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Thread: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

  1. #501

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by dankrutka View Post
    Of course, you’re entitled to your opinion. As someone from Tulsa who knows lots of people from Tulsa, I’ve never heard a single person utter anything close to what you claim. Maybe there’s a secret cabal of OKC-owes-us Tulsans, but I haven’t met them yet.
    as someone who has many friends from both Tulsa and around the rest of the state... i have met many people who think Tulsans are this way, but have never actually met a Tulsan who is. But i have seen first hand friendships ended because someone in the group kept pushing the person from Tulsa because they thought they felt that OKC owed Tulsans something, till finally the Tulsan just got tired of it happening literally every time we met up, and just said they weren't going to be part of the group anymore. (side note, this also made me leave the group and i'm still friends with that Tulsan).

  2. Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    no guys, I agree that most Tulsans are way cool and love having OKC. But there is no doubt a contingent of Tulsans who think anything in OKC is due to it being the capital and therefore owes its success to Tulsa (in the view that that city's tax/success is why OKC is therefore successful).

    I've had discussions with Tulsans who had no idea of OKC's economy and that it was naturally larger than Tulsa's even without the state government. ...

    I do agree that this Tulsa bias has significantly decreased or even eliminated within the 10-20 years but I personally was responding to Larry's post where it appeared to be that OKC owed Tulsa.

    I do agree - Perhaps it is true that OKC people need to move away from the former Tulsa bias and we all just enjoy both cities for what and who they are.
    Oklahoma City, the RENAISSANCE CITY!

  3. #503

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Due to the unavailability of the Cox Center arena as it is now under the control of Prairie Surf, the FFA is moving their large annual convention to Tulsa.

    Huge loss for OKC; don't know how long they've been coming to town but it's longer than I can remember.

    https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...ok/7800112002/

  4. #504

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    In the Tulsa World story on the FFA relocating, they said it would be a $8.9 million annual impact and a lot of that goes to downtown hotels, restaurants and attractions. They have a 5-year deal in Tulsa, so that is about $45 million in total. And of course the odds are they will be staying in Tulsa for longer than that 5-year term.


    Anyone still want to argue that basically giving Prairie Surf free rent and total control of this city-owned facility was the smart move?

    Add this expense to moving the Blue and some other scheduled conventions and paying a good chunk of their utilities.

  5. #505

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Was the FFA convention not large enough for our brand spankin' new center?

  6. #506

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by OkiePoke View Post
    Was the FFA convention not large enough for our brand spankin' new center?
    They need an arena as well as convention space.

  7. #507
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    Post Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Why couldn't the city have guaranteed FFA dates with the new convention center; unless there's something in the works for a bigger group that would have been in conflict. Keeping the Cox available IMO would have provided options if another larger group is negotiating with the city. We have a 14,000 seat arena (The Blue, possible ECHL franchise option) could use, how is PSM utilizing the arena...

    Should have kept the whole Cox Center as an overflow or auxiliary facility; would this have kept the FFA in OKC...

    Agree 100% Pete. The agreement with PSM took away options for future convention center expansion and/or overflow- auxiliary use.

    I've seen the FFA members walking around downtown; that's a massive convention group to lose for the hotel sector.

  8. #508

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    ^

    OKC can no longer guarantee the FFA an arena, which they need.

    Their convention is in April and more years than not the Thunder are in the playoffs, so CHK can't be guaranteed. So that's where the Cox arena allowed the city to provide a guarantee.

    With Cox out of the picture, Tulsa was more than happy to guarantee the BOK center for the five-year period they wanted. And as I said, I'm sure they'll just stay there as a permanent home.


    I know the FFA has been coming to OKC since at least the early '80s (when I first started working downtown) and probably well before that.

  9. #509
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    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Anyway the city can carve out the arena agreement portion of the Cox Center, does PSM need all that space...

    Tulsa was able to guarantee; the BOK Center will be committed for a 5 year time frame, you're right Pete, they will be there beyond five years. Although their convention center (former Civic Assembly Center) was renovated in 2020 (arena portion doesn't exist anymore), they spent $55 million in upgrades.

    BOK Center is magnificent--beautiful interior & exterior.

    Haven't seen Tulsa CC upgrades; how does it compare to our new convention center complex; anyone who has seen both care to comment.

  10. #510
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    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    I presume we'll have a chance to win it back once the new state fair arena is operational. Too bad we don't have that monorail to get them downtown. :-P

  11. Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete View Post
    ...Anyone still want to argue that basically giving Prairie Surf free rent and total control of this city-owned facility was the smart move?…
    When Bob Stoops came to OU, wide receiver Ahmed Kabba bolted the Sooners and Oklahoma fans TRIPPED. He’d been the leading receiver the previous year, catching 8 passes in an offense that was admittedly hardly prolific. He was obviously one of the better athletes on those woeful Blake teams, and I think people were afraid they’d never again see that level of production.

    Stoops seemed puzzled when he was asked about it. He said: “he’s a fine young man, and we wish him well. But I think we'll be able to find someone who can catch eight balls for us next season."

