The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

Thoughts on using the Stadium Trust to build a soccer specific stadium for the Roughnecks and Athletics?

How long term viable are those two teams?  I honestly don't know and don't have a position on it either way.

If they're financially solid and will be sticking with us for decades to come, then building a stadium could be a great idea, especially if it were in an area that still needs a push in the right direction (maybe the west side of Brady over by the prison?  Or that area just southeast of ONEOK across from Greenarch where's there's just empty space?).

If they're a little more financially precarious then I would advise against it so you're not left holding the debt for a stadium that isn't needed (and sits empty).  Most of America's Major League Soccer teams struggle to turn a profit (I think Portland and Seattle are the only profitable teams?).  That suggests a rough road for a minor league soccer franchise.  But then again I know next to nothing about professional soccer so can't make an informed judgement. 

What would really make a big difference downtown is if the State of Oklahoma took a huge chunk of change and poured it into OSU-Tulsa to make it a real regionally competitive 4 year residential university, hopefully with it's own name. 

North side of 244 near Cain's seems like a good area to develop. I don't know the exact details on the Roughnecks finances but they were successful last year is what I've been told. Unsure on the Athletics but I think having both teams play there, hosting youth tournaments and hopefully a national team game does a lot for the culture of sport in our community. Every top notch city has it and soccer is our avenue to getting it in my opinion. USL does have a contract stating the Roughnecks need a soccer specific stadium by a certain date abd the Athletics don't have a home after this year.

Also, very much agree on OSU-Tulsa.

I love the idea of a soccer stadium anchoring the east side of downtown but don't realistically see that happening.  OSU has plenty of land on its east side for a stadium that could be expanded in the future if needed.  And you don't create an urban dead zone.  I'm thinking just north of Vernon AME by OETA with the main entrance fronting Greenwood.

Particulars of the ONEOK financing...

$25 million in bonds originally financed at 6.5% but refinanced later to 4.89%. This was matched with $5 million in naming rights and $30 million in private donations. Property owners are charged 4.4 cents per square foot and another 2.2 cents per foot for the downtown coordinating council for maintaining the rest of downtown. The bonds get around $2.2 million a year and the DCC gets around $1.1 million a year. Bonds expire on December 31st, 2038.

That was 2007 and Tulsa had city leadership who weren't afraid of doing bold things. They had a commitment from a known entity with a loyal following and history. They had land situated perfectly on the edge of downtown. They had local companies willing to and able to donate.

Now in 2016 we are doing the Gathering Place. Tulsa has philanthropic members who aren't afraid of doing bold things. Riverparks is a known entity with a loyal following and history.  The land is perfectly situated on the edge of the river. They have local companies willing and able to donate.

These two large building projects nine years apart.

This is my observation...We will build something big in 2025 if:
1)we have the right city leaders,
2)we pick something with a loyal following and history
2)we have the perfect spot, and
3)we have the right economy that allows companies to donate.

I predict another Vision package at that time.  I'd call it Vision 2025.

I think USL is a well run sustainable league.  I don't think there is any doubt that MLS is here to stay and with USL having an affiliation, I see no reason to doubt that a minor league system would be as sustainable as it is for baseball.  The number crunchers and risk nerds would need to confirm but I can't imagine that the risk of having an unused stadium is very high at this point.  Add in a high school game of the week and outdoor concerts and events, I think it would work.  I bet it could even be scaled back on the initial proposal with options to expand once the league has shown itself viable long term.  MLS in Tulsa would be ideal, but we're not even in the conversation at this point and OKC is, so they'll get MLS way before Tulsa is even mentioned.  Unfortunate, but seems to be the truth unless some huge stride is made in the next year or two.  San Antonio, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Sacramento I think I read are also on the cusp so any MLS expansion in Oklahoma would be a later wave, many years from now, so a stadium should be expandable to MLS specs just in case, but knowing that it is very unlikely to be necessary.

Your resident armchair critic is looking to organize a town hall of sorts in regard to a soccer stadium soon with the soccer community and anyone interested. At our board meeting tonight the Tulsa Roustabouts unanimously supported pushing for this in our community. Would love if Tulsa Now folks were involved if we get it organized.