Thunder Stadium Vote

[kirk1978]

I don't attend the Thunder games (unless my brother gives me his company tickets) but I believe the city is either spending to move forward or its heading back to the old days when OKC downtown was a wasteland. (That was only 25 years ago)

 

[trekrok]

why? How are we gonna get better without investing into our home?

I don't consider a billion dollar taxpayer funded stadium better. There are plenty of real infrastructure needs that trump that.

The owner extortion argument of 'we'll leave if you don't build it' seems like bs to me.

And we're OKC. Not NYC or LA or Dallas, or whatever. And I don't want to be.

 

[okcBob]

Only thing I have seen is that the building of the stadium in 1968-72 cost 300-something million, there were two renovations with budgets not posted, a 500 million (in 2022 dollars) renovation done in 2010, and now the chiefs are asking for another renovation of a similar tune.

“On April 4, 2006, Jackson County voters approved a tax increase to finance municipal bonds to pay for $850 million in renovations to Arrowhead Stadium and nearby Kauffman Stadium. Before the bond election, the NFL awarded the 49th Super Bowl in 2015 to Kansas City provided it would have a climate-controlled stadium.”

Arrowhead Stadium - Wikipedia​

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Arrowhead_Stadium”

Might be better resources online, but I found this pretty quick.

Here‘s another source confirming the 850 million bond.

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2006/04/03/daily22.html

 

[Fade2blue]

Mail in ballots for the difference

 

[kirk1978]

Mail in ballots for the difference

Looks like those were 3900 for and 1800 against. I assume those are the votes they are showing since there is 0% reported...they already have votes???

 

[John6185]

Personally, the current arena is probably more than adequate so why build an new one? It won't generate any more spectators that we currently have (there are just so many people that attend a game) but will increase sales tax on those living in Oklahoma county. To me it makes as much sense as me wanting a new home because mine is over 20 years old but yet more than adequate.
I maintain that the city should use the money (if voted in) to establish a school to train and educate low income earners for skilled labor which would not only give them a better life but they'd pay more in taxes and the city would benefit from that multifold. Think of that! OKC wold be the only city in the US to have a program that would be a national training standard of excellence that would actually pay the city back over only a few years.

 

[Fade2blue]

Stealing from citizens to fund this

 

[Seadog]

I don't consider a billion dollar taxpayer funded stadium better. There are plenty of real infrastructure needs that trump that.

The owner extortion argument of 'we'll leave if you don't build it' seems like bs to me.

And we're OKC. Not NYC or LA or Dallas, or whatever. And I don't want to be.

That is my sentiments exactly. The billionaire owner can pay for it. Not the people of Oklahoma. If it leaves oh well.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

51% counted, the vote looks 71% yes, 29% no.

 

[HoLeChit]

There are plenty of real infrastructure needs that trump (spending money on a big ol stadium).

The owner extortion argument of 'we'll leave if you don't build it' seems like bs to me.

And we're OKC. Not NYC or LA or Dallas, or whatever.

I definitely agree with you on these things. Otherwise, we'll have to agree to disagree.