The Tulsa Regional Chamber leads a group of around 100 elected officials, business leaders and other partners to Fort Worth, Texas, on an annual trip intended to give them ideas to improve Tulsa.
BOK Financial President and CEO and chamber chair-elect Steve Bradshaw said Fort Worth has put a lot of work into revitalizing its riverfront area, and the group is getting ideas for the Arkansas River from that.
"Nothing makes a river more real or viable than the opportunity to be out on the river. That's something I think that they've really embraced here in Fort Worth and that we'll take back with us to Tulsa," Bradshaw said.
Tulsa chamber President and CEO Mike Neal said they’re also getting some face time with American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker.
"Obviously, one of the things that is critical to our community and critical to business and economic development is more direct flights," Neal said. "There's opportunities for American to do more maintenance on what used to be US Airways planes that had been outsourced. So, we think there's growth opportunities in Tulsa for that."
Neal said it’s important to have a mix of people participate because a constant theme from seven previous intercity visits has been nothing gets done without public-private partnerships.
There are ways such partnerships can benefit public health strategies, one of the main topics of the Fort Worth trip.
"One's the potential creation of a 'blue zone' in the Tulsa region that's all about improving the health of the community and improving the health of citizens in the community and what ultimate, long-term economic benefit that is for the growth of those communities and the entire region," Neal said.
Other areas the northeastern Oklahoma contingent is focusing on are downtown walkability and tourism and sports.
Past intercity visits have gone to Cincinnati, Nashville, Portland, Charlotte, Indianapolis and Louisville.
