Drillers To Get New Home

The Tulsa Drillers will have a new home. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor has announced plans to build a new stadium downtown near I-244. News On 6's Jeffrey Smith reports the new ball park will be in the heart of the Greenwood District in downtown Tulsa.

City officials and the team owner say putting the team in downtown Tulsa was an easy call.

The proposed park will have about 6,000 seats and should be open in time for the 2010 season.

"I really think this will be able to attract tenants to downtown buildings and employees to downtown companies because it's going to be more of a neighborhood; more to do, more excitement," said Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

The stadium would be built in the Greenwood-Brady District. Mayor Kathy Taylor says it's a home run for the city.

"There's a real density of entertainment options now downtown, with the ballpark really being the centerpiece," said Taylor.

City officials say for decades the area has been trapped because of the Inner Dispersal Loop and the railroads. Now, a new ballpark will revitalize the entire downtown.

"It'd connect North Tulsa, The Brady District, downtown, South Tulsa, so it'd be a great location for everything to go together," said Herbert Tennyson with Abears on Greenwood.

Herbert Tennyson owns Abears restaurant. He says he's ready to catch foul balls and feed hungry fans.

"As soon as they start building, I'm ready to go over there and start handing out some menus. I can't wait," said Tennyson.

It's a bright future for the Drillers and a bright future for a historic slice of downtown.

The city so far has hit a single. But, to hit for the cycle, the money's got to be in place. The Mayor's proposal is to increase taxes for commercial businesses in the area. The assessment would be 7 cents per square foot. The financing package will be voted on by the city council in two weeks.