A big decision for city voters
Arena-tax plan: Big decision for city voters

Comments Comment on this article106

By Bryan Dean
Published: March 4, 2008

Oklahoma City voters will decide today whether to continue a 1-cent sales tax to pay for $121 million in improvements to the Ford Center and a new NBA practice facility.

Advertisement

The vote is described by city leaders as a referendum on whether the city wants an NBA team.

The NBA's Seattle SuperSonics have applied to relocate to Oklahoma City, and NBA owners are scheduled to vote on the request next month.

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has said the fate of that relocation request depends on the outcome of today's vote by city residents.

If the proposal is approved:
•The 1-cent sales tax currently paying for MAPS for Kids, which is set to expire at midnight Dec. 31, would continue for 15 more months, raising about $100 million to renovate the Ford Center and $20 million for a new NBA practice facility.

•Improvements at the Ford Center would include decorative floors and walls, new concession areas, renovated rest rooms, new suites, NBA locker rooms, office space, a family fun zone and other improvements.

•City officials said the improvements will also make it easier for the Ford Center to compete with other venues in the region for events like the Big 12 basketball tournaments, NCAA basketball regionals and concerts.

•If the proposal is approved but the NBA decides not to locate a team here by June of 2009, the practice facility would not be built and the tax would last 12 months instead of 15.

If voters reject the proposal:
•Cornett and others have said there is no plan B for funding the improvements, and that Oklahoma City will not get an NBA team.

•The MAPS for Kids sales tax will expire at midnight Dec. 31. Unless voters pass another sales tax initiative before then, the tax rate will go down 1 cent beginning Jan. 1, 2009.


 

Related Topics: Basketball, Sports, Politics, College Basketball, College Athletics, Local Politics, Men's Professional Basketball

Toolbar sponsored by: David Stanley Ford
Ads by Yahoo!

Hugh Downs Reports:
Natural discovery lowers high blood pressure and cuts artery plaque.
www.bottomlinesecrets.com
Junkmycar.com
Read this Towing & Wrecking Service's reviews & find Auto Info.
Oklahomacity.Citysearch.com

shareView All

Buzz Up!


Leave a Comment

Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online

Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.


Log in below or sign up (it's free).





