It seemed as if Oklahoma was in the clear for a brand new arena that would be part of the Rock Creek Entertainment District plan, but the Sooners’ battle against some residents and council members of the City of Norman might not be over yet, after all.
In February, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the gist of a petition against the entertainment district project insufficient, which immediately prompted OU to move forward with the plans after a long two-year delay. However, on Friday, Norman councilmember Kimberly Blodgett proudly posted on Facebook that she and two other councilmembers put an ordinance appeal related to the Rock Creek Entertainment District on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
City of Norman could once again delay Oklahoma’s new arena project
These councilmembers are trying to send the entertainment district and its tax increment financing, or TIF, to a public vote, according to OU Daily, which City Attorney Rick Knighton says the city does not have the authority to do.
The Rock Creek Entertainment District would include a new arena for OU men’s and women’s basketball, OU women’s gymnastics, and whatever other concerts and events the city wanted to host there. The project would also include hotels, restaurants, housing and more around the arena at the University of Oklahoma’s North Park area. The area would be similar to Ballpark Village in St. Louis, which new OU athletic director Roger Denny helped represent St. Louis bond issuers during the deal that eventually led to the construction of that successful project that helped revive that part of St. Louis…