  12. #512

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by shawnw View Post
    I presume we'll have a chance to win it back once the new state fair arena is operational. Too bad we don't have that monorail to get them downtown. :-P
    A monorail's really more of a Shelbyville idea.

  13. #513

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Urbanized View Post
    When Bob Stoops came to OU, wide receiver Ahmed Kabba bolted the Sooners and Oklahoma fans TRIPPED. He’d been the leading receiver the previous year, catching 8 passes in an offense that was admittedly hardly prolific. He was obviously one of the better athletes on those woeful Blake teams, and I think people were afraid they’d never again see that level of production.

    Stoops seemed puzzled when he was asked about it. He said: “he’s a fine young man, and we wish him well. But I think we'll be able to find someone who can catch eight balls for us next season."
    You'll have to follow up this post later and let us know which conventions OKC lands that equate to Antwone Savage, Curtis ***an, Andre Woolfolk, and Damian Mackey.

  14. #514

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    "How ya gonna keep them down on the farm( After they've seen Tulsa)"

  15. #515
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    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Jersey Boss View Post
    "How ya gonna keep them down on the farm( After they've seen Tulsa)"
    Tulsa just wrapped themselves up an FFA blue ribbon prize. Anxious to know why Oklahoma City couldn't make a long-term commitment.

  16. #516

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete View Post
    ^

    OKC can no longer guarantee the FFA an arena, which they need.

    Their convention is in April and more years than not the Thunder are in the playoffs, so CHK can't be guaranteed. So that's where the Cox arena allowed the city to provide a guarantee.

    With Cox out of the picture, Tulsa was more than happy to guarantee the BOK center for the five-year period they wanted. And as I said, I'm sure they'll just stay there as a permanent home.


    I know the FFA has been coming to OKC since at least the early '80s (when I first started working downtown) and probably well before that.
    Was this not inevitable at some point? The long term plan was to tear Cox down anyway and the Peak will always have a potential conflict in April. It seems as though if they couldn't make something work between the new convention center with the Peak or the State Fair Arena with the Exhibit Halls...that it was destined to leave at some point anyway. Granted...that would likely have been at least 10 years down the road and the city is definitely losing revenue on it, but even without Cox, it seems like we do still have the facilities in place to accommodate it long term and they preferred the situation/location and lack of competition in Tulsa.

    The movie studio was definitely a gamble with the odds stacked against success but even with losing the FFA deal, it still seems a little too early to call it a mistake or failure. That said, in 5 years if the studio proves to be a massive flop, then unfortunately you're completely right.

  17. Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    ^^^^^^^^^
    All of this

  18. Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by dankrutka View Post
    You'll have to follow up this post later and let us know which conventions OKC lands that equate to Antwone Savage, Curtis ***an, Andre Woolfolk, and Damian Mackey.
    Or, which movies/streaming series equal CeeDee Lamb, Sterling Shepard, Mark Clayton, or Hollywood Brown.

    FFA likely won’t be the only thing lost in the mix here. But I’d expect that Prairie Surf will ultimately help generate well beyond $8.9 million in economic impact for OKC each year.

  19. Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Edmond Hausfrau View Post
    A monorail's really more of a Shelbyville idea.
    This is why we need a "like" feature on this site.

  20. #520

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Urbanized View Post
    Stoops seemed puzzled when he was asked about it. He said: “he’s a fine young man, and we wish him well. But I think we'll be able to find someone who can catch eight balls for us next season."
    https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...ok/7800112002/

    "It hurts my heart," said Sue Hollenbeck, special projects manager for the city and former director of sports business at the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It's significant. People are going to feel it."

  21. #521

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)


  22. #522

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    Quote Originally Posted by Jersey Boss View Post
    "How ya gonna keep them down on the farm( After they've seen Tulsa)"
    Or after they've seen Karl Hungus?

  23. #523

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    It's too bad that particular convention is leaving. Really, it is. But you know, things change. The world evolves. New conventions that OKC has never had will come in due to the new convention center. Maybe Prairie Surf will strike gold and we'll look back in 5 years and say, Thank God we traded the FFA for (future thing).

    I don't mean to be flippant, but if the FFA involves primarily schoolchildren, they probably aren't spending much money in bars and on high quality food.

  24. #524

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    ^

    $8.9 million annual economic impact.

  25. #525

    Default Re: Prairie Surf Studios (formerly Cox Center)

    This does open up a question about the types of conventions OKC should be shooting for.

    St. Louis, because of its central location for driving and airline connections, has, for some reason always been a location favored by religious groups. The AME Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Pentacostals and the like have huge conventions here. Well, that's great. But a certain segment of the business community rolls their eyes because these groups sleep 2 or 4 to a room, order cheap boxed lunches or have picnics and don't patronize downtown bars and restaurants. Much better to have corporate trade shows, business conferences, people that sleep 1 to a room and are on expense accounts.

    Again, it is too bad about the FFA. But it is an interesting discussion, probably off topic.

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