Neighbors oppose Bell's Amusement Park expansion

Tulsa's only amusement park plans to expand, and the neighbors of the park promise to take them to court in order to stop the expansion. Bell's and Tulsa County have agreed on a new contract which

Thursday, December 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa's only amusement park plans to expand, and the neighbors of the park promise to take them to court in order to stop the expansion. Bell's and Tulsa County have agreed on a new contract which clears the way for Bells to add a new roller coaster. Plans call for construction of the new ride to be even closer to the neighbors that already complain about noise from the park.

Bell's Amusement Park has a long history at the Tulsa Fairgrounds, but their future there depends on expansion. The company wants to build a 100-foot tall roller coaster to the west of the roller coaster Zingo, and has threatened to move elsewhere if the county blocks their plans.

After a year and a half of negotiations, the contract suddenly came up in a meeting that surprised neighbors, and one of the members of the Public Facilities Authority. â€œI wish we would delay this until after the first of the year,â€ said authority member John Selph. â€œI just got it yesterday, less than 18 hours ago.â€

â€œMr. Selph, would you vote for it two weeks from today?,â€ asked authority member Bob Dick.
Selph responded, â€œI can't tell you that until I've had an opportunity to review it.â€ â€œMay I rephrase that, would you under any circumstances vote to approve an expansion that involves a possible roller coaster at Bells?,â€ asked Dick. â€œThat's possible,â€ Selph replied.

The authority approved the contract 4 to 0 with Selph refusing to vote. The neighbors are upset that they didn't know the vote was coming up, and that the county approved an expansion that brings Bell's closer to their homes. â€œI'm very upset we didn't find out about this meeting until last night,â€ said neighbor Donna Lynn. â€œI'm sure that none of the other neighbors or the other associations even knew they were going to have this meeting.â€

Bell's owner says the expansion is necessary to save his business. â€œWe'll always continue to try to be a good neighbor,â€ said Robbie Bell. â€œNow I don't think its' fair to compromise our livelihood. This is what puts bread and butter on my table, and I don't think it's fair to compromise that. We'll always stretch out our hand and try to be a good neighbor. We always have.

The neighbors will get a chance to argue their case before the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment. Short of legal action, it's their only way to stop the expansion which both Bell's and the county say is a requirement for Bells to stay at the fairgrounds. The new contract raises the rent for Bells from $125,000 to $450,000 a year. Should the board of adjustment deny the application to build a major new ride, Bell says he would have no choice but to leave the fairgrounds.