$3 Million Renovations Coming To Golden Driller Plaza, First Upgrades Since 1966

The Golden Driller is known around the world, and now Expo Square is looking forward to inviting everyone into his world in a new and exciting way.

Thursday, March 4th 2021, 4:45 pm

By: Amy Slanchik

TULSA, Okla. -

Multimillion-dollar changes are coming to Golden Driller Plaza at Expo Square. The goal is to make the area more park-like.

Tulsa's Golden Driller takes on new looks all the time, whether it's an OSU-Tulsa tie for graduation, pink boots for breast cancer awareness, or the Tesla look, vying for Elon Musk's attention. Right now, he is masked up during the fight against COVID-19.

While his appearance has changed over the years, there have not been any renovations to his surroundings on the ground, until now. The first upgrade since Expo Square was built and the driller arrived back in 1966, is now underway.

"It's definitely time,” Expo Square Chief Operating Officer Amanda Blair said.

She said the whole entrance will look different, with new drop off lanes for guests.

"We're pulling the actual entry to the building a little bit further from the door so that cars cannot go directly in front of the front doors anymore,” Blair said.

There will also be a concrete base around the Driller's feet, with the goal to make it more inviting to tourists and Tulsans who want a picture.

"Everybody who comes to town, they stop there to get their picture taken,” Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith said.

Keith, who described the Golden Driller as “cute” and “quirky,” visited a Golden Driller replica at an amusement park in France a few years ago.

"We had a blast!” Keith said.

Back at home with the original Driller, Blair said Vision Tulsa funds voters passed years ago will provide about $1.25 million for the project. The rest of the $3 million price tag will be paid for by Expo Square.

“We're just excited that we're able to put some of our own dollars into the project as well, to upgrade our front door,” Blair said.

The Driller will also get a fresh coat of paint, which he gets every few years.

Expo Square said the goal is to have construction wrap up by Labor Day, with final touches done a few weeks later, just in time for the Tulsa State Fair.