Bricktown? We don't need no stinking Bricktown

[Okla-homey]

Proving yet again, Tulsa > OKC.


A rival for Bricktown: Creeks' chief sees new casino as popular as OKC district


By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer
10/29/2008

The River Spirit Casino, being constructed at 81st Street and Riverside Drive, will rival Oklahoma City's Bricktown district after the entire project is complete, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation chief predicted during a press conference Tuesday.

The first phase of the project is the casino, which will open in February 2009 as the largest casino floor in the state. Chief A.D. Ellis announced the name, logo and details of the casino Tuesday.

The $160 million casino will offer 300,000 square feet of gaming space filled with more than 2,800 gaming machines, 24 table games, 15 tables in a poker room, several dining venues and a 1,300-space parking garage.

Outside the casino, a 72-foot pylon will support a digital sign, and 100 plasma-screen televisions inside the building will replace conventional signage.

The February opening will mark the completion of the first phase of the Creek Nation's plans for the area. The second phase includes building a hotel and conference center, and the final phase will add theaters and a family destination point, Ellis said.

The second phase will begin in the spring of 2009, and the tribe is looking for developers for projects on tribal property alongside the banks of the Arkansas River, Ellis said.

"I think within the next five or six years, this is going to surpass Oklahoma City's Bricktown," Ellis said. "We have about 140 acres, so it's probably unlimited what we can do. We're really going to help the city of Tulsa grow."

Ellis said the announcement of the name and casino details come after years of hard work by tribal officials.

"It's a great day for the Muscogee Nation," Ellis said. "We've been looking forward to this for years and years. It was a dream we had many years ago. Coming from high-stakes bingo back in 1985 to where we're at today to the largest casino in the state of Oklahoma, it's been a great trip. It's been a rough trip sometimes. It's going to be a great day in February."

The casino project will not only attract about 550 new jobs, but officials hope it will provide more money for tribal programs, Ellis said.

"We don't look at it as a gambling place," Ellis said. "It's a business bringing in revenue for our nation, and we always need more revenue for programs for our people."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[tommieharris91]

The $160 million casino will offer 300,000 square feet of gaming space filled with more than 2,800 gaming machines, 24 table games, 15 tables in a poker room, several dining venues and a 1,300-space parking garage..

Nope. Norman > Tulsa.

[Lott's Bandana]

Marketing.

Phpht.

[Okla-homey]

Poo-poo if you will, it is going to be the largest casino east of Vegas and west of the Mashuntucket-Pequot casino in Conn.

[Lott's Bandana]

Poo-poo if you will, it is going to be the largest casino east of Vegas and west of the Mashuntucket-Pequot casino in Conn.

How old is Keystone Dam??
:P

[bri]

I hate when people throw stuff in on 71st or 81st and say they're "helping Tulsa". Tulsa's that way, bub.

[the_ouskull]

OKC has a romantic riverwalk. Tulsa is getting "the Vegas of the Midwest." How is Tulsa > OKC in THAT regard? It's like choosing Ginger over Mary Ann. Or Tara Reid over sandpaper and lemon juice. It just doesn't make any sense...

the_ouskull

[sooneron]

I could car less about the whole debate, it's ****ing retarded, but these "We got big plans" articles coming from Tulsa reek like the ones that come from Stoolwater.



aggie-





esque!

And NO, you don't have hills and trees. I have hills and trees and a LOT more of them. And no, OKC is not as much as Jed makes it out to be, it's just hella better than it was back innaday, which was pathetic.

[bri]

Thanks for sharing.

[sooneron]

below me



:D

[Tulsa_Fireman]

"We don't look at it as a gambling place," Ellis said. "It's a business bringing in revenue for our nation, and we always need more revenue for programs for our people."

Good idea.

One side of his mouth says "We love Tulsa!" while the other says "We're generating revenue for our tribe". Welcome to the asstastic blight that is casino gaming. Maybe all the residents up at Gun Garden on 61st will trickle their way south and sling some lead at the patrons. Idiots.

