MAPS 4 Stadium

[Timshel]

I hope they didn't pay a branding agency to come up with "A Place to Bring Us Together." I'm sure Tulsans are chuckling. If the brief was "let's figure out how to call it Gathering Place using three times as many words" then I guess its a successful branding campaign.

That being said, it does look awesome but I have to agree with what most everyone else has said.

[OKC Guy]

The proposal shows a soccer complex on the south side of the river and east of Western.

So its not in the current COOP lot? I’m confused

[OKCRT]

I don't think we are well past the MLS pipe dream - the NBA wasn't a possibility until it was. OKC is a sports city, and becoming a soccer city from grade school on up. The Energy have a lot of programs for the young people of OKC. I believe if we build a stadium that can modify to MLS standards we will rise up the list very fast - ESPECIALLY in this location. Talk about having a dynamic downtown?! With Bricktown, this, Convention Center, Omni, new park, etc this is turning into one of the most beautiful downtowns in the nation.

THIS is the kind of proposal I have hoped for for this site - and the list of supporters looms large. Big names with lots of influence. It will draw more housing as shown in the pictures, and the canal extension would be really great through this area. I am going to hear this out and make sure it isn't too good to be true, but in my opinion the city would benefit greatly from a city owned stadium. This has obviously been in the works for a while, and they did a good job of keeping the lid on it.

Yes OKC is a pipe dream for MLS. Sac. And Stl will be the next two and Arizona and others way ahead of OKC. I guess if they expand beyond most peoples projections then maybe OKC has a shot but seriously doubt it. Plus Stl and Sac. will have owner funded stadiums. That is the new trend now. Tax payers are tired of building palaces for billionaires.

[SouthSide]

A few soccer fields is a drop in the maps bucket and quite frankly there are already soccer fields in south okc. I personally find promoting this as some grand gesture of inclusivity offensive.

[OkiePoke]

How much is this expected to cost? 20 Million? 80? 100? I don't like how they show this whole spectacle, all the development around it, the canal expansion, etc. People will believe they are getting more than the this plan.

How much will this land cost?

If they want a soccer stadium, they should have it as a singular vote for a bond issue.

[Johnb911]

In a recent article, Peter Vermes (SKC) was quoted as saying MLS would go to 40 teams, in his opinion. So I don't think it's entirely out of the realm of possibility.

Anyone else think parts of those renderings were VERY Power and Lighty?

[Timshel]

Although there aren't a huge number of comments to draw much of a conclusion, it's interesting that the Twitter and Instagram response to the OKCTalk story are significantly more positive than the response here and the positivity seems to largely be tied to the Energy. Seems to be at least some demand for a new downtown Energy stadium. Going to be an interesting MAPS4 vote to be sure.

[Pete]

Although there aren't a huge number of comments to draw much of a conclusion, it's interesting that the Twitter and Instagram response to the OKCTalk story are significantly more positive than the response here and the positivity seems to largely be tied to the Energy. Seems to be at least some demand for a new downtown Energy stadium. Going to be an interesting MAPS4 vote to be sure.

Facebook responses are less positive, which is typically the case on anything posted there.

[Dob Hooligan]

Here is my take. MAPS 4 is going to struggle because they are going to bundle too many projects as one vote.

I love this idea and think it should be voted alone. We built Peake with no NBA team. This can be used for many events even if no MLS.

But if they add StreetCar to the bundle I vote no. Bundling was fine when we had nothing so MAPS1 was all in Bricktown/downtown. It worked so well that 2 and 3 passed (spread around town) but with decreased passing percentages. We are at the point we need to unbundle projects and vote them alone and will have better chances of passing some. The bundles have run their course here. Plus as stand alone votes you see where people stand on issues. And if alone the costsare not as scary as with a bundle.

I would vote yes for this project if voted alone. I would vote no if bundled with Streetcar or other projects I don’t like.

I think is the point of bundling. Getting us to hold our nose and vote for the whole in order to get specific item we want.

[Pete]

I think is the point of bundling. Getting us to hold our nose and vote for the whole in order to get specific item we want.

It's called log-rolling and there may be a legal challenge before the MAPS 4 vote.

[Pryor Tiger]

It's called log-rolling and there may be a legal challenge before the MAPS 4 vote.

I wouldn't be offended if this was the first vote to be split out into each option. Not sure how that would work though! Either way, MAPS has transformed our city and I am interested to see it continue.

[Timshel]

The proposal (link: http://aplacetobringustogether.com/d...s/Proposal.pdf) is worth a read. I did learn some things and I do think there's benefit in promoting growing sports enjoyed by changing demographics. Just not sure this is the best way to do it and there's no guarantee the rest of the development would resemble anything like that's shown. Also unless there is A LOT happening behind the scenes that will allow this development to begin in the next few years/relatively soon, touting this as an opportunity zone opportunity is a bit disingenuous. Unless certain parts of the TCJA regarding opportunity zones are changed, extended, and expanded (which is entirely possible as this is a largely bipartisan effort that most want to see succeed) the window for qualified opportunity funds is not terribly long.

