SemGroup's Sponsorships May Slow

SemGroup has been very involved with corporate sponsorships in Tulsa for years. The News On 6's Jeffrey Smith reports in the past two years alone, the company has donated millions of dollars. Everything from art to athletics, the SemGroup name has been behind it all.

To put it mildly, SemGroup has deep pockets.

"Without SemGroup, those exhibitions might not have happened," said Anne Brockman of Gilcrease Museum.

And they use those deep pockets to make a deep impact on Tulsa.

Brockman helps run the Gilcrease museum. She says in recent years, SemGroup has sponsored several exhibitions and fundraisers to the tune of a hundred thousand dollars.

"We need sponsors to put on exhibitions, to put on fundraisers, and to put on the programs that get people out here to appreciate the museum," said Brockman.

"This last year we expanded it out, took out the windows, and then added the seating part of it," said Marketing Director Todd Cunningham of the Tulsa Ballet.

They're not just donating art; they're donating to the arts. They've been partners with the Tulsa Ballet for two years.

"We invited them to come see a performance, and that's all it took," said Cunningham.

Cunningham says since that time, they've spent $10 million on renovations. The crown jewel is the brand new 250-seat auditorium.

"In general, the SemGroup and the Kivisto foundation, between the two of them, we were given at least three to four million dollars," said Cunningham.

SemGroup is now the main sponsor of the LPGA Golf Tournament at Cedar Ridge. This year the winner's purse was almost two million dollars because of a big contribution from the company.

"One point eight was the largest purse, it went up $400,000 over the year before. SemGroup's the one responsible for all that," said Cleve Stubblefield of Cedar Ridge Country Club.

From the greens to the studio, SemGroup is one of the biggest corporate sponsors around town.

SemGroup also gives donations to the United Way, to the Tulsa Opera and many other organizations throughout the city. Now there is some concern out there that this financial instability will force SemGroup to cut back on its sponsorships, but all those organizations say it's just too early to speculate on how today's news will affect them down the road.

Related Story:

07/18/2008 - Cash Shortage Hurting SemGroup