Comments on: Core to Shore: Questions and Answers

By: Larry OKC

Larry OKC — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:27:13 +0000

And that comment makes it more important that if the City is going to pay $60,000 (+ $70,000 from corporates), that it is important that the Mayor at least be in attendance even if they don’t see eye to eye on everything. Why pay experts for their opinion if you can’t even show the courtesy of attending? (Yes, City staff and some Council members were there). From watching the presentation, one might think Humphreys was Mayor.

By: Larry OKC

Larry OKC — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:23:15 +0000

WOW, $130,000 for a week’s worth of “ULI staff time, travel, lodging costs and materials”? Seems a little on the high end if the panelists weren’t paid.

Excellent point about the Oversight Committee.

By: slackmeyer

slackmeyer — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:53:32 +0000

Rodney, I’m pretty careful to guard against personal attacks. Not seeing it here. Instead, people are questioning why the mayor, after having personally chaired the Core to Shore task force and having been so involved with that effort, didn’t match that with the ULI panel. One should note all the ULI panelists volunteered their time here – they were not paid (the money spent was on ULI staff time, travel, lodging costs and materials). I also saw dozens of people give up their time for this process.
As for being one of nine votes – well, that’s not quite true if the MAPS oversight board is set up as proposed where the mayor can remove members at will.
We’ll see what happens.

By: Rodney

Rodney — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:12:22 +0000

All I am trying to say is that we should trust the process and not get caught up in personl attacks. People will disagree about what is the best way to grow our city. I believe that it is because there is no absolute perfect, foolproof, money-back guaranteed way to do it. Debate about the merits of one proposal versus another is good and needed. Remember that the process is political. We should expect those involved to use the political process to push for what they believe in. However, the biggest impediment to growth is when we can’t accept that we have differences without being bitter and personally offended by it. The best asset we have as a community is our ability to work together for a common good. I would hate to see us waste it just as we are emerging as one of America’s great cities. Nothing can kill our momentum faster than negative energy. In the debate over where to put the new convention center the important thing to remember regardless of where it eventually ends up is we are getting a new convention center and a new iconic park.

By: Nick Roberts

Nick Roberts — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:29:09 +0000

Our leadership is turning into Tulsa, rather..

By: Rodney

Rodney — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:27:19 +0000

The mayor is only one person. He is entitled to his opinion just as every one else is. Because he has an opinion does not necessarily mean that his opinion will win the day. I believe that there is still an advisory panel that will be looking at making recomendations on all of the MAPS3 items. And then the city council will have their say.
I wonder if the mayor had been there if someone would not be complaining that he was there to intimidate and influence to panel and the discussion. By not being there he will get what most of us will get and that is a video, the written report, and somebody to tell us what happened.
I remember that the locations for the canal and the ball park were moved several times before they were actually sited. I think that we need to have more confidence that the right decisions will be made. We are starting to sound like Tulsa.

By: Nick Roberts

Nick Roberts — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:34:34 +0000

There’s no conspiracy or crookedness. Cornett is just too stubborn to let off. This Core to Shore stuff was his brain child.

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:57:05 +0000

Dennis, not sure about motives in this case (will leave others to conspiracy theorize on that), but even with the best of intentions, sometimes people are sold on an idea and no matter what evidence exists to the contrary, they forge right on ahead.

Am very curious as to why the City would pay $60,000 to bring the experts here and then the Mayor decides not to attend(Steve has said the Mayor has ordered a dvd for later). The City manager and some staff were there and some Council members but why was the Mayor MIA? Understand if the Mayor and the panel don’t see eye-to-eye on everything, but this has the appearance of the arrogant attitude that Cornett sometimes displays. IMO

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:50:05 +0000

kudos to Steve for the excellent article in Sat’s Oklahoman

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:50:03 +0000

Steve,

Why is the park-side site so important to Cornett? Don’t you think he has the City’s best interest in mind? The convention center will move to South of Bricktown if that’s the logical site, won’t it?

If the “Lumber Yard” is that narrow strip between the Co-op & I-40, then there’s not even enough room to put 2 Cox Centers… Much more land will be required unless the plan includes sharing the existing Ford & Cox facilities (which I think it should). Even then, the ULI-recommended expansion space doesn’t exist.