[bri]

Well, at least UDSW is right there to break up the gunplay. :D

[tommieharris91]

OKC has a romantic riverwalk. Tulsa is getting "the Vegas of the Midwest." How is Tulsa > OKC in THAT regard? It's like choosing Ginger over Mary Ann. Or Tara Reid over sandpaper and lemon juice. It just doesn't make any sense...

the_ouskull

I thought the sandpaper and lemon juice came after you chose Tara Reid. :eek:

[Rhino]

Don't build your house on sand.

Don't build your entertainment district around an Indian casino.

[bri]

Don't worry. We're not.

[Taxman71]

I don't see any indian casino project ever competing with Bricktown and other city/state supported entertainment projects. Given the insultingly low kickback the tribes give to the state of Oklahoma, politicians and other public officials are leary about helping them out at the expense of their careers.

[frankensooner]

Since I don't gamble, but like a nice movie, dinner, a few tasty beverages and a romantic walk along the canal hand-in-hand with my lady love, I believe OKC>Tulsa. ;)

[OUDoc]

People who don't compared OKC and Tulsa > people who compare OKC and Tulsa



:)

[IB4OU2]

I hate when people throw stuff in on 71st or 81st and say they're "helping Tulsa". Tulsa's that way, bub.

Well, the Jenks River Walk has really helped downtown Tulsa too...:D

[NormanPride]

Woo-hoo property value!

[sooneron]

People who don't compared OKC and Tulsa > people who compare OKC and Tulsa



:)
Please tell me that you typed that on your iphone.:texan:

[StoopTroup]

Remember this too...

Rich Folks can fly into Jones Airport and also train for their next triathlon with a nice brisk swim (or run depending on the river level :D) across the Arkansas River.

[mdklatt]

Remember this too...

Rich Folks can fly into Jones Airport and also train for their next triathlon with a nice brisk swim (or run depending on the river level :D) across the Arkansas River.

Why do they have to be rich? :confused:

[tommieharris91]

Why do they have to be rich? :confused:

So they can fly to the airport.

[Phil]

Things that actually exist > things that don't actually exist

[Partial Qualifier]

Okay I don't get into the whole "CityX is better than CityY" arguments. I avoid these convos.
But this...........

"I think within the next five or six years, this is going to surpass Oklahoma City's Bricktown," Ellis said.

So let me get this straight: an indian casino (in a state already overrun with these things) + a convention center (zzZZzzZZz) + a 'family destination point' (LOL) = surpassing Bricktown in 5 or 6 years? Seriously?

Seriously?

[bri]

No, not seriously.

That guy had too much fire water before issuing statements to paleface media.

[SoonerInKCMO]

Okay I don't get into the whole "CityX is better than CityY" arguments. I avoid these convos.
But this...........


So let me get this straight: an indian casino (in a state already overrun with these things) + a convention center (zzZZzzZZz) + a 'family destination point' (LOL) = surpassing Bricktown in 5 or 6 years? Seriously?

Seriously?

I had a recruiter at another area casino tell me that they didn't consider regional attractions (e.g. Bricktown & Branson) and casinos to be their competition. Rather, they thought Las Vegas was their competition.

It was all I could do to not laugh at her. That's probably why I didn't get the job. :O

[Big Red Ron]

If I feel like gambling, I'll go to Vegas. That casino will be chocked full of low class, cigarette smoking, day walkers. Bleh, a casino doesn't make a district. I prefer north side to Bricktown anyway.

[Taxman71]

Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill > Garth Brooks' All You Can Eat Thunder Cinnamon Rolls.....hence OKC > Tulsa

[bri]

Actually, since they're putting a TKILTB&G in at the Cherokee Casino & Hotel...OKC = Catoosa.

Kudos. ;)

[BigRedJed]

As some have pointed out, it is an apples and oranges comparison, and just marketing blather. I'm sure it will be a fine entertainment destination, but "surpassing Bricktown," whatever that means, would require a number of things to take place: the building of venues like an arena that supports major concerts and major sporting events, venues similar to the ballpark which draws events like OU-OSU baseball and the Big 12, in addition to a full season of baseball, office development, housing, a contiguous central business district, and lots of other goodies that they will never even attempt.

