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Branson Landing creator still eyeing Tulsa riverbank: His company's proposed $500 million project could include a major sports arena.(Tulsa World (OK) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 24--The man behind Branson Landing is still very interested in building a development along the west bank of the Arkansas River that could include a multiuse sports complex. "We're very interested," Rick Huffman, CEO of HCW Development, said Thursday. "So we want to be sure the city knows that." Huffman said his company has put a lot of money and time into the project, including preliminary work on a site plan, outlining boundaries and looking at possible access routes. The proposed $500 million mixed-use project would cover about 100 acres between the 11th Street and 21st Street bridges and would include retail, residential and office space. A major sports and entertainment venue also is being considered as part of the project. Huffman said amphitheaters and sports complexes provide a natural complement to retail and residential spaces. Consumers today prefer "one-stop shopping," he said. "You can go to your sporting event, maybe go have a meal . . . and park your car one time." Huffman described his proposed sports venue as "multipurpose with baseball." On Monday, Chuck Lamson, owner of the Tulsa Drillers baseball team, said he had signed a nonbinding letter of intent with the River District Development Group to build a 7,000-seat ball park in Jenks. The next day, city officials vowed to continue to work on keeping the team in Tulsa. The team currently plays its games at Expo Square. Huffman said downtown development is important for the city of Tulsa. "We have all been to suburbia malls," Huffman said. "People now want action in the heart of the city; that's what is exciting." The Missouri company continues to work on a formal proposal, Huffman said. The architecture firm of Suttle Mindlin of St. Louis has been hired. Benham Cos. of Tulsa and Butler-Rosenbury & Partners of Springfield, Mo., also are working on the project. A countywide vote is set for Oct. 9 on a 0.4 percent sales-tax increase over seven years to fund infrastructure improvements, land acquisition and site development along the Arkansas River corridor. Huffman said his decision to build in Tulsa is not completely predicated on voter approval of the sales-tax initiative, but insisted that some funding mechanism to prepare the land for development is essential. "I don't see how it will be possible (without it) because the city's going to need to fund the land acquisition," he said. "Our company believes it is highly important the tax pass." ------ Owasso senator opposes river tax A local state senator has come out against a proposed sales-tax increase to fund an Arkansas River development plan. Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, said Thursday that he opposed the tax initiative for two fundamental reasons. The first is that there is nothing in the $282 million proposal that would benefit his district. In addition, "I am not for adding new taxes" for projects unrelated to the basic infrastructure and public safety needs for which the government is responsible, he said. An Oct. 9 vote is set on a 0.4 percent sales-tax increase over seven years to implement parts of the Arkansas River Corridor Master Plan. The public funds would pay for low-water dams, land acquisition and river channeling, and site development. ------ Kevin Canfield 581-8313 [email protected] To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com. Copyright (c) 2007, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |