group than it is numbers of people eating in Bricktown and staying in local hotels.

Agreed, Betts. Sometimes the national attention and recognition is much more important in the long run than the number of hotel rooms booked during a convention.

it is major because it is mayors and staff and press from around the nation. It is unusual for a city with a metro less than 3 million (let alone 1.5 million) to host a 'national' convention of this prestigue.

there are more mayors in america than governors (to Larry) and governors don't have as much clout or influence on a level that counts. Imagine mayor daly (from Chicago) coming to Oklahoma City, he is bigger than ANY politician in Illinois, save Barak Obama himself.

Nobody is blowing this out of proportion, not at all. People are just realizing that OKC landed it's first legitimate 'big one' and the city needs to go all out in order to stay on people's list. Those mayors WILL go back to their city and report how things went in OKC and it WILL have a bearing on what OKC lands next in terms of conventions and retail. ....

Think about it on those lines, relax the sphincter police a bit and go enjoy Oklahoma City's moment in the spotlight.

Hot Rod, I was AGREEING that it is a big deal but most in the City are probably looking at it in the "so what" way...those same people would be more impressed by a Governors convention etc because of the PERCEIVED higher ranking of power. prestige etc. You are correct, there are many more mayors than governors but that is part of the perception isn't it? Kind of goes back to big fish small pond. Can have a great minor league team but everyone wants the pro-team and the perceived elite status that it brings (you are 1 of only 30 other cities...) Yeah a mayor might have more power/influence in some ways but would you rather see Gov Henry or Mayor Cornett (ok, maybe a bad example...LOL). Don't know what the breakdown is but even our Mayor is a "weak" one, one of nine voices on the Council. Any power he has is symbolic for the most part. And power that others let him have. That is where personalities come into play with that type of set up.

Little fish in a stinky pond! Numbers bring in the bucks and put cash in the pockets of retailers. I've watched all of you post in the other forums and tout how Okc needs to bring in revenues to boost our economy. Prestige and popularity contests don't help the working stiff unless the numbers can accompany them. Otherwise this will just be another photo op for career politicians just like we get to see with the elitist in the DOK. I'm not negative about this as I've said before, just a realist. 400-600 TOTAL attendees does not make a major convention. It's a high school prom with blue bloods from around the country that will piss and moan if they aren't catered to at every corner. How much revenue do you think this will actually bring in to our city?

Numbers bring in the bucks and put cash in the pockets of retailers. How much revenue do you think this will actually bring in to our city?

Of course numbers bring in the bucks and put cash in the pockets of retailers. But, we've got a too small, aging convention center. We're not going to get anything big in terms of numbers until we have our new CC.

Perhaps the title of this thread is misleading. The "major" in this convention is the opportunity to showcase our city to people who are actually interested in the city. It's a completely different type of population than you usually get at a convention. And its point is not to make money for OKC, but rather to show what we're doing and how the populace has consistently over the last 15 years voted to improve our city. It's the kind of thing that gets you an article in the NYT, USA Today, the Boston Globe, etc rather than guides for conventioneers. This is the big time version of the neighborhood home tour. If you don't think that has value, then you don't. I don't think anyone posting here has implied that it's value is in how much money it's going to make for merchants in Bricktown.

Betts, perhaps you're correct. Maybe the title should read something more along the lines of "major political convention" lands in Okc for 2010. Do you know whether this event is booked for the next several years; or is this a one time event?

Little fish, big fish, stinky pond, sweet pond. bah humbug.

It's a convention that is going to be held in some city every year. As it's not typically held in a metro the size of OKC, something caught someone's eye.

Whether it's local $ effect to the city is 200, 2,000 or 100,000, its effect of not being held at OKC would be:
a lack of exposure for the city, as somewhere else would be the focus;
a few busloads and/or rental cars of visitors who book rooms, meals, and entertainment would all be in some other location, and not talking about being impressed with X Y or Z in OKC after they go back home. That's a fair piece of completely optional business to just meh away from the local traveler service providers.

You're correct it won't drop as many towns into the coffers as something bigger. Near as I can tell though, it's not knocked anything bigger out of the starting blocks, and given the city's apparent financial shape, something that generates both exposure and some coin, and which could easily have gone to any of 25+ other locations to garner impressions and drop coin, ought to find a very warm welcome.

Betts, perhaps you're correct. Maybe the title should read something more along the lines of "major political convention" lands in Okc for 2010. Do you know whether this event is booked for the next several years; or is this a one time event?

This event routinely moves aroung the country instead of being held in the same city for multiple years. That's why getting it here for the first time is important. It gets more national notice for Oklahoma City. It's possible that it could be held here again, but don't expect that for quite a few years. You have to take advantage of your opportunities when you have them.