Comparing the two belies an ignorance regarding what Bricktown or any other urban district really is. Are there going to be people who would rather go there than go to Bricktown? Sure. But there are plenty of people right now who would list places they'd rather hang out than Bricktown, everything from Western Avenue to Memorial to Midtown in OKC, to other casinos, or the lake, or a park, or the zoo, or even a neighborhood bar.

Taste is totally subjective, so IMO the only way you can measure "surpassing" would be to measure the effect that a place has on its community and the state as a whole. Bricktown's effect in those areas has been profound. I seriously doubt this place will surpass Bricktown in that regard. Not soon. Not ever.

In fact, like bri, I think development in the sticks can have as much of a negative effect on a city as positive.

The only fair comparison if you want to get into the whole stupid Tulsa vs. OKC thing would be to compare places like the Blue Dome and Bricktown (OKC wins, for now) or Brookside and Western Avenue (Tulsa wins). I guess this place should compare itself to Riverwind, though it sounds like the better comparison might be not in the OKC metro but instead the Cherokee Casino.

But why people even get involved in this OKC > Tulsa/Tulsa > OKC stupidity is beyond me. Oklahoma has enough disadvantages from the perspectives of population, image, industry and otherwise that the only way we're going to succeed is to stop the petty tearing down of one another and start working together and celebrating one another's successes. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[bri]

"surpassing Bricktown," whatever that means, would require a number of things to take place: the building of venues like an arena that supports major concerts and major sporting events

Check.


venues similar to the ballpark which draws events like OU-OSU baseball and the Big 12, in addition to a full season of baseball

Workin' on it, no matter how underhanded we have to be to get it done.


office development

Check.


housing

Check.


a contiguous central business district

A who whating huh?


and lots of other goodies

Do hobos count?

So, in conclusion, it's a tie! YAY, OKLAHOMA! :D

[BigRedJed]

Yeah, that's why Blue Dome/Downtown Tulsa is a reasonable comparison. The casino, OTOH, is not.

[NormanPride]

Up next, Monorail.

[silverwheels]

Phase 3: Profit

[tommieharris91]

If I feel like gambling, I'll go to Vegas. That casino will be chocked full of low class, cigarette smoking, day walkers. Bleh, a casino doesn't make a district. I prefer north side to Bricktown anyway.

Heh, those are the easiest people to take money from at the poker table.

[BigRedJed]

...And no, OKC is not as much as Jed makes it out to be, it's just hella better than it was back innaday, which was pathetic.
Actually, that's all I make it out to be. I don't think I've ever made it out to be some sort of utopia. I can name a bunch of cities that are more loaded with stuff to do, stuff to look at, great neighborhoods, great districts, great scenery, great economies, great jobs, quality of life, whatever.

I know where OKC resides right now; around the bottom of the pack of biggish cities in most of those areas. And in some areas, we will never compete. We'll never have seashore, or mountain vistas, or other spectacular scenery.

If you look at all of my OKC-pimping posts, the universal theme is not that we're better than _________ , it's that we have closed the gap between crappy/podunk and pretty darn nice in the blink of an eye. Perhaps faster than any city in America has done it. And most of that came from admitting to ourselves that we WERE crappy (something most people aren't willing to do), and making a conscious effort to do something about it. It also came from sheer Okie resolve and unified effort, which is often difficult for a city to achieve, as Tulsa can attest. And now other places are noticing. And OKC is being looked at by many as a "city on the verge." And really, that's good enough for now.

[Taxman71]

The thing OKC should push hard is walking, running, cycling, etc. to become more pedestrian, etc friendly. You can't get to the mailbox without a car in this town and, as a frequent traveler, nothing is better than not worrying about "having" to have a car at your disposal at all times, worrying about parking, etc. Since we don't have oceans, mountains, etc., we could make use of much of this vast empty space.