9:55 PM...and the winner is (drum roll please)...Oklahoma City!
Dennis, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 9:55 pm
9:00 PM...with 66 precints counted, 61% for, 39% against (http://www.news9.com/global/Category.asp?c=124638)
Dennis, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 9:00 pm
OKC is wonderful, you have the privelege of deciding if you want an NBA team or not, if you choose 'not', would you please send the propiosal to Yuma, Arizona where it is being attempted to have the taxpayers build a 50 million dollar 'Ice Hockey arena' without a vote of the taxpayers. Did you get the statement that it is Yuma, Arizona? With an arena for ice hockey being pushed for by the powers that be? Ladies and gentlemen, the Seattle Supersonics would be most welcome in the desert southwest.
Arnie, Wellton - Mar 4, 2008 at 8:43 pm
No matter how much you are against it why would you say that about your own city? You sound like a Seattle resident. Only one of them would say somethign like that. "change the name to OKC carpetbaggers".
Danny, Tulsa - Mar 4, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Have the carpetbaggers won yet?
Kevin, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Nice Dennis. Had Porkchops myself for dinner.
Danny, Tulsa - Mar 4, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Danny...yep, you are right. I had to do something with my time while I was waiting for my poke chops on the grill.
Dennis, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 8:04 pm
No problem. Keep 'em coming.
Danny, Tulsa - Mar 4, 2008 at 8:01 pm
sorry that should have been 7:45 pm
Alex, Dallas - Mar 4, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Alex
Votes counted as of 5:00 p.m. March 4, 2008:
(18% of precincts reporting)
YES 60
NO 40
Alex, Dallas - Mar 4, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Alex
Alright, thanks Mike. Please keep up the updates.
Danny, Tulsa - Mar 4, 2008 at 7:44 pm
4% of the precincts in, 58%yes,42%no, lets keep it going.
Alex, Dallas - Mar 4, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Alex
Haha Dennis you were probably waiting there, just waiting to be the one to say that. Anyway, polls are closed! Keep me updated people!
Danny, Tulsa - Mar 4, 2008 at 7:12 pm
7:00 PM, the Polls are closed. And the winner is...
Dennis, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Great comments, Jill! You have my support and so does this proposal.
Todd, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Todd
That posting by JILL has so many things wrong. Vote how you want to vote but do not spread "un truths". No NBA owner owns their team and accepts not making money, no way. All of these owners are savy business men. You said 30% of the teams do not make money. Wrong! Here is a perfect example Howard Schultz who owned the Sonics before Clay Bennet. Howards group bought the team for $200M they say they lost $18M a year for 5 years, or $90M(most people acknowledge these are always inflated) Then Howards sells to Clay for $350M, after the loses a profit of $60M or 30%. How many of you made 30% on anything over 5 years? you say Clay wants to "bring something good to Oklahoma City" then why does he need every person in OKC to pay for his building renovations and for his practice facility? Why can't he and his group pay for them "for the good of OKC"? Because they want to line their pockets at everyones expense. The problem is not Seattle's or OKCs the problem is not Clay's or the tax payers, the real problem is that the business model for the NBA is broke. As long as owners can "make money" off of the taxes, then the NBAs broken model will stay in place.
Jim, Bothell - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Jim
We need to attract new jobs to this area; and this arena vote won't do a damn thing. Oh wait, we live in OK
robert, norman - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I'm done here. Virtually everyone has probably gone to the polls or is on their way. I must say, if this doesn't pass, I will be very disappointed in Oklahoma City and their shortsightedness. I see nothing good coming from failure to pass this proposal. If it passes, I see a bright future. Regardless, Eduardo, you don't have to read anything from me anymore.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Jill
During the NEXT Mayoral race in Oklahoma City, if you see a "Jill for Mayor" sign along the roadway...I put it there.
Dennis, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:22 pm
What's funny is that the tax rate in OKC with the extra penny is lower than many of the other municipalities around OKC. You naysayers are the same ones that didn't want OKC to pay for the Bass Pro Shops building that is now an attraction and puts TONS of sales tax revenue in our coffers every month.
Chris, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Eduardo says, "If you voted YES you voted for improvements to be made to the FORD center at taxpayer's expense." You are free to ignore my comments, Eduardo. Of course the improvements are being made at the taxpayer's expense. So was everything else built by MAPS, so are our parks, our zoo and all public amenities. If they weren't they'd be privately owned and the person who built them would charge us enough to make back his or her expenses. No one of lower income would be able to go to a game at the Ford Center or the Redhawks Stadium, we'd have to pay to go to our parks, to the public library, etc. We, as taxpayers, choose what to build with public funds, and that includes places for leisure time activity. You Eduardo, may not go to the Ford Center, but perhaps you go to the Civic Center or a park, or the zoo. Perhaps your children use the public library. These are all built at taxpayer expense for the benefit of the community. What you consider beneficial might be different from what I consider beneficial, but I'll vote for your favorite venue because I want to support all things people in our community enjoy, whether I use them or not.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Mar 4, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Jill
Mr. B says, "Isn't the new practice facility going to be built on the land that he owns." I don't know about you, but I have seen no information showing where the practice facility is being built. And, were that the case, do you even know that he wouldn't be donating it to the city? Don't throw out statements like that without giving us a link to back it up.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Mar 4, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Report as inappropriate or
Ignore Jill
Vote yes.
Danny, Tulsa - Mar 4, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Im listening to Jill because shes the one of the people making sense on this board. Yes, its at the taxpayers expense but she's right, we---THE TAXPAYERS---own the Ford Center. This is about image of our city. I travel for my work and when people ask me where I'm from I say Oklahoma City...then they ask me "whats there?" with a weird look on their faces. At that point I defend OK and tell them what a great place this really is...yet they still want to know whats there to do here. Lets show them something!
Im tired of the same small minded people keeping this state down...they do it time and again. I am an Oklahoman, born here, raised here, and I hope the good Lord sees fit to deposit me in the earth here. But we need this...stop being small minded!!!!
Christopher, Oklahoma City - Mar 4, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Don't forget ex-Mayor Humphries is conviently supporting the tax. Isn't the new practice facility going to be built on the land that he owns. So Kirk is going to be banking also.
MrBigglesworth, Sweetwater - Mar 4, 2008 at 5:35 pm

News Photo Galleriesview all