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David Stanley Ford

Pickens’ OSU gifts hit $188M
FUNDS WILL AID THE COMPLETION OF COWBOYS’ FOOTBALL STADIUM

BY SCOTT WRIGHT    Comments Comment on this article39
Published: October 28, 2008

STILLWATER — It doesn’t cover the $282 million lost in the market over the last four months, but T. Boone Pickens made official his gift of $63 million to Oklahoma State University Monday afternoon for the completion of the football stadium that bears Pickens’ name.


BP Capital Management Chairman T. Boone Pickens participates in the opening plenary at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting Thursday, Sept 25, 2008 in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

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$63 Million to OSU

Oct 28T. Boone Pickens made official his gift of $63 million to Oklahoma...

Previous donations totaling $202 million from Pickens and the OSU golf program had peaked at approximately $407 million in July under management of Pickens’ BP Capital hedge fund, according to OSU Athletics Director Mike Holder. But because of the recent economic downturn, it dipped to $125 million, all of which will be returned to the university later this week.

With the latest donation, the net value of Pickens’ gifts to OSU is $188 million.

Holder said the completion of the football stadium’s west end zone remains on schedule for the start of the 2009 season. Other projects, including the indoor practice facility and the athletic village, have no timetable for completion.

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David Stanley Ford


Related Topics: Sports, Culture and Lifestyle, Football, Business, Financial Markets, History, Economic History, National Economy, Hedge Funds


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Likesmen...is that the best you can whine? Surely you can pout and blubber better than that. Suprise, surprise....Likesmen is a Sissy!
ROBERT, TULSA - Oct 31, 2008 at 3:20 pm
one thing the new stadium didn't help was the selling out of seats at that new copycat stadium and Jonothon, spell your name right and also if you are from a place called panhandle you don't have any say so at all!
Jacob in kansas, mynewbff - Oct 31, 2008 at 10:40 am
The Gooners can't understand why we are spending this money on facilities when we could be spending far less money on cheating and getting much better results. A grass roots campaign to "take care" of our athletes from getting our booster convenience store owners to give free gas, to paying for parking tickets, to getting the dealerships to give extended test drives would attract many more high end recruits. That's the way they've been building and maintaining their "tradition" so they don't understand it when others try to do it the right way.
Jonathon, Panhandle - Oct 29, 2008 at 10:18 pm
I love this. Gooners still upset over Boones' donations. And if you gooners want to get really upset, make a trip to Stillwater sometime and see how that money is being put to use....then come back here and whine some more. Wish I could see your faces as you pound on your keyboards!
ROBERT, TULSA - Oct 29, 2008 at 12:11 pm
And Brer, you are a moron. We are in the Top 10 in both polls and the BCS after one loss. Do you think the new stadium helped us get in the Top 10? I think it helped, along with the coaching staff.
Jacob, Kansas - Oct 29, 2008 at 9:44 am
C. Lee, I am Jacob in Kansas. You are talking about Jacob in Kansas likesmen. He is the OU bandwgon loser who never stepped foot in an OU classroom.
Jacob, Kansas - Oct 29, 2008 at 9:42 am
C. Lee, Sulphur: You are attributing that anti-OSU post to Jacob, Kansas. In fact, that post was made by an UO troll who has trashed Jacob by using the name "Jacob in kansas, likesmen". Likesmen is the one who made the post you quoted not Jacob.
Bobby, Edmond - Oct 29, 2008 at 8:41 am
"But at OSU, Boone bought a university. Who called the shots to pull the trigger on Sean Sutton? It sure wasn't Mike Holder."

haha You need to get over this "theory." Boone didn't buy the University and he doesn't call the shots. It's just gettin' unreal with some of these comments.
Clint, Yukon - Oct 28, 2008 at 10:34 pm
"all you osu fans can still get laughed at too, osu sucks and always will suck, Boone is donating money to keep the fed off his butt, what better way to donate your money than to give it to the university of special olympics of oklahoma, osu go PUKESSSSS" - Jacob in Kansas

