Reporter Michael Kimball tweeted from the Oklahoma City Council meeting Tuesday morning. Read about discussions and agenda items below.
8:36 a.m.
Well it's time for another #OKC Council meeting. Fairly light agenda this morning.
8:37 a.m.
As always, we get started with a prayer and the pledge and some smaller items.
8:41 a.m.
One item of interest later in the meeting is a formal, slight expansion of the Core to Shore planning area.
8:42 a.m.
That expansion would then include the MAPS 3 convention center site. Among other things, this move could make it subject of eminent domain.
8:42 a.m.
That's obviously always been a possibility for anything the city has to have for big civic projects.
8:43 a.m.
A few properties in the footprint of the MAPS 3 park will end up in litigation, for example.
8:48 a.m.
We're already on the items for individual consideration. Moved quickly through the early parts of the meeting.
8:48 a.m.
Full house on the horseshoe today as well, by the way.
8:50 a.m.
The Core to Shore expansion area just passed quickly too. I thought there was some potential for debate there, but not today.
8:51 a.m.
Ed Shadid clarified that the expansion area is actually bigger than just the convention center site, but no significant debate.
8:53 a.m.
One thing in early part of agenda, consultant picked for @okcciviccenter use study. Story: okne.ws/Thv1dh
8:55 a.m.
I will admit to @okcciviccenter bias because I got married there and @okcpets bias because my dog came from there. Hope everyone's OK w/ it.
8:58 a.m.
No one wants to see a wedding pic but here's the dog: pic.twitter.com/awrzNrAm
9:05 a.m.
Well we're through the zoning cases and everything. On to items from council. Everybody passed but one minor McAtee shoutout.
9:06 a.m.
Right now is a quarterly report from @VisitOKC's Mike Carrier.
9:09 a.m.
In short, Carrier says we've got healthy hotel/motel numbers in the metro. City hotel/motel tax receipts have topped estimates so far.
9:10 a.m.
Pat Ryan is bringing up the @Maps3 convention center as part of this. Wide-ranging comments.
9:11 a.m.
Ryan is advocating a look at using the consultants to fully explore space needed for CC.
9:12 a.m.
There was also some money stripped from the CC budget a while ago when a site was chosen that didn't have challenges assoc. with other sites
9:12 a.m.
Ryan is saying the city should at least look at putting that money back in the CC budget if city truly needs bigger one.
9:13 a.m.
Carrier: Ultimately, there are cities OKC will never compete with on conventions.
9:14 a.m.
Carrier: What we're trying to be is best OKC we can be.
9:15 a.m.
He mentions Denver as one bigger city OKC does compete with.
9:16 a.m.
Carrier saying using consultants to figure out exactly how to use existing space is as important as having more space.
9:16 a.m.
But he also says "We need to build as much as we can afford to build."
9:18 a.m.
Carrier is saying OKC has to be best-positioned to compete with the Salt Lakes and ABQs and Fort Worths of the world.
9:18 a.m.
Being able to host two big meetings at one time is important.
9:20 a.m.
Carrier: OKC can't provide big HQ hotel that some meetings need. They want one convention/hotel contract.
9:26 a.m.
Shadid and Carrier are sniping just a tiny bit over the CC hotel. Shadid has been raising the hotel issue for his whole term.
9:27 a.m.
It's definitely a big issue. The need for a big hotel is expressed over and over, but there's no money set aside for it as of now.
9:28 a.m.
Shadid is pointing out Nashville is paying a lot more than $50M for its CC hotel. $50M has been number bandied about for OKC's.
9:29 a.m.
Carrier does say that he doesn't know why the $50M number is the one that's used for OKC. He says he doesn't know what ultimate deal will be
9:29 a.m.
He says it all hinges on what the CC will be. When we know what it is, we'll know what hotel is needed.
9:30 a.m.
Shadid also points out the CC budget doesn't have parking. So $250M for CC, but still need parking available and hotel.
9:31 a.m.
Jim Couch and Meg Salyer interject that COTPA has set aside bond capacity for CC-related parking and.
9:33 a.m.
Couch also reiterating points that there is no one-size-fits-every-plan convention center. Can be everything from building to flights.
9:43 a.m.
Gary Marrs speaks up now to say that there was never any "subterfuge" about a CC hotel or anything else.
9:43 a.m.
He says he remembers drawings from the very beginning that said there would be a hotel.
9:44 a.m.
It wasn't mentioned in MAPS 3 campaign only because that part of project wasn't a MAPS 3 project, he says.
9:44 a.m.
Marrs: "We certainly didn't try to hide anything."
9:47 a.m.
Well that discussion is done for now. Next, a presentation on Downtown in December. Now THAT is shifting gears.
9:50 a.m.
Instead of tweeting the DinD stuff, I'll just give you the link: downtownindecember.com
10:06 a.m.
Wrapping up the meeting, Jim Couch gives a shoutout to @stevelackmeyer's story and says people should read it: okne.ws/10LnF7Q
10:07 a.m.
That's it for today folks. Thanks for joining.
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