Comments on: More Thoughts on the Convention Center

By: James Ellison

James Ellison — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:46:49 +0000

regardless of polling and surveys the convention center and convention center hotel(s) should be placed in bricktown

By: Valerie McEvoy

Valerie McEvoy — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:08:51 +0000

I have seen a great increase in interest from my out of town buyers about downtown, midtown, and bricktown loft living options in Oklahoma City. Used to be all people wanted was a single family home out in NW or Edmond. Nice to see that OKC downtown development is pulling in new interest in downtown living here in OKC!

By: Lance

Lance — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:14:29 +0000

One thing that makes me not want it is it looks terrible 70′s retro from every conceptual rendering I have seen (granted many do not look like the artists initial renderings). I guess I do not know how many conventions we have in town at any given time but I had not heard that we were laking for spaces.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 15:21:55 +0000

With the investment the City has made in Bricktown(Canal and Ballpark), it would only make sense to keep the location of the Convention Center in close proximity. The other point that the Mayor has totally missed, is how important Bricktown is to the convention goers. They love to be able to walk to Bricktown for lunch or dinner. Bricktown is what makes Okc somewhat unique as a convention destination!
Who knows what motives exist to put the CC on the park? It certainly isn’t what’s best for Conventions, Bricktown, or Okc in general. These motives can only be politically motivated!!

By: Nick Roberts

Nick Roberts — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:56:19 +0000

Matt, I was referring to the News 9 exit polling data on the MAPS 3 issue.

Steve, I think they’re right on this one, but my personal opinion is that the study is a joke if it only included those four particular options, it seems out of touch with where this debate really is right now. More people should be made aware of the options that exist and are actually being debated.

Steve, you ought to do an article on it. I’m sure there are people that could offer up balanced viewpoints on the issue. It might even be interesting because I have just not heard very persuasive arguments behind the parkside location, perhaps there is a persuasive argument out there other than “I hate cities.”

By: Brent

Brent — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:48:31 +0000

I’m not sure if I also agree with the contention that the public doesn’t want to pay for a hotel at all as the post orignally states. The survey just asked whether the city should “own” the hotel. I too don’t want the city running and owning a hotel, but a public/private partnership to build one may be different if I see a specific proposal. I guess that is a problem I see with a lot of “surveys.” It often depends on the question asked as to what result you can get.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:15:36 +0000

Steve that was my point with my earlier post. I didn’t get your post because of what I saw in the Gazette. They didn’t necessarily say Bricktown. They said East of or South of. For a small second, I thought you were saying right where the COX center sits right now.

Nick, where do you get your information? What poll did you see? Post it please.

By: Rover

Rover — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:02:59 +0000

Surveys and polls are greatly influenced by who you include in the polling and how the questions are asked (wording, position, etc.) A survey by a publication with a specific demographic would hardly represent the voice of the entire city. The wording of the survey is also critical. Professional pollsters use various techniques to assure objectivity and accuracy. I doubt that this is a very scientific poll and very accurate results.

Also, people fail to support things they don’t associate with personally. It is much easier to get people to relate to a streetcar they can visualize themselves riding and needing than it is for them to see themselves ever staying at or profiting from a convention hotel. And people wanting the site near Bricktown is a no-brainer….they cannot visualize it elsewhere as the other areas don’t really exist. To expect the public to understand the complexity of the decision is just naive…not that they aren’t smart, but they are not practiced in the art and don’t have all the facts in detail.

This survey is practically worthless, in my humble opinion.

By: slackmeyer

slackmeyer — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:36:20 +0000

I’m not trying to skew, but rather point out the majority of responses show they want it somewhere attached to Bricktown, and that the Core to Shore site is not really leading against Bricktown. You’re right Brent – in terms of individual sites, there doesn’t seem to be clear leader despite all the maps, graphics, speeches given by the mayor pushing the Core to Shore site.
56 percent chose sites in Bricktown. 33 percent chose a site in Core to Shore. Add this to the other questions and responses, and the trend toward a Bricktown connection seem obvious. I agree – go to the survey and read it.

By: Brent

Brent — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:28:58 +0000

Sorry Steve, but that is really pretty misleading. LordGerald is right, there were only four options on the “survey.” East of Bricktown had 24.4%, South of Bricktown 32.0%, South of OKC Arena 33.7% and No Preference 9.9%. Seems South of OKC Arena had the most votes. Doesn’t sound to me like there is a ringing endorsement of any site right now. Why the need to skew the thought on this? Why not just present the information and let people make up their own minds? People can go to http://npaper-wehaa.com/oklahoma-gazette/2011/01/06/#?article=1132379&page=12 and look at the survey themselves and decide.