Comments on: All’s Rosy In OKC?

By: Dustin

Dustin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:46:54 +0000

I agree with Nick (on many issues it seems) that I tend to brag quite a bit about OKC to friends abroad, and slowly try to enchant friends into visiting and being surprised by our city, that it is actually a city.

Yet I also agree with Ethan and Nick that internally we have a looong way to go, and our trends of growth are still not focused on entirely sustainable enterprises, both culturally and economically. To base our economy so heavily on energy might give us great capital, until it doesn’t. And oil and gas both are eventually going to wane as reliable energy sources.

So-where does OKC turn to keep a balanced economy? To continue to infill our inner city? To encourage diversity? To grow culture without growing tawdry entertainment (or too much of it at least…)?

I’m so proud of my city, but I love it enough to not let it stagnate as well.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:15:37 +0000

Ethan, that isn’t true. OKC is hurting more than people want to admit right now. The construction industry in OKC is shedding jobs right now, and generally, a decline in construction is a precursor to what the rest of the economy is going to do. You can’t get a job in the city right now if you are an architect. Just wait until a year from now.

By: Ethan Semmler

Ethan Semmler — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:39:25 +0000

Energy is all the OKC economy has. The stability of the OKC economy is entirely the result of the energy sector.

By: Not Nick Roberts

Not Nick Roberts — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:20:31 +0000

I guess my point was just that “Nobody insults OKC but me.” I believe in that. A lot of people think I sound incredibly negative when I’m constantly talking about needed improvements..but that’s just the tune that I want locals to hear. Anytime I am ever talking about OKC to someone not from round here, yeah..I tend to be quite the booster, and tend to paint a rather utopian picture that those of us know isn’t quite telling the whole story. But it’s just that. Outsiders don’t need the whole story, and we don’t need to air our political garbage for everyone to see. They just need to know that we’re doing a lot of cool stuff and that they need to come check it out.

By: MartzMimic

MartzMimic — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:34:07 +0000

I think that a lot depends on perspective. Yes, there are serious discussions ongoing and yet to be had on downtown, MAPS III and more. At the same time, we’re priviledged to be having those discussions. Many cities wish they were arguing about how to grow.

By: CGHill

CGHill — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:05:46 +0000

“How did I get into this sandwich?” he asks himself, grinning.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:23:02 +0000

Oh I think he would.. but I agree with the rest of what you said.

By: Not Nick Roberts

Not Nick Roberts — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 04:58:49 +0000

I tend to want everyone outside of OKC to know everything is peachy keen and perfect here, and I want everyone in OKC to know that we have improvement to make on everything and a long ways to go.

So good job for Mayor Mick. Just don’t give me the outsider lip service, not that I think he would.