Tulsa World: Committee to explore future of Drillers Stadium

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Committee to explore future of Drillers Stadium

By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Published: 6/18/2009 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 8/10/2009 1:01 PM

The fair board took the first step Wednesday toward determining how the site of Drillers Stadium at Expo Square will be used once the Double-A baseball team moves downtown next year.

The fair board's chairman, County Commissioner Fred Perry, announced Wednesday the creation of a 10-member Drillers Stadium Property Committee to explore the issue and come up with recommendations.

"When the Drillers move downtown after this season, we will be faced with the decision of what to do with this property," Perry said. "It's a big decision, and we need to carefully consider all of the possibilities.

"I'm confident that the group of people I've selected will bring about good discussion leading to a good recommendation to the entire Tulsa County Public Facilities Authority Board."

Tulsa's professional baseball teams have played at the fairgrounds since 1932. Drillers Stadium, which sits on about 5 1/2 acres at the corner of 15th Street and Yale Avenue, was completed in 1981.

Beginning in 2010, the Drillers will play their games at ONEOK Field.

The nearly $40 million stadium is being built against a raised portion of Interstate 244, bounded by Elgin Avenue and Archer Street, and will abut the back side of businesses along Greenwood Avenue.

Perry said he has not set a deadline for the committee to conclude its work.

The Drillers pay the fair board $18,000 a year in rent, as well as a percentage of concessions, which last year totaled about $67,000, Expo Square

officials said.

Perry also announced Wednesday the creation of two other Expo Square-related commissions: one to plan for the renovation of the armory and the other to look into replacing the facility's roughly 2,500 livestock stalls.

Drillers Stadium Property Committee members:

Expo Square President and CEO Mark Andrus; fair board member Daryl Woodard; former County Commissioner Bob Dick; Terry Simonson, director of development and governmental affairs for Tulsa County; Mike Parish, commercial realtor; Aubrey ringleb, Friends of the Fairgrounds executive director; state rep. Jeannie McDaniel; City Councilor Eric Gomez; and Suzann Stewart of the Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau. A neighborhood representative has yet to be named. Perry will be the committee’s chairman.

Kevin Canfield 581-8313
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Fair board takes first step towards determining future of Drillers Stadium," which was published on 6/17/2009.

	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (6/17/2009 5:43:18 PM) Please not another parking lot. I have an idea. How about an amusement park? Bells is gone, so is Celebration Station. I'm not saying it should be Bell's that opens an amusement park, it could be some other organization or company. Though I suggest that Murphy Brothers not be involved, thank you very much. An amusement park would be a great addition to Big Splash.
	Report Comment Popeye, T-Town (6/17/2009 5:48:25 PM) I think the should convert it to a softball facility. OKC could stand some competition, we have an abundance of teams around here...
	Report Comment your kidding, Owasso (6/17/2009 5:55:38 PM) Bring back TU baseball.
	Report Comment Few Clothes, Austin, TX (6/17/2009 5:56:43 PM) A perfectly fine ball park will go to waste.
	Report Comment TOF, Tulsa (6/17/2009 6:04:58 PM) the fair board run them off just like they did Bell's. Oh wait, Big Splash will be next.
	Report Comment Harry, (6/17/2009 6:18:27 PM) yourkidding, you nailed it. Bring back gene shell style baseball
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (6/17/2009 6:39:04 PM) Tear it down and build a parking lot.
	Report Comment owen, Tulsa (6/17/2009 6:45:46 PM) I like Popeye's idea.
	Report Comment roshambo, (6/17/2009 6:54:05 PM) Either soccer or softball or even both would me awesome.
	Report Comment Harry, (6/17/2009 7:28:30 PM) make it a flea mkt, that what the golden rule want,s. they will fail, and the next thing you know there,s a motel..err...hotel sitting there. good luck with that. so glad i don't live in you're city.err... town
	Report Comment commonsense, Tulsa (6/17/2009 9:49:34 PM) perfect spot for TU baseball, but lets face it the fair board will only turn it into horse barns.
	Report Comment Tbone, (6/17/2009 11:03:44 PM) I would like to see them turn the old park into parking but swap out some of the parking on the infield of the horse track. If expo square had enough space, they could host horse jumping or other equestrian events. Horse events are big money for the fairgrounds.
	Report Comment rgsimpson, (6/18/2009 3:17:02 AM) If the Fair Board hadn't been so insistent on getting rid of Bells, they could have built their new parking lot on the grounds of Driller Stadium
	Report Comment Webmeister, Tulsa (6/18/2009 3:44:10 AM) Mayor Kathy Taylor acting on behalf of a certain connected construction company, managed to crush a 77 year tradition by conniving to build a new baseball stadium downtown. The Tulsa County Fair Board just might not be in such a fired-up hurry to knock down the current Driller Stadium. Why? There is a likelihood, based on the recent Oklahoma Atty. General's opinion letter, with so many blatant illegalities foisted on the downtown Business Improvement District property owners, some judge might just decide to issue an injunction on collecting ANY of the new downtown ONEOK Stadium-related assessments until a full trial on the merits. Then, where will the funds come from? The new BID assessment starts July 1..........
	Report Comment Krevlornswath, (6/18/2009 5:48:52 AM) We could turn the ball park into a parking lot and RV area, and then use the land adjoining Louisville for the new Juvenile Justice Complex. There would be plenty of space from 17th to 21st bordering Louisville.
	Report Comment Krevlornswath, (6/18/2009 5:52:08 AM) The RV area right there really makes sense, because of the drug store and grocery store nearby. You could probably also pack a hotel into the footprint.
	Report Comment tulsan09, Tulsa (6/18/2009 8:34:21 AM) Well whatever they do, there will be the same old group whining and complaining.
	Report Comment SteveSooner, Owasso (6/18/2009 10:09:57 AM) They could turn it into a soccer field and get a professional team, and call them the "Roughnecks"....Oh wait a minute, been there, done that....well they could turn it into a football field and get a professional football team, and call them the "Outlaws"...Oooppps, deja vu all over again. Any bets on it becoming yet another parking lot?
	Report Comment concernedpapa, Kiefer (6/18/2009 10:41:50 AM) Webmeister No need for that. Ithat should happen they will move to Jenks. Being involved as closely as you should have been to Tulsa politics you should have realized that. Think maybe that's why you lost the last itme you ran? You can bet Jenks will invite them with open arms.
	Report Comment concernedpapa, Kiefer (6/18/2009 10:42:07 AM) Ithat= If that
	Report Comment psychedelikrelik, Tulsa (6/18/2009 10:43:21 AM) Looks like Phase II of paving paradise and puttin' up a parkin' lot.
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (6/18/2009 12:33:38 PM) Amusement Park is needed in Tulsa.
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (6/18/2009 12:52:50 PM) TU Baseball should be the plan.
	Report Comment d van, Tulsa (6/18/2009 1:37:39 PM) See if they can lure the Bell family into moving an amusement park into the fairgrounds ;). I'm fully expecting a Murphy Brothers amusement park, at least I was expecting it, before last year's scandals. But seriously, folks, an amusement park needs to be put back in Tulsa.
	Report Comment d van, Tulsa (6/18/2009 1:43:03 PM) Another thought; Some kind of permanent tradeshow facility/market complex would be good. A "flea market" concept with inside booths as well as an outdoor farmer's market. Charging a booth fee plus mandating sales tax collections would bring in plenty of year-round revenue. Tulsa needs a good farmer's market.

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