View Full Version : Midtown Plaza Court contest winner is............



okclee
09-28-2010, 07:38 PM
http://www.okc.biz/article/09-28-2010/NBA_player_Desmond_Mason_wins_Midtown_Renaissance_ contest_with_art_gallery_proposal.aspx


NBA player Desmond Mason wins Midtown Renaissance contest with art gallery proposal
OKCBiz Staff
9.28.2010


Midtown Renaissance announced September 28 that NBA player Desmond Mason is the winner of its Plaza Court Retail Contest. Mason’s proposal for an art studio, which he will use to produce works and host events, was selected for its potential to enhance the creative energy of the district............... http://www.okc.biz/article/09-28-2010/NBA_player_Desmond_Mason_wins_Midtown_Renaissance_ contest_with_art_gallery_proposal.aspx

betts
09-28-2010, 08:59 PM
Excellent! He's a great guy and I really like his art. It will be wonderful to have his studio there.

dankrutka
09-28-2010, 09:15 PM
I remember some people making fun of the idea of a competitive contest to fill that space, but this seems like an excellent addition to the building. Great for Desmond and MidTown!

Doug Loudenback
09-28-2010, 10:56 PM
I surely hope that this venture succeeds. If you haven't noticed, my avatar still shows #34 ... and that would be Desmond Mason's # when he played for the Thunder in its first season here.

HOT ROD
09-29-2010, 03:00 AM
you mean the Hornets?

Doug Loudenback
09-29-2010, 03:48 AM
Da Mace was on the 2008-09 Thunder team, also.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/okcthunder/team/desmond_mason_01.jpg

Doug Loudenback
09-29-2010, 08:29 AM
Also, see http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2010/09/29/desmond-mason-coming-back-to-okc/ by Darnell Mayberry

http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/files/2010/09/DesmondArt.jpg



Desmond Mason, the former fan favorite with OSU, the Hornets and the Thunder, is returning to Oklahoma City.

But for Act Four in Oklahoma, Mason is bringing his renowned art to the city. As The Oklahoman’s Steve Lackmeyer reports, Mason will soon be opening an art studio at Plaza Court in MidTown. According to Lackmeyer, Mason will paint pieces for clients and host events for local charities at the studio.

“My family and I are very happy to be back in Oklahoma City,” Mason said. “This area has been a big part of our lives for the last 10 years and we wanted to come back and be part of the growth in a city we love. Bringing my style of art, and the other business ventures we are planning, to a city that has embraced change is a special opportunity that I’m excited to be a part of. The leaders of this city have stepped up and taken the challenge and the development and renovation of MidTown is a big part of that.”

metro
09-29-2010, 08:59 AM
Bringing my style of art, and the other business ventures we are planning This line intrigues me, what other business ventures is he planning and will those come to fruition in OKC?

okclee
09-29-2010, 09:29 AM
This line intrigues me, what other business ventures is he planning and will those come to fruition in OKC?

I caught that line too, I would think that Steve didn't just let that slip by without asking for more details.

Also is he back living in Okc? I think he and his family lived in Heritage Hills when playing with the hornets.

beedell
09-29-2010, 11:39 AM
Pretty sure D. Mason lives on Hillcrest in Nichols Hills.

okclee
09-29-2010, 11:46 AM
I don't need to know where he lives exactly, but is he here retired from basketball now?

HOT ROD
09-30-2010, 01:45 AM
very nice to have bballers call OKC home, legitimately. I hope other players follow suit, particularly our current crop - and live in homes in OKC regardless of where their future lands them. ...

Take that to all of the naysayers who said NBA players wouldn't like the city or that there aren't any minorities. So stereotypical and far from the truth....

metro
09-30-2010, 09:06 AM
I don't need to know where he lives exactly, but is he here retired from basketball now?

No, he's still young, but not currently signed, he's not that old. He is a free agent currently though, he got waived from the Sacramento Kings last year.

BoulderSooner
09-30-2010, 10:36 AM
No, he's still got lots of years left in him, he's not that old. He is a free agent currently though, he got waived from the Sacramento Kings last year.

very doubtful that he plays in the nba again ..

Spartan
09-30-2010, 01:03 PM
Metro also knows everything about basketball.

Is it me or are a disproportionate amount of people named "Desmond" or "Dez" sports stars from OSU?

metro
09-30-2010, 01:43 PM
Nope don't know a whole lot about basketball Mountie. I do know that I'm glad to have Desmond Mason investing in OKC. I hope he saved his money wisely, according to Sports Illustrated and many other sources more than 60% of NBA players are broke within 5 years of retirement. He seems to have his head on straight though.

Doug Loudenback
09-30-2010, 03:33 PM
Metro also knows everything about basketball.

Is it me or are a disproportionate amount of people named "Desmond" or "Dez" sports stars from OSU?
Metro got his facts right, Spartan. Where's the harm in that? And, yes, OSU does seem to have a corner on the Dez market, at least as far as I know.

Larry OKC
09-30-2010, 11:05 PM
very nice to have bballers call OKC home, legitimately. I hope other players follow suit, particularly our current crop - and live in homes in OKC regardless of where their future lands them. ...

Take that to all of the naysayers who said NBA players wouldn't like the city or that there aren't any minorities. So stereotypical and far from the truth....

This isn't to be taken as a slam at all, but how many of the Thunder players actually LIVE within the OKC city limits? Understood from articles about the Practice Facility the reason that site was chosen (as opposed to Downtown) that most of the players homes are in Edmond. Would be nice if the tax dollars could be kept in OKC proper, considering it is primarily OKC that is responsible for the Ford NBA arena.

ljbab728
09-30-2010, 11:13 PM
This isn't to be taken as a slam at all, but how many of the Thunder players actually LIVE within the OKC city limits? Understood from articles about the Practice Facility the reason that site was chosen (as opposed to Downtown) that most of the players homes are in Edmond. Would be nice if the tax dollars could be kept in OKC proper, considering it is primarily OKC that is responsible for the Ford NBA arena.

I don't have any link to back this up but I seem to remember something about at least one of the players living in Gaillardia.

Architect2010
09-30-2010, 11:43 PM
It's not a big deal. Ever watch Cribs on MTV? Professional athletes love the suburbs.

betts
10-01-2010, 11:50 AM
The players were steered to Edmond by some of the realtors they worked with. In addition, some of them have security and privacy concerns, I've heard, so that's why they like gated communities. Also, the original practice facility was in Edmond and they liked being close to it. Thabo lived in Nichols Hills, as did Desmond Mason. I know Thabo has moved, but don't know where. Kevin Durant bought a house in Gaillardia and I don't know of any other current player who has bought a house. I think Jeff Green is waiting for a new contract before buying. I know a realtor who has worked with a couple of them, so believe my information is correct.

HOT ROD
10-01-2010, 12:18 PM
Larry, it's ok if they dont live in OKC proper.

Almost NONE of the players lived in Seattle proper when the Sonics were here. I think that is the case in nearly every NBA city as well.

As was said, it's not uncommon and the most important thing is the players ARE BUYING homes and living in the city they play in - that being Oklahoma City (including it's bedroom communities and suburbs). Hopefully, they are SHOPPING in Oklahoma City city - because that is really where they can make the biggest bang for the city not necessarily living in the city limits.

Larry OKC
10-01-2010, 09:28 PM
Hot Rod,

Will agree to an extent but I think it is important because 100% taxpayer money built and paid for the practice facility and the improvements to the Ford (their place of business) ... as much tax money as possible needs to be kept within the OKC limits (property, sales etc). Seems more likely they are going to be shopping etc near where they live/work most of the time and not the 41 nights a year when they are downtown at the Ford.

While I understand that not only OKC residents paid the tax, it was OKC that passed the tax, built the Ford and passed another tax and paid for the improvements. Again, keep every last dime of it that you can to try to get back that investment (since we literally gave away multi-hundreds of millions away).

Betts, while very near Edmond, isn't the temporary practice facility within the OKC city limits?

HOT ROD
10-01-2010, 11:25 PM
Larry, I don't disagree with your philosophy at all - sure, keep everything you can in OKC. Surely having more millionaires in the city limits does well for the city. But OKC is structured differently than other cities in that MOST if not all of the shopping opportunities for the entire metro lie inside the city of OKC. So OKC city captures nearly all of the tax revenue from disposable discretionary spending in the metro - outside of groceries and restaurants which will locate in suburbs and bedroom communities. The only thing OKC is really missing on is the property tax for the OKC school district, but I doubt the city is missing on any sales tax since nearly everyone in metro OKC must shop in the city.

The true question is, do the players shop in OKC or do they go elsewhere and bring it back. .....

Larry OKC
10-04-2010, 03:14 AM
Larry, I don't disagree with your philosophy at all - sure, keep everything you can in OKC. Surely having more millionaires in the city limits does well for the city. But OKC is structured differently than other cities in that MOST if not all of the shopping opportunities for the entire metro lie inside the city of OKC. So OKC city captures nearly all of the tax revenue from disposable discretionary spending in the metro - outside of groceries and restaurants which will locate in suburbs and bedroom communities. The only thing OKC is really missing on is the property tax for the OKC school district, but I doubt the city is missing on any sales tax since nearly everyone in metro OKC must shop in the city.

The true question is, do the players shop in OKC or do they go elsewhere and bring it back. .....

What? Shopping doesn't exist in the bedroom communities? OK

Back to the school statement though, I had thought the reverse was the case because I have always heard the school amounts as being a a minuscule amount (a thousandth):


WHAT IS A MILL?
A mill is one-thousandth of a dollar. For convenience in Oklahoma, a tax rate (the sum of all mills levied) is expressed as dollars per thousand dollars of assessed value. A Tax rate of 80 mills, for example, would be 80 tax dollars.

A chart on the same site http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/generalinfo.htm indicates that schools do get the lion's share of the property tax dollar

59.22% Schools
12.76% Vo-Tech & Colleges
11.43% Cities & Towns
9.49% County
4.74% City/County Libraries
2.36% City/County Health

kevinpate
10-04-2010, 05:00 AM
HotRod, just a guess on my part, but I suspect you haven't come back for a visit lately, or if you have, perhaps you didn't get out and about the numerous communities outside OKC proper. Beyond the long standing retail throughout the greater metro beyond OKC boundaries, there has been a not insignificant level of new retail open throughout the greater metro as well. All of which is drawing sale tax dollars from OKC and into the other communities. OKC collections are rising again, but so are the others in the metro. Moore and Norman in particular are seeing dollars come south at a level I would not have imagined possible even six years ago.