I just had breakfast at the Skirvin...

[BigRedJed]

...it opens Monday. They're still scrambling to finish things up, but prepare to be amazed. It will change downtown more than anything since the actual MAPS projects.

[C&CDean]

You mean even more than NBA has?

[BigRedJed]

I detect some sarcasm, but I'll play along. I was meaning more in terms of the feel and flow and economy of downtown. The Hornets have changed OKC, not just downtown. I know you don't believe it, but the NBA has put OKC on the map in ways that nothing else could have.

Anyway, this thread is about the Skirvin.

[Boarder]

What's it been? 250 years that it took them to get it reopened?

[C&CDean]

I detect some sarcasm, but I'll play along. I was meaning more in terms of the feel and flow and economy of downtown. The Hornets have changed OKC, not just downtown. I know you don't believe it, but the NBA has put OKC on the map in ways that nothing else could have.

Anyway, this thread is about the Skirvin.

Yeah, there was sarcasm. To you the NBA has "put OKC on the map." To me the NBA has embarrassed OKC by using our fair city like a cheap ho.

And I've always thought the Skirvin was a cool building.

[IB4OU2]

I remember the Skirvin way back when I was a kid. I thought it was a neat old hotel then. I want to take the wife down there for a night when they're finished.

[Mixer!]

Ah, but what did you have? A Monte Cristo?

[TheHumanAlphabet]

So what really got the renovation going? Was it because Hilton had no property in a mack daddy part of OKC, unlike Starwood and Marriott. Did OKC poney up guarantees to renovate? I remember that indonesian or whatever going to do it and never did anything...

[KABOOKIE]

Sarcasm? I detect bitterness. :D

[OUAndy1807]

I've been meaning to get over there to check it out before it opens. I walked through when we first took possession of the building and there are not words to describe what a dump it was.

[BigRedJed]

Yeah, there was sarcasm. To you the NBA has "put OKC on the map." To me the NBA has embarrassed OKC by using our fair city like a cheap ho.

And I've always thought the Skirvin was a cool building.
http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/1162263969848.jpg

We have totally not been used. Everybody in this deal benefitted exactly the way we were supposed to. The only person getting screwed in this deal is George Shinn, who has to go back to NOLA and choke on it. And he made his own bed.

The city's getting everything it wants out of the deal. High visibility, a fast trip to the front of the line for a franchise (we weren't even on the long list before) a chance to look like heroes, and... ...a net profit. It was always understood that the Hornets were going back to NOLA, although plenty of people (myself included) had some wishful thinking after they came here. We WILL have a team, and that was never even a remote possibility before. Continuous postitive national media that you couldn't buy for any price. And NONE OF IT cost us a dime. Not sure how we got screwed there.

Last NBA post for me in this thread. It's about the Skirvin, Poppa!

[Jimminy Crimson]

Was it better than IHOP? ;)

[BigRedJed]

To answer most of the Skirvin questions, there will be a special section in Sunday's Oklahoman. I saw it last night. Great stories.

It's been closed since '88. Yes, the city did pony up, although it is anticipated that most of the city's share will be repaid eventually. There were federal block grants, etc. involved. The entire project cost $56 million, if I remember right.

[BigRedJed]

Was it better than IHOP? ;)
It was really good, but the service was slow. Of all things, the coffee was incredible. This was literally the first meal that they had served, so they are seriously working out bugs. The interior is still probably 5% incomplete. We had breakfast conversation over the sound of a hammer drill.

But it is going to be incredible. Think Peabody in Memphis.

[JohnnyMack]

How did the Colcord come out? Isn't it open now?

[Jimminy Crimson]

If you haven't seen it at night all lit up, it's definately something worth checking out. The Park Avenue Grill looks great from the outside.

[Jimminy Crimson]

How did the Colcord come out? Isn't it open now?

Very nicely done. The public space is very impressive and the rooms are equally so.

The Colcord was originally built as a hotel but never filled that role until now.

[BigRedJed]

The Colcord is beautiful, and the Residence Inn opened up on the canal a couple of weeks ago, also top shelf for that segment. We suddenly have a great hotel situation in downtown.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Too bad they blowed up the old Black Hotel. There was good ho's there.

[C&CDean]

The Colcord is beautiful, and the Residence Inn opened up on the canal a couple of weeks ago, also top shelf for that segment. We suddenly have a great hotel situation in downtown.

Yeah, too bad the NBA ain't gonna be down there...:dolemite:

[OUAndy1807]

Too bad they blowed up the old Black Hotel. There was good ho's there.
no need to be racist.

[Jimminy Crimson]

Too bad they blowed up the old Black Hotel. There was good ho's there.

It never got blown up, actually. It's still located at Hudson & Sheridan, but goes by the name One North Hudson. ...and it's not a hotel anymore.

[IB4OU2]

The Colcord is beautiful, and the Residence Inn opened up on the canal a couple of weeks ago, also top shelf for that segment. We suddenly have a great hotel situation in downtown.

Just in time for the Big 12 basketball tourneys.

[C&CDean]

Just in time for the Big 12 basketball tourneys.

