Convention Center

[Bellaboo]

I usually don't do definitives, but there's no way this would ever happen, the many government offices located right next to the Capitol are there for a reason, and they're not going to move folks miles away to downtown, especially into a shiny new office tower with most likely shiny new high lease costs.

Except for a few in Tulsa, a lot of legal for the state is already downtown. Close to the court system.

[TheTravellers]

Except for a few in Tulsa, a lot of legal for the state is already downtown. Close to the court system.

Legal folks, maybe, but there are tons of other government offices besides the legal eagles close to the Capitol, and I'd literally bet a paycheck of mine that they will never move downtown en masse, much less into a brand new tower.

[Laramie]

Nice pics of the convention center complex, Thanks Pete.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Convention Center & Omni Oklahoma City construction are slated to open in late 2020 with the Omni opening in early 2021--It will be north of the new convention center and will offer 605 rooms with about 50,000-square-feet of meeting space.


Nearing completion is the Oklahoma City Convention Center.


Convention center garage under construction.


Omni has topped out at 17 stories with exterior finishing touches being applied.


The new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott is now open.

Oklahoma City's $635 million convention center complex:

$288 million Oklahoma City Convention Center
$ 25 million 1,100 space Convention Center Garage
$241 million 605 room, Omni Oklahoma City
$ 81 million 133 room, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott

The Fairfield Inn & Suites will be 1 of 2 hotels on the OKC convention center complex that will make 738 rooms available (Omni 605) for convention attendees in walking distance of the new convention center south of The Peake across Oklahoma City Boulevard.

Predict these MAPS 3 projects will be a game-changer for OKC.

[rte66man]

I usually don't do definitives, but there's no way this would ever happen, the many government offices located right next to the Capitol are there for a reason, and they're not going to move folks miles away to downtown, especially into a shiny new office tower with most likely shiny new high lease costs.

Unless it has changed recently, agencies are capped out at $9/sq ft in what they are allowed to pay for office space. I believe this only applies to appropriated agencies.

[Pete]

Today, the Convention and Visitor's Bureau unveiled new branding:

https://www.velocityokc.com/blog/eco...-oklahoma-city

[dcsooner]

LOVE IT!!!!! The Modern Frontier (great moniker) fits OKC perfectly IMO

[BDP]

LOVE IT!!!!! The Modern Frontier (great moniker) fits OKC perfectly IMO

Agree. The press release explains it this way:

The Modern Frontier phrasing was developed from the key values that were identified during the interview process: collaborative, diverse, honest, resilient, authentic, kind and daring. The Modern Frontier campaign is a nod to Oklahoma CityÂ’s Western heritage while recognizing of the cityÂ’s enterprising nature and ability to determine its own future.

I often get the sense, from the commentary here, that these things are perceived as pitted against each other. That is, our western heritage is seen by some as at odds with the work done over the last couple of decades to "modernize" the city. To see a campaign embrace both as strengths and marketable aspects of the community is really refreshing to me.

And the wink synced to the soundtrack in the promo video is hilarious. Kudos to whoever had fun with that and to the campaign for using it.

[Pete]

It should be noted that after decades, the CVB moved away from Ackerman McQueen and used two other local agencies.

I wonder if the Chamber and Fairgrounds with stick with AMc.

[Pete]

[gopokes88]

Perfect branding

[PaddyShack]

A quick tidbit on companies to grow their footprint, I have a buddy who works for Enel Green Power of North America, they have a regional office here in OKC and are growing fast. Their North American HQ is in Boston, but I hear they are looking to get a new space soon and want more space. I think OKC should go after the world's largest green energy producer and position itself as the wind energy capitol of North America. We would need to go after a few flights between Mexico and Canada and maybe push for a route to Rome where the parent company of Enel is based. I know it is pie in the sky for all of that, but it might be easier than Amazon!

[jdizzle]

A quick tidbit on companies to grow their footprint, I have a buddy who works for Enel Green Power of North America, they have a regional office here in OKC and are growing fast. Their North American HQ is in Boston, but I hear they are looking to get a new space soon and want more space. I think OKC should go after the world's largest green energy producer and position itself as the wind energy capitol of North America. We would need to go after a few flights between Mexico and Canada and maybe push for a route to Rome where the parent company of Enel is based. I know it is pie in the sky for all of that, but it might be easier than Amazon!

Well, most places won't relocate if there are flights they would need missing from that city's airport portfolio. OKC can't just get those kind of flights, even if they threw all the money in the world at airlines.

