Oklahoma
Mayor, councilmembers: Keeping OKC ‘big league’ is critical to our city’s aspirations
Thirty years ago next week, Oklahoma City’s modern renaissance began when the people of Oklahoma City approved the original MAPS.
There are at least two reasons for our city’s success these last three decades:
1. A city that continues to invest in itself is a city that will grow and thrive.
2. A city that works together will get things done.
A different take: Councilwomen say vote ‘no’ on the arena deal; OKC residents deserve transparency, involvement
The seven of us are not all registered with the same political party. We live all across the city. We have very different backgrounds and perspectives. We are different generations. But, each of us voted to send this proposal to the voters on Tuesday. We each have different reasons for doing so. Our thoughts about this proposal are as unique as our wards and our constituents. Some of us like different aspects of the proposal a lot more than others. All of us accept that outcomes are never just as we want them to be. But, we each recognize that keeping Oklahoma City “big league” is critical to realizing the aspirations we each have for our great city.
The seven of us recognize that we have a sacred trust. We know that selfless public servants sat in these seats for a century before us, and we hope that our successors judge that we also took seriously the obligation to leave things better than we found them.
One of the legacies left to us has been a century-long commitment to a competitive downtown arena. Our predecessors sent proposals for new arenas to the voters in 1927, 1962, and 1993. They recognized — as we do — that the city’s arena is an economic engine and a centerpiece of our city’s quality of life.
The proposal on the ballot Tuesday secures that economic impact for another 30+ years, beyond 2050. And, it doesn’t raise the tax rate above its current level.
And yes, we consider it self-evident that the Thunder have dramatically changed the city. Becoming a big league city created opportunities for our city we could have never imagined. We don’t want to lose that, but the Thunder’s original lease has expired, and a new arena guarantees a new long term relationship.
We also don’t want to miss out on concerts and other shows that should be in OKC. Every concert that goes to a smaller market in our region (like Tulsa) is usually the result of having an arena that is too small by square footage and has serious technical challenges that make it difficult to load in the big shows. We’ve been here before, and when our arenas became obsolete in the past — like in 1962 and 1993 — we reinvested.
Each of us believes in the important work our city government does to support people at all socioeconomic levels and across the city. We recognize we jeopardize those efforts if we don’t have this economic engine providing the tax dollars that make this work possible.
Though not all of us voted for the Council’s Community Benefits Agreement resolution highlighting the needs of future workers at the new arena, we all believe that the jobs at the new arena can provide economic opportunity for all our residents.
Additionally, we value the philanthropy that has come with the Thunder, and we love the way the Thunder unites our city. We can hardly imagine Oklahoma City without the Thunder, and we are excited that we have the opportunity to keep them without raising taxes.
We respect those who disagree with details of this proposal, and we share many of their goals. But, we have studied this issue for nearly two years and accept that perfection is simply not attainable.
More: OKC arena vote: Here are some columnists’ takes on the plan
In the end, each vote we will cast Tuesday counts the same as yours. Ultimately, this choice is up to you. Every major initiative of the last 30 years faced the voters. We wouldn’t have it any other way. We ask that you let your voice be heard Tuesday. We will see you at the polls.
David Holt is mayor of Oklahoma City. Bradley Carter, Ward 1; James Cooper, Ward 2; Barbara Peck, Ward 3; Todd Stone, Ward 4; Matt Hinkle, Ward 5; and Mark Stonecipher, Ward 8; serve on the Oklahoma City Council.
Jeremiah Fears averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists for Oklahoma.
Jeremiah Fears has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft after one standout season at Oklahoma.
Fears made the announcement on a social media post Wednesday. The 6-foot-4 guard is projected by many to be a lottery pick. He averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season and helped the Sooners reach the NCAA Tournament.
“This year has been an incredible journey, and I am grateful for all the love and support I have received from the OU fan base!” he said in a statement on social media. “I want to express my gratitude to coach (Porter) Moser and the entire coaching staff, who believed in me and allowed me to showcase my abilities at the University of Oklahoma.”
The previous high-profile freshman at Oklahoma, Trae Young, has kept in contact with Fears. Young was the No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft and was an All-Star for the Atlanta Hawks this season.
Advertisement
“Jeremiah is going to be a really good player,” Young said in January. “I mean, being one of the highest recruits that we’ve got at OU in a while, I’ve been keeping up.”
Fears had plenty of big games that boosted his stock. He scored 26 points against Arizona. He hit a 30-footer, drew a foul and completed a four-point play late that pushed the Sooners to an 87-86 win over Michigan in the Jumpman Invitational. He scored 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting and made four 3-pointers in a loss to No. 2 Florida.
He scored 29 points in an Southeastern Conference Tournament win over Georgia. In a loss to Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament, he scored 20 points and kept the Sooners in the game.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Thirty years ago, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history devastated our nation.
National Geographic is taking an unprecedented look back in a docuseries called “Oklahoma City Bombing: One Day in America.”
On April 19, 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was under attack -168 people died in that bombing, including 19 children. Hundreds more were injured.
“This attack is still the deadliest domestic terror attack in the U.S. to date, but may not necessarily know all the details of it,” says Director Ceri Isfryn.
Isfryn wanted to change that.
“I hope people will listen to the stories of these ordinary people,” Isfryn says. “At the end of the day, they simply went to work that day and found themselves an extraordinary situation.”
Amy Downs is one of them. In the docuseries, she relives the harrowing experience of being trapped in the rubble for hours and shares her incredible survival story.
“I think something for me that was surprising was hearing from my rescuers and hearing their perspective,” Downs says, with gratitude. “That was really powerful.”
National Geographic takes us through the darkest days of this homegrown attack and the eventual arrest of Timothy McVeigh.
“You really do get that sense of relief when they realize they have got the right guy,” Isfryn says.
Downs says the love and support that followed was overwhelming.
“The last day I was in the hospital, eight days after the bombing, I remember looking out of the window and seeing, in the middle of the day, all of the cars driving with headlights on. People were doing that as a symbol of love and hope and support. I just remember that spirit of how people came together to help,” she says.
“Oklahoma City Bombing: One Day in America” is a three-part series.
It premieres April 2nd on National Geographic and streams starting April 3rd on Disney+ and Hulu.
Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Ryan is managing editor at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City.
Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more.
Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com.
Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.
Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK.
Hawaiian doctor’s wife describes moment she realized husband was allegedly trying to kill her
Satanic leader arrested after Black Mass, scuffle at Kansas Statehouse: 'A despicable act'
Tech-addicted teens plot to stab mom for turning off Wi-Fi: police
Washington Post article hyping anti-DOGE protesters in deep red state omits crucial details
South Carolina community rocked by wealthy family's deaths in stately home
-
News1 week agoTrump Is Trying to Gain More Power Over Elections. Is His Effort Legal?
-
News1 week agoWashington Bends to RFK Jr.’s ‘MAHA’ Agenda on Measles, Baby Formula and French Fries
-
News1 week agoCompanies Pull Back From Pride Events as Trump Targets D.E.I.
-
World1 week agoAt least six people killed in Israeli attacks on southern Syria
-
Technology1 week agoTrump officials planned a military strike over Signal – with a magazine editor on the line
-
Technology1 week agoThe FBI launched a task force to investigate Tesla attacks
-
World1 week agoNo, Norway and Sweden haven't banned digital transactions
-
Culture1 week agoAnalysing Jamal Musiala’s bizarre corner goal for Germany against Italy