Oklahoma's 5th largest community continues to grow

The Jim Giles Wild, Wild Weather Show hits Broken Arrow Tuesday evening. Monday, we sent News on 6 anchor Craig Day to Broken Arrow to take a look around. <br/><br/>As Craig reports, there is plenty

Monday, March 14th 2005, 9:41 am

By: News On 6

The Jim Giles Wild, Wild Weather Show hits Broken Arrow Tuesday evening. Monday, we sent News on 6 anchor Craig Day to Broken Arrow to take a look around.

As Craig reports, there is plenty happening in the community to the east of Tulsa.

Broken Arrow got its start about 100 years ago. It is now the 5th largest city in Oklahoma and is still growing. Broken Arrow Mayor Richard Carter: "It's just a wonderful community to be in. It's got excellent people, churches. Everything."

91,000 people live in Broken Arrow. That is expected to grow to 111,000 residents by 2009. As spring draws near, a number of projects important to the city's future are underway.

Vision 2025 tax money will double the size of the NSU Broken Arrow campus. Perhaps the biggest business endeavour in Broken Arrow's 100 year history is well in the works. It's the new Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World. The store will be 130,000 square feet. Plus, a massive retail area surrounding the store is also planned. Bass Pro will draw thousands of visitors and that will mean a boom in sales tax money to help the city keep up with the anticipated growth.

Mayor Richard Carter: "We have all types of restaurants, retail facilities that are wanting to locate near Bass Pro. Several hotels. The development along the highway is just going to be phenomenal."

Bass Pro hopes to open this fall. So whatever lures you, Broken Arrow hopes you come for a visit and experience what makes the community unique. Broken Arrow is also the safest city in Oklahoma of all cities with a population of 75,000 or more.

The Wild, Wild Weather Show will be in Broken Arrow Tuesday night. Jim Giles takes the stage at 7 PM. The special mad science pre show begins at 6:30 PM.