[gopokes88]

Well, most places won't relocate if there are flights they would need missing from that city's airport portfolio. OKC can't just get those kind of flights, even if they threw all the money in the world at airlines.

What we do have is 9 daily's to DFW on American, and there's a Rome daily there. Sometimes that's good enough, sometimes it's not. The C-suite makes those decisions and they fly private anyway.

[OKCRT]

What we do have is 9 daily's to DFW on American, and there's a Rome daily there. Sometimes that's good enough, sometimes it's not. The C-suite makes those decisions and they fly private anyway.

Sounds like a perfect landing spot for that place about 250 miles to the south. They try to gobble up anything in sight. They are a hog

[Jersey Boss]

A quick tidbit on companies to grow their footprint, I have a buddy who works for Enel Green Power of North America, they have a regional office here in OKC and are growing fast. Their North American HQ is in Boston, but I hear they are looking to get a new space soon and want more space. I think OKC should go after the world's largest green energy producer and position itself as the wind energy capitol of North America. We would need to go after a few flights between Mexico and Canada and maybe push for a route to Rome where the parent company of Enel is based. I know it is pie in the sky for all of that, but it might be easier than Amazon!

The State of Oklahoma government is not pro green energy. Why would they come to a state that has put up barriers to home solar and taken back credits to the wind industry?

[HangryHippo]

A quick tidbit on companies to grow their footprint, I have a buddy who works for Enel Green Power of North America, they have a regional office here in OKC and are growing fast. Their North American HQ is in Boston, but I hear they are looking to get a new space soon and want more space. I think OKC should go after the world's largest green energy producer and position itself as the wind energy capitol of North America. We would need to go after a few flights between Mexico and Canada and maybe push for a route to Rome where the parent company of Enel is based. I know it is pie in the sky for all of that, but it might be easier than Amazon!

Pie in the sky, but I like it. This is forward-thinking and a great idea.

[TheTravellers]

The State of Oklahoma government is not pro green energy. Why would they come to a state that has put up barriers to home solar and taken back credits to the wind industry?

Not just the government is hostile, but OG&E is too, so yeah, deck's stacked against us for that kind of industry.

[PaddyShack]

The State of Oklahoma government is not pro green energy. Why would they come to a state that has put up barriers to home solar and taken back credits to the wind industry?

The State government might be against green energy, but OKC isn't. Wind power is explosive not only in OK but the region. Many companies are looking at switching to green power sources.

[PaddyShack]

Not just the government is hostile, but OG&E is too, so yeah, deck's stacked against us for that kind of industry.

I would love to see OG+E brought down a peg or two.

[dankrutka]

The "frontier" is a colonial concept for dispossessing Indigenous lands. I know most people don't make that historical connection. I also understand from past experiences on this board there will be much anger at me for pointing out the frontier narrative ("you're so PC"... yawn), but I'd just ask you to learn more about why some people are not fond of the term/concept. Considering Oklahoma's fraught history with Indigenous peoples it is not the brand I would have picked.

[TheTravellers]

I would love to see OG+E brought down a peg or two.

Or a thousand.

[EastCoastGator]

dankruta----MASSIVE reach there, in my opinion. Frontier means none of what you just described, at least to ANY person I've EVER talked to. Frontier City and Frontier Airlines would respectfully disagree with your "position" on how people react to the word frontier. Interesting that your brain would connect those dots.

[TheTravellers]

dankruta----MASSIVE reach there, in my opinion. Frontier means none of what you just described, at least to ANY person I've EVER talked to. Frontier City and Frontier Airlines would respectfully disagree with your "position" on how people react to the word frontier. Interesting that your brain would connect those dots.

Dan's a history teacher (professor maybe?), so it's completely understandable to me, and while his interpretation wouldn't be the first thing I'd think of when "frontier" is mentioned, it's a completely valid point and interpretation. There are plenty of frontiers that have been pushed through/settled/etc. that have been done by dispossessing indigenous people (of whatever country, not just the USA).

[Laramie]

Words are 'connotative' well as 'denotative' in meaning; we get that point. True Oklahoma has a fraught history with indigenous peoples--hopefully we've moved past Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath."

Doesn't necessarily mean that the word frontier can't be used in a descriptive form with the word modern to describe (precede) it.

Modern Frontier is a good description; it's not like the use of another encryption of a word that will take centuries to play down, 'Plantation.'