Some Private River Projects To Move Ahead Despite No Vote
The dust has settled from the failed river project, so what remains? Tulsa voters rejected the plan 52% to 48% Tuesday night, but some of the river improvements are still possible. The News On 6’sWednesday, October 10th 2007, 5:15 pm
By:
News On 6
The dust has settled from the failed river project, so what remains? Tulsa voters rejected the plan 52% to 48% Tuesday night, but some of the river improvements are still possible. The News On 6’s Steve Berg reports at least two donations will still be made, although nothing near as big as the $122 million private gift that was once possible. Meanwhile, two large commercial developments are possible but still pending.
The Kaiser Foundation will make good on its promise of $12 million in trail widening and improvements, which have already started between 21st and 31st Streets. But virtually all of the $122 million in additional private pledges is kaput.
"A lot of people supported it. A few more didn't than did, so the public has decided, and we'll just need to move on," Ken Levit of the Kaiser Foundation said.
Detailed drawings for a $5 million gathering place at 41st and Riverside are still posted at QuikTrip's company headquarters, but QT spokesman Mike Thornbrugh says it doesn't make sense to do something this big without the other gathering places to go with it. However, he says they will still do something on the river to mark their 50th anniversary.
"It'll really be scaled back. We'd really like to have done what we had planned, but we'll scale it back and make sure that it'll be another quality project that people can go down and enjoy," QT spokesman Mike Thornbrugh said.
Thornbrugh says they intend to keep a positive attitude about the situation.
"I mean I'd like to use the term disappointed, but I think the real term is we're saddened by it, but we understand it and you just move forward," said Thornbrugh.
The News On 6 spoke with Rick Huffman by phone on Wednesday, he’s the Branson Developer who proposed the $500 million Tulsa Landing for the west bank of the river. Huffman said, "From our perspective right now, it's probably dead."
Huffman says the key is still land acquisition and says the project is still possible if he and city leaders can find some way to do that besides a sales tax.
The News On 6 tried, but couldn't reach Lynn Mitchell with the Jenks River District. He supported the river tax but has not indicated his plan was contingent on it, so presumably, he plans to go forward.
Watch the video: Voters Say No, But The Arkansas River Could Still See Improvements
Related Stories:
2/9/2007 Record Donation Aids Expansion Of River Parks Trail
6/20/2007 River Development Plans
6/21/2007 New Plans For Arkansas River Development
7/17/2007 River Development Reaches Another Landmark
7/18/2007 River Developments Hinges On Vote Of The People
7/18/2007 Arkansas River Development Plan Announced
7/19/2007 Campaign Planned To Push River Development
7/20/2007 River Development Plan Similar To One Already Passed
7/26/2007 City Councilor Has A New Plan To Pay For River Development
7/29/2007 Explaining Development Along The Arkansas River
7/30/2007 River Tax Debate Continues
7/31/2007 River Plan Not Popular With Tulsa County Residents
7/31/2007 River Plan Reactions
8/9/2007 River Development Plans Move Ahead
8/21/2007 River Tax Groups Turn To The Internet For Support
8/22/2007 Republican Group Against Arkansas River Tax
9/4/2007 Our River Yes Kicks Off River Development Campaign
9/5/2007 People For And Against River Tax Begin Campaigns
9/6/2007 Groups Battling For Votes On Arkansas River Tax
9/8/2007 North Tulsa Residents Rally Against River Tax
9/9/2007 River Tax Supporters Face Upstream Battle
9/13/2007 Rock The River Looks For Your Vote With Entertainment
9/16/2007 More People Getting Behind River Tax Plan
9/19/2007 Students Debate River Tax Plan
9/19/2007 City Takes A Stand Against River Tax
9/20/2007 River Development Swing Vote
9/20/2007 QT Unveils Its Plans For The River
9/21/2007 From Dry River Bed To Lakeside Community
9/23/2007 'Run For Our River' Set for October 7th
9/24/2007 Rally Held Against River Tax Proposal
9/25/2007 River Tax Supporters Reach Out To North Tulsa Community
9/26/2007 River Opponents Given New Incentive To Pass River Tax
9/27/2007 Who’s Donating To River Development?
9/30/2007 After Decades Of Wait And See, River's Future At Crossroads
9/30/2007 Will River Development Hurt Jenks’ River Businesses?
10/1/2007 Community Will Decide City And County Sales Taxes In Same Election
10/2/2007 River Tax Forum Held
10/4/2007 EXCLUSIVE: George Kaiser Talks About The River Tax Proposal
10/4/2007 Street Construction Money Dispute
10/4/2007 River Development Plans Hinge On River Tax Vote
10/5/2007 River Tax Package Includes A Rebate
10/5/2007 Archaeological Finds Along The Arkansas River
10/5/2007 Where Will The River Tax Money Go?
10/6/2007 Oklahoma Poll Shows A Split 'River Tax' Vote
10/7/2007 Final Push For River Tax
10/7/2007 Last Minute River Push
10/8/2007 City Against River Tax Claims Supporters Are Misleading Their Voters
10/9/2007 Voters Say No To River Tax
10/10/2007 Officials: Recovery From Sales Tax Defeat Could Take Years
Get The Daily Update!
Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox!
More Like This
October 10th, 2007
September 29th, 2024
September 17th, 2024
Top Headlines
December 13th, 2024
December 13th, 2024
December 13th, 2024
December 13th, 2024