The "this has nothing to do with Tulsa" mega-post

[swake]

Swake - Not to be a d**k, but you are incorrect.  Uber was in OKC first.

https://www.tulsaworld.com/business/technology/app-based-ride-service-uber-arrives-in-tulsa/article_40026e93-3a86-5928-8320-7611e4a06771.html

https://newsok.com/article/3895606/get-app-y-new-uber-car-service-arrives-in-oklahoma-city


Lyft launches at same time in both cities.

https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/24/lyft-24-new-cities/

https://newsok.com/article/4568534/lyft-joins-uber-in-oklahoma-city-as-officials-consider-regulating-ridesharing

Not to be a "d**k", but when did I mention Uber at all?

[Townsend]

Not to be a "d**k", but when did I mention Uber at all?

Going forward, can we begin all our posts with "not to be a d**k"?

Rename it "Tulsa-not-to-be-a-d**k-Now"

[swake]

Going forward, can we begin all our posts with "not to be a d**k"?

Rename it "Tulsa-not-to-be-a-d**k-Now"

It's probably about as polite as you can possibly expect in the age of Trump.

[Tulsasooner78]

Swake - Apologies.   It was Hurricane that mentioned Uber.   

For the record, I am a Democrat😀

[heironymouspasparagus]

Heironymouspasparagus you know "Eric" well, he's known as "erfalf" over here.

Ahhhh...  alrighty, then... let the games begin!  Maybe I should get a different name there.  Something a little easier to type in every time I sign on! 

[heironymouspasparagus]

Swake - Apologies.   It was Hurricane that mentioned Uber.   

For the record, I am a Democrat😀

So, not a member of any organized political party, huh??

[heironymouspasparagus]

Going forward, can we begin all our posts with "not to be a d**k"?

Rename it "Tulsa-not-to-be-a-d**k-Now"

Ok, so I need some clarification...if I say that at beginning of posts, can I actually still be one like Trump is/does all the time??

[Laramie]

Whether or not the IKEA rumor is dead; we have seen some recent companies/corporations land in midtown--north of DT.  One in particular, Global Payments (Atlanta) cited the Streetcar route and YMCA Parking Garage (pic, bottom left) as reasons for expansion/relocation of its North American HQ to OKC.  



They plan to bring 345 - 600+ jobs to the area with an average salary $59,172; some of these jobs will include relocations from Atlanta.  Oklahoma City council did approve $1 million in incentives to support construction.

Don't know the impact of our recent liquor laws or medical marijuana; however some think it's an attitude shift in Oklahoma that will eventually benefit TULSA-OKC.

Payment processor firm could bring more than 600 jobs to planned downtown OKC office:  https://newsok.com/article/5596196/payment-processor-firm-to-bring-more-than-600-jobs-to-planned-downtown-okc-office

Heartland headquarters incentives deal advances in Oklahoma City Council:  https://newsok.com/article/5607958/heartland-headquarters-incentives-deal-advances-in-oklahoma-city-council

OKC:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVc4pgBGO28

[TheArtist]

One thing I am very thankful for is our push to get pedestrian friendly/transit friendly development in our core.  Don't always get it as the rules are so lax, but we have been getting a decent amount nonetheless.  Seems more OKC developments in their core don't "get it", but thats just armchair prognosticating.  We may go down to OKC this Saturday to take a gander and see what they are up to down the pike lol.

[swake]

One thing I am very thankful for is our push to get pedestrian friendly/transit friendly development in our core.  Don't always get it as the rules are so lax, but we have been getting a decent amount nonetheless.  Seems more OKC developments in their core don't "get it", but thats just armchair prognosticating.  We may go down to OKC this Saturday to take a gander and see what they are up to down the pike lol.

They are about to start their streetcar train service. That's WAY beyond anything we are doing. "Bus Rapid Transit" in a few years doesn't cut it.

[SXSW]

They are about to start their streetcar train service. That's WAY beyond anything we are doing. "Bus Rapid Transit" in a few years doesn't cut it.

