The signs of the times: Some repairs may be due at city ballpark

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By Bryan Dean
Published: February 13, 2008

Mayor Mick Cornett loves the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.
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He just wishes it wasn't empty so often.

He and the city council voted Tuesday to negotiate with a private consultant to study whether the ballpark should be renovated to allow more uses and keep it occupied during the baseball off-season.

"That ballpark is dark many months of the year,” he said. "I'd like to see us have additional dates down there in the future.”

City staff will negotiate a contract with Conventions Sports & Leisure International to look at potential improvements to the ballpark.

City Manager Jim Couch said the study will also consider general improvements that might be needed at the 10-year-old ballpark to keep it looking new.

The company also will look at the State Fair Grandstand. The city wants to know whether racing should continue there.

"I think we all know our track out there is inadequate,” Cornett said. "If you are going to replace a track, it takes MAPS-like dollars to do something significant.”

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Mark wrote: "The old saying is true, you have to spend some to make some. And what little has been spent, has paid back many times over." So why then have our taxes not gone DOWN? Haven't seen any "payback" from the city into my bank account...a rebate check maybe?, didn't get one...did you? Maybe, just maybe a year where they actually allow a "temporary" tax to expire without replacing it with another one. Once government (local/state/federal gets their hand in your pocket, nearly impossible to get it out again. They suddenly think it's their money, not yours. You obviously missed my 1st sentence where I said "Not saying it might not be needed or required and I agree with making it a year-a-round facility would be great..."
Larry, Oklahoma City - Feb 19, 2008 12:47 AM
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If you look at what that small tax has done Larry, you would see it is well worth it. Before MAPS, Oklahoma City was not really a destination city, and now it is. MAPS has allowed Oklahoma City to move into a higher league. Also, if you are complaining about a 1 cent tax, you probably need to not spend so much anyway, if that 1 cent hurts you. The old saying is true, you have to spend some to make some. And what little has been spent, has paid back many times over.
Mark, Oklahoma City - Feb 14, 2008 8:04 PM
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Not saying it might not be needed or required and I agree with making it a year-a-round facility would be great, but I can sense another "temporary tax" in the works...definitely one coming for the State Fair Grandstand per Cornett's remark: "If you are going to replace a track, it takes MAPS-like dollars to do something significant.” And we all know where MAPS $$$ came from...a temporary tax that has been replaced time and again. We have been paying 8.375% since 1995?
Larry, Oklahoma City - Feb 13, 2008 7:22 PM
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Maybe the Bricktown Ballpark can be converted into the ultimate batting cage during the off season.
Brett, Oklahoma City - Feb 13, 2008 8:42 AM
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