Oklahoma House Turns Down Tulsa OKPOP Museum Funding

The Oklahoma House has defeated legislation that would authorize $25 million in bonds to build the Museum of Popular Culture in Tulsa.

House members voted 49-44 Thursday against the Senate-passed bill. The House sponsor of the bill, Republican Speaker Jeff Hickman of Fairview, kept the measure alive by giving notice he may ask the House to reconsider its vote.

The bill would fund construction of a 75,000-square-foot museum, nicknamed OKPOP, and a parking garage in the Brady Arts District of Tulsa.

Supporters say it would house artifacts donated by some of the state's most popular musical artists including country music stars Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire.

Opponents say the museum is not a core function of state government.

5/19/2015 Related Story: Pop Culture Museum Plan Clears Oklahoma Senate On Second Try