Bus Rapid Transit, if done right with set schedules, covered stops and high frequency, can be more effective than a streetcar.  Especially for a long distance inter-city route like Peoria.  That being said I think we should look at what OKC (and Kansas City) have done with a streetcar and see if we can do something similar that connects the downtown districts and also to TU.  I'm in OKC every few months and have been impressed by the new developments that have been spurred along the line. 

Anyways this thread is about IKEA..

[Laramie]

Bus Rapid Transit will be a plus for Tulsa.  It will be a success.   Hope Tulsa eventually bring its own streetcar system to downtown.  You have a beautiful/clean downtown; the streetcar would cater to tourists; especially convention attendees.  

Oklahoma City Streetcar system will serve 3 areas covering 6.9 miles, Downtown, Midtown (4.9 mile loop) & Bricktown (2.0 mile loop); the 6.9 miles of streetcar link interconnects.  Our biggest snag with the streetcar will be the underground tunnel--Metro Concourse which stretches throughout 20 blocks downtown, it covers 1 mile:  http://downtownokc.com/underground/

Tour of the OKC MAPS III streetcar route:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD7cyPMq18s

Oklahoma City 3D Fly-Through  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVgYJoEP36Q

There are many exciting developments under construction in OKC's new convention district with the 72 acre $131 million DT Scissortail Park, New Convention Center & 605 room Omni Hotel and the 133 room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Tulsa developer Andy Pratel has topped off at 5 stories next to the convention center.  http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=38017&page=10.

The Convention Center District comprised of $288 million convention center, $40 million 550 space parking garage, $131 million downtown park, $240 million Omni & $80 million Fairfield INN hotels will infuse $860 million into the new district.

MAPS 3 Oklahoma City Streetcar Progress Update – July 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gJKRIt15hU

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City's Bricktown District:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU3uO_1P6mg

[AngieB]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, OKC, blah, blah, blah, OKC, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, OKC... 

[Laramie]

An Atlanta-based technology service company is seeking financial incentives to aid in bringing up to 150 jobs to Oklahoma City.




Rural Sourcing, Inc. currently has 420 employees and is rapidly growing. It has targeted OKC for an expansion office and plans to add 150 new jobs over the next three years.

The average first-year wage is estimated at $68,614, according to documents appearing on the agenda for next Tuesday's Economic Development Trust meeting.

The offices would be located in the Plow Building, a recently restored five-story building at 29 E. Reno Ave. in Bricktown. Formerly abandoned, the Plow was thoroughly renovated by local developer Richard McKown and with this latest deal is approaching full capacity.



Rural Sourcing specializes in domestically outsourced software development and support. In addition to their Atlanta headquarters, the have offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Mobile, Alabama; and Jonesboro, Arkansas.

A memo to the trust from city manager Jim Couch indicates the Chamber of Commerce has been working with the company since July and that Rural Sourcing reviewed 50 mid-size cities and considered factors such as access to IT talent, cost of living, quality of life and economic incentives.

It is estimated that the financial impact would be $122.5 million over the first seven years.

The company plans to invest $500,000 in leasehold improvements and $1 million in furniture and equipment over the next three years.

The trust is being asked to approve a resolution that would be the first step in allocating $450,000 in incentives in general obligation limited tax bond proceeds. Ultimately, city council would have to provide final approval.



via OKCTalk:  Tech company to bring 150 jobs to Bricktown - Published on 09-14-2018 10:00 AM


Published: Wednesday, September 19, 2018 By: Steve Lackmeyer Source: NewsOK

Rural Sourcing, a software development company, is set to start hiring for its proposed new location in Bricktown later this year with plans to staff up to 150 people or more after three years.

Tre Sasser, chief financial officer at the Atlanta-based company, said Oklahoma City prevailed over 49 other cities considered for the company's fifth development center.

"I'm incredibly excited by the prospect of coming to Oklahoma City," Sasser said Tuesday during a presentation to the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust. "We believe it's the right combination of high-tech talent, low cost of living and quality of life to get us started."  https://www.greateroklahomacity.com/news/2018/09/19/newsok/rural-sourcing-aims-to-compete-against-world-from-bricktown/

The company will be on the Oklahoma City Streetcar Bricktown loop west of the Bricktown Ballpark.