See, now that's what I'm talkin' about!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Yeah, there was sarcasm. To you the NBA has "put OKC on the map." To me the NBA has embarrassed OKC by using our fair city like a cheap ho.

kudos! Isn't OKC a lot bigger city than (what's left of)NOLA, anyway?

[Jimminy Crimson]

Just in time for the Big 12 basketball tourneys.

Exactly!

The Skirvin is the host hotel for the conference tournament.

[BigRedJed]

1. The hotel that was blowed up was the Biltmore. It's now the Myriad Botanical Gardens.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/postcards/biltmore.jpg

2. The entire timeline for the hotel openings was dictated by the Big 12 tournament, which will be the biggest sporting event in the history of Oklahoma, bar none.

3. Dean, I'm going to have BSG give you an earhole poking.

[Jimminy Crimson]

...which will be the biggest sporting event in the history of Oklahoma, bar none...

Even bigger than Atlanta vs. the Hornets this next Wednesday? ;)

OKC will be in the regular rotation to host the Big XII Tourneys with KC and Dallas, unless Dallas decides to blow up Reunion Arena.

[BlondeSoonerGirl]

*Prepares for ear poking*

[ChickSoonerFan]

I am going to a company party there in a couple of weeks with a girlfriend and her company is getting everyone a room so I am going to get to spend a night there. I am excited about that.

I used to babysit for a manager that lived there a long long long time ago. I thought that would have been cool, to live in the Skirvin.

And one time we had a smoke fire when I was little and we stayed there for about a week while they were repainting our house and I did pretend like we lived there.

I am so very glad that someone finally reopened it. I think it will be very successful.

OK, those are all my stories for now on the Skirvin, maybe I will have more after the party.

[Boarder]

*Prepares for poking*
You really need to think about some of your posts before you post them.

[BlondeSoonerGirl]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Boarder]

*Prepares for ear poking*
Don't post that filth on this message board!




There, I like that response better.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

I'm crazy excited about the Skirvin opening!

[LilSooner]

I am so geeked out over this! I am staying there the night before the wedding in a rotunda suite and we are staying there the night of the wedding and leaving straight from there to Bermuda.

In hind sight I wished we would have waited and booked the skirvin for the wedding. But I'm happy as a clam to just get to stay there.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

When I was a little girl I said I was going to have my wedding reception there. I think it's a beautiful place. I have to book a room I'm just not sure when I want to stay there.

[C&CDean]

I am so geeked out over this! I am staying there the night before the wedding in a rotunda suite and we are staying there the night of the wedding and leaving straight from there to Bermuda.

In hind sight I wished we would have waited and booked the skirvin for the wedding. But I'm happy as a clam to just get to stay there.

Bermuda? Very cool. My mom and dad were married there 54 years ago today. Dad was stationed there in the A.F. They still go back every year and stay with Bermudians they met when they lived there. My oldest sister was born there, and when she turned 18 she had to claim citizenship - USA or UK. You're gonna dig the pink sand, blue water, and friendly people. Tell Rhino to put on lots of SPF 5-brazillion or his punkin is gonna be purple.

[LilSooner]

I've been there once when I was 14. It is by far the cleanest and nicest place that I have ever been to. Puerto Rico, St. Tomas ain't got nothing on Bermuda.

I'm just glad that we aren't going during hurricane season this time. Last time we were there we got hit with a small one and it was scurry.

[sooneron]

I went to the Skirvin for a formal party back in 86. That's all I got. Parking was a beyotch back then.

[JohnnyMack]

I have never been to Bermuda or the Skirvin.

Carry on.

[KC//CRIMSON]

1. The hotel that was blowed up was the Biltmore. It's now the Myriad Botanical Gardens.


2. The entire timeline for the hotel openings was dictated by the Big 12 tournament, which will be the biggest sporting event in the history of Oklahoma, next to OU vs Nebraska 2000, bar none.

3. Dean, I'm going to have BSG give you an earhole poking.


;)

[BlondeSoonerGirl]

Interesting...

[Mjcpr]

Saw some pics of the inside at OUInsider.....looks very nice! (http://mb18.scout.com/fouinsiderfrm36.showMessage?topicID=31606.topic)

[Sooner24]

We are staying at the Renaissance For the Big 12 but I will be getting over to check out the Skirvin while we are there.

[ChickSoonerFan]

I went to a party there last night and spent the night, the rooms are beautiful. The food was delicious. But with an open bar from 5-midnight, what can you say bad about the place?

But right now, there are a lot of people just walking around looking, which was kind of strange. When I arrived, I got on the elevator with three men. I asked them to press 7 for my floor and they did, but they did not press any other button, like, for their floor. Then one said, "7 is as good as any." I asked if they were staying on the 7th floor also and they replied that they were not guests of the hotel, they were just looking around so they would just go to my floor. I looked straight ahead and said, "well...that does not make me uncomfortable at all"

We all laughed but when I got off the elevator I went left, and they went right.

The staff was great too. Nice place. Glad to see it alive and well again.

[LilSooner]

So excited, so excited, so excited! Only like 2 more months! I'm gonna get to be a big girl princess in the suite.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Oh you'll have to take pictures of the suite Lil. Not those kind, pervs.

I can't wait to stay there! Jimminy and I were there on Monday and we gave speeches in the Venetian Room.