[Dob Hooligan]

It's called log-rolling and there may be a legal challenge before the MAPS 4 vote.

So, is the log-rolling lawyer thinking he has exhausted the state legislature and now he is aiming for city questions?

[OKCRT]

In a recent article, Peter Vermes (SKC) was quoted as saying MLS would go to 40 teams, in his opinion. So I don't think it's entirely out of the realm of possibility.

Anyone else think parts of those renderings were VERY Power and Lighty?

If they go to 40 then OKC is in the running. That would be the time to propose a joint Owner/public pay built stadium. Looks like most recent stadiums for MLS are being built by owners and city/state are giving tax breaks. And that's the way it should be IMO.

[Laramie]

Love this concept; it accommodates USL soccer with 8,500 - 10,000 seat starter stadium for OKC because if this passes we won't have to give up the Energy FC in 2020.

The venue meets USSF regulation requirements. Expands OKC sports entertainment portfolio; puts us back on the expansion or relocation for future MLS.

Oklahoma City has venues for our NBA Thunder, PCL AAA Dodgers and now we have something for soccer and American Football which will give us facilities for a potential year round season of multiple sports and entertainment.

[jccouger]

Facebook responses are less positive, which is typically the case on anything posted there.

We need to use the money to pay our teachers better, right?

[SagerMichael]

I’m interested to see the price tag on this project... to be fair, this is only an 8500-10,000 seat stadium. Every single MLS stadium is above 18,000 seats with construction costs from $40 million to $500 million. We aren’t building a billion dollar palace. I assume this stadium won’t cost anywhere near that much.

[Laramie]

We need to use the money to pay our teachers better, right?

Teacher pay is supported by the State of Oklahoma Education Department & local school districts; not a MAPS initiative. MAPS initiatives are capital improvements.

The group also pointed to the many missed tourism and sporting event opportunities that Oklahoma City is currently unable to compete for due to its lack of an outdoor venue capable of hosting them. They cited Big 12, NCAA, NAIA and junior college soccer, U.S. Soccer Federation, U.S. Youth Soccer, college and club lacrosse, international and club rugby, NCAA Dll football games, e-sports and drone racing events Oklahoma City could pursue if such a facility is built as part of the MAPS 4 initiative.

OKC will promote the stadium to include multiple events and bid on some events that could promote tourism. Cost tag: $71 - $97 million.

[jccouger]

Teacher pay is supported by the State of Oklahoma Education Department & local school districts; not a MAPS initiative. MAPS initiatives are capital improvements.

Sorry, I was making a sarcastic remark towards the Facebook comments Pete gets.

[ditm4567]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but would the Maps money only build the stadium? Everything around it (shopping centers, restaurants etc.) would be investor built?

[Dob Hooligan]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but would the Maps money only build the stadium? Everything around it (shopping centers, restaurants etc.) would be investor built?

I think that is a very good question. And it probably says in the text of the overall proposal what is what, but I hope it could be broken down in this thread so we can punditify upongst it with lesser effort.

[Timshel]

I think that is a very good question. And it probably says in the text of the overall proposal what is what, but I hope it could be broken down in this thread so we can punditify upongst it with lesser effort.

The subtitle for the proposal is: “A MAPS 4 Proposal for a Multi-Purpose Outdoor Venue.” Leads me to believe it’s just the stadium - nothing in the proposal that explicitly states otherwise as well.

[OKC Guy]

I’m interested to see the price tag on this project... to be fair, this is only an 8500-10,000 seat stadium. Every single MLS stadium is above 18,000 seats with construction costs from $40 million to $500 million. We aren’t building a billion dollar palace. I assume this stadium won’t cost anywhere near that much.

Yes, this is a MLS starter kit and if one thinks about it we win either way:

1. If at some point MLS commits to coming here based on stadium expandable to meet their requirements then it will be worth the extra cost at that time.

2. If they do not come here we still have a stadium for current soccer team plus all the other events it can handle.

Basically we don’t spend the extra money unless we get MLS commitment and they don’t commit unless we agree to expand it. But the core stadium will be there and in a great location. Its in walking distance from Bricktown and OMNI and Convention center too.

[Laramie]

I think that is a very good question. And it probably says in the text of the overall proposal what is what, but I hope it could be broken down in this thread so we can punditify upongst it with lesser effort.

Those items you see around the stadium are placeholders...

The MAPS 4 stadium is just one of a number of items to be presented for an extension of MAPS 3; labeled MAPS 4.

[ditm4567]

Funk Jr. and McLaughlin are doing whatever they can to turn their MLS dream into a reality...wasn’t it a pop up stadium at Chisholm Creek about 8 months ago?