Downtown Tulsa struggles with sale of Wil Tel

The impact on downtown Tulsa of the sale of <b><a class="headlinelink" href="http://www.kotv.com/main/home/searchKOTV.asp?mainSearch=WilTel">WilTel</a></b> to Colorado's Level 3. <br/><br/>News on

Tuesday, November 1st 2005, 10:02 am

By: News On 6

The impact on downtown Tulsa of the sale of WilTel to Colorado's Level 3.

News on 6 sources say in a meeting Tuesday morning, employees were told to expect a 30 to 40 percent layoff quickly.

WilTel says that's just a rumor, and firm numbers as far as layoffs or transfers won't be calculated until the deal between the two companies is closed. Level-3 bought Wiltel for $680-million, but the price tag "didn't" include the downtown building that serves as current company headquarters.

News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says this sale would shake up the already struggling downtown real estate market. Developers say downtown Tulsa already sits 18 percent vacant. Downtown Tulsa Unlimited's Jim Norton says two-thirds of the WilTel building is already vacant, and he's not wasting any time searching for new tenants. "This morning. We started this morning. I'm having a meeting in the morning with the president of the Chamber, so we'll start this process. The process has already started."

Norton says the best-case scenario would be to find another major corporation willing to make the WilTel building their new company headquarters. In any case, it will take time to find a business that would make the right fit.

Until any official word from Level 3, the future is still uncertain for WilTel's 1,800 employees in Tulsa, but the fact Level 3 didn't purchase the WilTel building, could be a sign they don't plan on keeping employees in WilTelâ€™s Tulsa office.