Tulsa city leaders had a long night at a Vision hearing.
"This is good. We don't normally see a crowd like this unless we're doing something you hate," City Councilor Blake Ewing said to a nearly full council chamber before the first speaker came to the podium for what became a nearly four-hour session.
A downtown restaurateur thinks it’s time for a soccer stadium. Elliot Nelson said a Vision renewal could provide $30 to $45 million for an 8,000 seat stadium that could be expanded later.
Nelson said he’s not just looking for a downtown home for the Roughnecks or a Major League Soccer team. He said Tulsa needs these attractions to keep younger residents from leaving town when they have families.
"So that our next ring of suburban development isn't further out in Owasso, but it is the people who live downtown who now want to live at 11th and Peoria," Nelson said.
Possible locations are Eighth and Boston, Sixth and Frankfort or the Evans Fintube site, though no property owners have been contacted.
Supporters of a bicycle and pedestrian master plan for Tulsa see an opportunity in the possible Vision sales tax renewal. James Wagner with INCOG said the Go Plan could use $15 million for 20 projects.
"They're based on sort of a scientific process, if you will, of looking at metrics of population density and connecting actual places, like TCC and University of Tulsa," Wagner said.
The Go Plan would build on a trail master plan from 16 years ago by connecting neighborhoods to Tulsa’s trails and making it easier for people to walk and bike. The Tulsa Health Department is backing the idea, which would add many more miles of bike lanes and split trails.
A bike sharing proposal was among several pitches asking for a piece of the pie during the hearing. INCOG is planning two phases of 12 stations and 108 bikes throughout Tulsa, which would cost $2.5 million.
Jennifer Haddaway with INCOG said the health, quality of life and transportation benefits are obvious, but there’s also an economic development piece.
"In Washington, D.C., more than eight out of 10 said they were more likely to visit a business, shop or restaurant with easy access to a bike sharing dock," Haddaway said.
Haddaway says the idea already has private funding commitments of nearly $1 million.
The City of Tulsa recently added more public hearings. The remaining hearings are Aug. 11 and 25 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall. A list of proposals submitted so far is available online.