You are a complete joke. For the record special olympics are held at Stillwater and if you had a child that participated in this or knew someone that did you damn sure wouldn't make this comment. It is people like you that give the OU fanbase a bad image. You probably beat your wife or boyfriend or kick your dog when OU loses. Get a life.
C. Lee, Sulphur - Oct 28, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I have no trouble with people contributing to the university of their choice. There's nothing wrong with universities naming stadiums, buildings and such after contributors. But at OSU, Boone bought a university. Who called the shots to pull the trigger on Sean Sutton? It sure wasn't Mike Holder.
MartzMimic, Oklahoma City - Oct 28, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Well, Brer Rabbit (what are you, six years old?) I would have to say "so far, so good". We've risen from bottom of the Big XII to as high as No. 6 in the BCS standings in Gundy's four years and since the stadium overhaul started. We've had Top-20 recruiting classes the past 2-3 years. You think that was an accident? All the other perennial BCS powers were built on money and all that it brings such as nice stadiums, etc. Most of them, like OU, just have a 50-year head start on us. Ask Mack Brown and Gary Pinkel if they think OSU has improved a little over the past four years.
Patrick, Edmond - Oct 28, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Do any of you OSU posers really think that a nice stadium will raise the football team to the heights of BCS glory? Really? If you do, I has some land I wanna sell ya down in the swamp.
Brer Rabbit, Briar Patch - Oct 28, 2008 at 4:49 pm
"I really really wish Holder had set an earnings ceiling, say at 375 million and then pulled it out at that time, deciding that the money invested had done enough work at that point. To keep it in there at all after it fell under 350 million from 400 million was just greedy and stupid. What if it had been someone else's money that didn't have the resources to replace what had been lost? I think Hargis really needs to have a heart to heart with Holder about this."


Holder was not in charge of the money. If you listened to the press conference on Monday, he even said himself that it was agreed Pickens would invest it, but the decisions after that were all on behalf of T. Boone, not Holder. He also said that "I'm a former golf coach, not a business man. If he needs help with a golf shot, then I'll give him some pointers. He can handle this"
Jonah, Guthrie - Oct 28, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Thank you Boone. May we have another.
Jim, Edmond - Oct 28, 2008 at 2:38 pm
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Bradley, now I need to go put some more water in cooter's mama's dish. Great reference.
Gary T., Oklahoma City - Oct 28, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Wow, I love it when we get money and jealous gooners start to whine and spin doctor. I'll take all of this I can get. How about you gooners? Let's do this again sometime soon!
ROBERT, TULSA - Oct 28, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Actually, the $63 mil is to complete the work under the west end zone. Has nothing to do with the Athletic village. The practice facility is scheduled to go ahead as planned, since the primary funding for that was from Sherman Smith, who donated $20 mil last year.
Bob, Signal Hill - Oct 28, 2008 at 12:54 pm
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I really really wish Holder had set an earnings ceiling, say at 375 million and then pulled it out at that time, deciding that the money invested had done enough work at that point. To keep it in there at all after it fell under 350 million from 400 million was just greedy and stupid. What if it had been someone else's money that didn't have the resources to replace what had been lost? I think Hargis really needs to have a heart to heart with Holder about this.
Jeffrey, Oklahoma City - Oct 28, 2008 at 12:39 pm
its his money let him do what he wants if you want to become a socialist and want to cry about how life isnt fair move to a FAILED country like Russia but in the end that is where you belong
Neel, Sugar Land - Oct 28, 2008 at 11:52 am
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All of the OU loser bandwagon fans talking about OSU having bandwagon fans is comical. They have nothing else to say so they talk about that. Keep it up, losers! I am sure the next time OU loses, you will shrink back into your holes. We never saw any of you when OU lost. Talk about bandwagon, you didn't even show yourselves on here. LOSERS.
Jacob, Kansas - Oct 28, 2008 at 11:04 am
ITS THE PLAYER HATER'S BALL!!!!!!!

HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE!!!!!!!!!!!


is that all you people know how to do? get a life....
Bradley, Stillwater - Oct 28, 2008 at 11:00 am
Gee, Mr./Bogata, maybe it is the same reason why those in the financial business go to NY, or those in the film industry seem to head to SoCal. He is in the oil and gas business which is headquartered in....duh, Texas.
Barry, Fort Collins - Oct 28, 2008 at 10:57 am
Man, I wish I had that kind of money........
Ben, BFE - Oct 28, 2008 at 10:52 am
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Jacob and you other lOUsers...why in the heck do you guys read these articles anyway? All you want to do is bash OSU and all it does is show your classlessness. Jacob, I'll bet you never went to school anywhere other than a headstart program. If I'm wrong, you sure didn't learn much. Pickens is rich, he gives money to OSU to help level a playing field that Gaylord and the state of Oklahoma helped tilt toward OU long ago...get over it...all you do on here is show yourself up for being the fool you are.
Jim, Rockwall - Oct 28, 2008 at 10:27 am
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Forgive me for being a little wary of the gifts, but when I was a student, they were really sticking it to us with fees to upgrade the stadium and athletic village, even after Boone's donations were announced. I had a problem with paying around $20 per credit hour for facilities only the athletes were allowed to use. That is the major reason I have refused to EVER donate money to the OSU Alumni association. After how the university treated us as students, they will not get a dime from me.
James, Oklahoma City - Oct 28, 2008 at 10:01 am
Why if he is such a huge OSU booster and proud Oklahoman does he chose to live in Texas I wonder ??????? Any ideas guys ?
mister, bogata - Oct 28, 2008 at 9:46 am
I will give Boone props... he isn't a bandwagon fan. He donated and wanted to create one of the top athletic facilities in the nation. Now, what about the plethora of bandwagon fans that seemed to show up this year after a few wins. You know who I am refering to!
MrBigglesworth, Sweetwater - Oct 28, 2008 at 9:13 am
It's so embarrassing to be an alum of a school that creates generous billionaires.....right? It's terrible. I have hard time sleeping at night knowing the education I received at OSU might someday make me a billionaire.

