BOK Center is #9 in the WORLD!!!!

[Johnboy976]

In the first quarter of this year the Tulsa BOK Center ranked #9 in the world for total tickets sold. That makes it second in the country, just behind Tampa, Florida's St. Pete Times Forum. Here is the article:

http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=10190446

[PepePeru]

to top it off, the BoK is probably the easiest arena to FIND PARKING.  Bolded for the lazy slobs that still decry the perceived "lack of parking".   I've been to 3 events at the BoK center in the past 5 months.  I paid 5 bucks to park at in the old city hall garage for one event, paid $0 to park in the street for a hockey game and paid $5 to park for the Springsteen concert in a garage 4 blocks away.  4 freaking blocks, try doing that in OKC for 5 bucks.  Try doing that in any major city....it is not going to happen.

Then after the concert, approximately 15,000 people leaving...ZERO traffic.  Granted we walk fast, but we were out of that garage on Boulder & on our way home, with absolutely zero traffic jams, anything.  Talk about a hassle-free, stress-free concert experience.

However, I do think the east side of downtown would have made more sense in terms of future development potential / possibilities.

so, keep it whiners, keep it up naysayers.  You're continually proven wrong. 

I have a feeling the old fogeys and codgers that gripe about this place have never been there.

We are lucky to have such a venue.  Its great.

[mjchamplin]

I agree about the parking. We went to an Oilers game, paid $5 and walked four blocks. When we went to see Cirque du Soliel, we went a little early, parked on the street for free.

As far as traffic, it can get a little busy before or after a big event, but nothing compared to other cities. The fact that the parking is kind of spread around instead of being centralized actually helps cut down on traffic. Not to mention you can park for free if you're willing to take one of the shuttles. Overall I think the whole thing works really smoothly.

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

This morning on Z104.5 Mayor Taylor said it was #2 in the world.  Oops.

[TheTed]

Doesn't the city charge less for event parking than a lot of the surrounding lots that are privately owned and farther away?

Shouldn't the city be charging market value? We'd be upset if they sold a building to someone for half the price people would pay.

[Hoss]

This morning on Z104.5 Mayor Taylor said it was #2 in the world.  Oops.

wow, what a gaffe that was.

Not.

The naysayers hate this.  I think it's beautiful.

[Red Arrow]

Doesn't the city charge less for event parking than a lot of the surrounding lots that are privately owned and farther away?

Shouldn't the city be charging market value? We'd be upset if they sold a building to someone for half the price people would pay.

Consider that maybe the city is charging the market value if it is competing with free parking within an easy walk. Maybe the private lots are charging too much for what they offer, being farther away.  I would rather the city fill its lots at 1/2 price than be less than half full at full price.  The city fills it lots, the customer gets a better deal.  Paying for parking is one of my excuses for not going downtown.

[nathanm]

Paying for parking is one of my excuses for not going downtown.

There's plenty of free parking downtown if you don't mind a walk. I have yet to pay for parking, although I don't go downtown particularly often.

[Johnboy976]

Half the people leaving the concert need to walk it off before going home anyway. It's a win-win situation.

[sgrizzle]

Paying for parking is one of my excuses for not going downtown.

You pay for parking?

I park downtown probably close to 400 times a year. I pay about 12 of those times.

[Red Arrow]

You pay for parking?

I park downtown probably close to 400 times a year. I pay about 12 of those times.

I hadn't been downtown for several years when I went to the What About Rail meeting last year.  I took the map provided of the area on the web.  When I got there, all the noted parking lots were not free. I thought that what looked as $5. for a 2 hr meeting was too much.  I almost turned around and when home but then found a free spot on the street because it was after hours.

I recently went to the model train show in the convention center.  I found a spot a few blocks away that was free because it was on the weekend.  The walk is no problem, I usually walk about 2 miles during my lunch break.

I see repeated postings about how someone only paid $5 to park for an event and how the city doesn't charge enough for parking during an event.  And so on...

Some posters here complain that the suburban tresspassers use the city streets without paying for them.  The City of Tulsa should put up toll booths for anyone entering the city limits.

It may just be an incorrect perception of a suburbanite, but for a city with minimal mass transit to the suburbs it just seems like downtown just doesn't want me there.

Mini vent.

[TheTed]

There's massive amounts of free on-street parking all over downtown. I'm sure even if it was a sold-out concert you could still park on the street if you were willing to walk a mile or so.

I find it amusing that it costs $15 to park for one concert at 6th and Denver. It costs $10.75 for a month of parking a couple blocks farther away, at the big lot behind the Doubletree.

[sgrizzle]

I hadn't been downtown for several years when I went to the What About Rail meeting last year.  I took the map provided of the area on the web.  When I got there, all the noted parking lots were not free. I thought that what looked as $5. for a 2 hr meeting was too much.  I almost turned around and when home but then found a free spot on the street because it was after hours.

I recently went to the model train show in the convention center.  I found a spot a few blocks away that was free because it was on the weekend.  The walk is no problem, I usually walk about 2 miles during my lunch break.

I see repeated postings about how someone only paid $5 to park for an event and how the city doesn't charge enough for parking during an event.  And so on...

Some posters here complain that the suburban tresspassers use the city streets without paying for them.  The City of Tulsa should put up toll booths for anyone entering the city limits.

It may just be an incorrect perception of a suburbanite, but for a city with minimal mass transit to the suburbs it just seems like downtown just doesn't want me there.

Mini vent.

FYI: Parking for the "What About Rail" event, in the adjacent garage, was free.

[Red Arrow]

FYI: Parking for the "What About Rail" event, in the adjacent garage, was free.

I found that out, after the fact, on this forum.  I drove up the ramp looking for an indication of "park here" for the event but saw only signs indicating paid parking.  There may have been signs indicating free parking for the event but I didn't see any so I stopped in one of the lots along the street.  I thought after hours might be free but it wasn't.  I drove a couple of blocks and found some on street parking.  I almost went home without attending the meeting.

If I were a downtown regular, I would know where the on-street parking would likely be available.  I'm not so I don't.  I don't like wandering around looking for a parking spot, even in a big suburban parking lot.  I usually park near the outer edges to avoid waiting for someone blocking traffic waiting for someone to come out of the store. (Also to minimize the probability of door dings.)

This is getting off topic so I'll leave it with the above.  (Unless really challenged.)

[carltonplace]

Red Arrow, I'm glad you post here and don't get dismayed by all of the "insider Tulsans". You have a lot of knowledge about transit and give a good unbiased suburbanite view of downtown. Considering that you have lived urban in other cities but choose to live suburban here, I think you would make a great case study as to why Tulsa's core is not as desirable to people that move here. There are literally thousands like you and your input should be valued. You can help us to be better.