Tulsa Neighbors Frustrated With Shopping Center Owners As Crime Continues

Neighbors upset about crime outside a Tulsa club and shopping center are frustrated the owners of both won't help them improve the area.

Over the last year there have been 52 police calls to the Alameda Shopping Center near 21st and Sheridan; most for instances outside Club Rio.

While neighborhood leaders have been unsuccessful to express concerns to the owners, a city councilor is looking at changing a local ordinance to make sure things improve.

The Alameda Shopping Center is home to a Dollar Tree, a Big Lots and the Rio Mexican Restaurant.

In recent months, police have responded to shootings, fights, a large drug bust, and Sunday night, for a man who was kicked out of Rio for being too drunk then later arrested in the parking lot for being intoxicated.

4/3/2017 Related Story: Man Arrested Outside Tulsa Club Rio

"We would like to get more positive businesses in here," said Johnny Hinton, president of the Hoover Neighborhood Association. "Look at the parking lot, and here it is, 6:00, 6:30 in the evening, it's not very busy."

Hinton thinks crime at the shopping center is part of the reason keeping businesses from filling empty spots.

"With some of the negativity and however the property management is going on," he said.

Hinton said some lights don't work and the parking lot needs an overhaul.

"It all needs to be resurfaced and relined in order for it to be appealing," Hinton said.

Last month, the neighborhood meeting was changed so people could discuss safety concerns. The Rio management and the property owners were invited - more than 100 people came to speak with them but neither group showed.

Hinton said, "Then the neighbors were disappointed because no satisfaction. Don't know what the plans are, if it can be correct, and what's going to happen."

District 5 City Councilor Karen Gilbert said she's frustrated the owners won't speak with the group to come up with a solution, saying she's speaking with the City's legal team to see if a nuisance ordinance can be amended to hold a business accountable when it has multiple police calls, like Club Rio.

We called several numbers listed for the owners of Alameda Shopping Center and no one has returned our calls. They are a reality group located in New York state.