I actualy wanted to go to OU when I was younger, but my mother (an OU alum) talked me out of it.

She said, "At OU, never in 4 years did I find anyone who really gave a damm about me or my education. They just wanted to create another graduate to call every other week and beg for donations."
GetALife, Stillwater - Oct 28, 2008 at 8:51 am
Sorry you gooners are having such a tough time with Boones' donations. And guess what?.....we're in the will too! Now go back to your trailers, your unempoloyment checks should be arriving soon!
ROBERT, TULSA - Oct 28, 2008 at 8:37 am
all you osu fans can still get laughed at too, osu sucks and always will suck, Boone is donating money to keep the fed off his butt, what better way to donate your money than to give it to the university of special olympics of oklahoma, osu go PUKESSSSS
Jacob in kansas, mynewbff - Oct 28, 2008 at 8:35 am
kj what is your contribution towards these people?? he has donated millions of dollars to MD Anderson and St. Judes over the years yet the daily ouhoman doesnt tell you about that and to all the haters we understand that you dont understand loyalty to your alma matter since you have no ties to one other than your high school....
Neel, Sugar Land - Oct 28, 2008 at 8:35 am
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I don't know why everyone like to criticize Boone? He is a generous man that wants to see his alma mater succeed. Not only in football but in other sports and athletics. He has lost a substantial amount of money recently due to the economic downturn but he is still giving money to keep the stadium project on target. I didn't use to care for Boone but he definitely won me over after he sent planes to New Orleans after Katrina to rescue pets.
Krista, Stillwater - Oct 28, 2008 at 8:33 am
This article is not even correct, the stadium was already covered this additional money is to help out with the athletic village and gardens, which is the money in question. The stadium's funds were pulled early and put in a trust i believe. Anyways, all you haters can go take a long walk off a short pier.
Kevin, Oklahoma City - Oct 28, 2008 at 8:21 am
You guys are losers. Never mind the fact that Pickens has been extremely generous to OSU academics and numerous other organizations throughout the years. Hey KJ, what are you doing to help those 400 people waiting for transplants? Do some research and see what Pickens has donated to M.D. Anderson over the years.
James, New Milford - Oct 28, 2008 at 7:44 am
For Boone, this is the equivalent of an oil change. When you buy a university, you have to pay for upkeep every now and then.
MartzMimic, Oklahoma City - Oct 28, 2008 at 7:20 am
You can thank OUInsider.com and 'Beanbag' for making the old geyser "pony-up"/pay up. Next week we'll likely read about his newfound home - the poor house?
Lee, Euless - Oct 28, 2008 at 6:20 am
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there are 400 young men in this country that need a heart lung transplant. they can't get one because they have not the cash to get on the transplant list. these folks have families and need to work,
any one of the multi millionares in the country could help that program. but, i guess its priorities.
kj, cookson - Oct 28, 2008 at 6:14 am
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So $202 million in Stillwater buys you a stadium upgrade to 25000 fewer seats than OU and 35000 fewer fans? Sounds like Obamaboonenomics isn't working very well. Maybe you should have bought some AIG stock instead.
At least Mikey can take recruits to OU and show them what an indoor practice facility looks like.
Joe, Norman - Oct 28, 2008 at 5:36 am
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Hey T. Boone, I need about $20K to cover my debt, how about helping out a fellow Cowpoke since you see fit to throw $188 million dollars out for a monument to yourself....

Yeah, like that would ever happen!
Cooter, Cooterville - Oct 28, 2008 at 3:11 am

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