Thumbs Up To Downtown Ball Park Plan

The deal gets made for the Drillers to move to downtown Tulsa.  The city council passed a new property tax to pay for a downtown baseball stadium.  It will only apply to property within the Inner Dispersal Loop.  The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports the Drillers will open their 2010 season downtown in a new stadium.

The business deal between the City of Tulsa and the Drillers is still in negotiation.  The deal to pay for it was approved just before midnight on Thursday night.

There was no argument over the value of having the Drillers play ball downtown.  But, plenty of upset landowners argued against the new tax they'll have to pay for the stadium.  Even for a small business, like Phat Philly's sandwich shop, the tax is $1,000 a year.

"While I can't afford to pay big taxes, I'm still going to support it because I'm all in down here," said Jason Smith of Phat Philly's.

Big landowners will pay the most, $43,000 a year more for Home Depot.

Charities like the YMCA will pay, in this case $10,000 a year more.  But, others are exempt.  Churches won't pay the tax and so are the few homeowners who live downtown.

Just before the vote, three councilors argued for more time.

 "I'm not saying no, I'm just saying I need more time before I'm comfortable with the funding," said City Councilor Bill Martinson.

The mayor was pushing for a vote, mentioning the threat of another town making a bid, and others said the private donors might pull out.

"Do not reject it, it's there now, but it won't be there forever," said financial advisor Jim Allison.

A key factor in the equation was the Greenwood location that some saw as a political ploy.

"No longer is it north Tulsa, now it's downtown, and used to be, on that side of Archer, that was sure enough black folks," said Tulsan Regina Goodwin.

But, supporters argued the stadium crowds would help develop a neglected part of downtown.

"It's technically north Tulsa, so north Tulsa is going to see some growth out of this," said Tulsa Community Foundation's Phil Lakin.

"I feel good about it; I have no reservations about how I'm going to vote," said City Councilor Jack Henderson.

And in the end, the vote was six to three to create a new downtown property tax that will start next summer.  It will collect an estimated $25 million.

The stadium should open at the start of the 2010 season.

For more information about the stadium and the proposed business improvement district, CLICK HERE.

Related story:

7/9/2008  More Discussion On Drillers Move

7/8/2008  Talking About A Drillers Move

6/26/2008  Drillers To Get New Home