Reprint Of Unflattering Article Could Be Good For Tulsa

A magazine reprints a 24-year-old story that paints Tulsa in an unflattering light, but could it actually be good news?

Wednesday, October 28th 2015, 9:47 pm

By: News On 6


A magazine reprints a 24-year-old story that paints Tulsa in an unflattering light, but could it actually be good news?

SPIN Magazine is celebrating its 30th anniversary. In honor of that, it began a 30 years- 30 stories campaign.

Last week, the first article was republished from 1991 and the old story focused on Tulsa and it wasn't very flattering.

The writer didn't seem to be very impressed, calling it a nice place to live but not a place you'd want to visit.

That didn't sit well with people, like myself, who love this city - or city leaders for that matter - and they want SPIN magazine to know about the Tulsa of today.

"It really does not depict Tulsa as what it is today," said Abby Kurin with the Department of Film, Music and Culture.

In 1991 - SPIN writer Jim Greer traveled here and one of the first quotes in the article

"If you ever find yourself in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on a Monday night with nothing to do, I've got another tip for you. Get the hell out of town," he wrote.

What a difference two decades can make. Not-so-nice Tulsa, Oklahoma, just made the New York Times list of top 52 places to visit this year.

"It is here and it is great," said Kurin. "We are inviting SPIN to come back."

And so are people on social media. The Tulsa community wants to use the outdated article to showcase how people no longer want to get the first ride out of town on a Monday night.

But the writer didn't end there - he took a shot at a classic - saying..

"I always thought he meant the difference between Oklahoma and the East or West Coast, but now I know better. Time in Tulsa is almost a visible thing."

The pace of the city has quickened since then with development projects on almost every corner. Hundreds of millions of dollars in investments in the last decade alone.

"It's Tulsa's time and I know that sounds really cliche but it really is Tulsa's time," said Ray Hoyt with Visit Tulsa.

Visit Tulsa is three months into an 8-month study aimed at figuring out the city's brand. National and International researchers are here asking questions and taking an outside look at how people perceive the city.

"Clearly, Tulsa has decided to wake up culturally diversity and arts we are strong and have great assets but haven't told anybody about it," Hoyt said.

So to SPIN Magazine - hopefully you are listening now.

And while out on this story - I ran into musician Norah Jones - who played at the Brady Theater last night. They had just toured the Woody Guthrie Center and were heading towards the Center of the Universe - after a trip to Chimera, of course.

The group said Tulsa was top notch.

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