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Rodger Randle: Walt Helmerich rebuffed developer for park site

Walt Helmerich III, whose foundation donated $1 million toward the 1991 purchase of the riverfront property now known as Helmerich Park, and who served on the board of the bank that owned the land, rebuffed an overture from a private developer who wanted to create a "major mixed-use entertainment, recreational,...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 15, 2017 10:48 PM

OK Supreme Court: Helmerich Park lawsuit can go forward

The Oklahoma Supreme Court voted unanimously today to allow Tulsa residents to move forward with a lawsuit against the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority over the proposed sale of part of Helmerich Park to a private developer. Here is a statement from Save Helmerich Park, the...

Posted by Michael Bates on September 11, 2017 5:20 PM

Vision Tulsa, sheriff special election: BatesLine ballot card

Here are my recommended votes in the Tulsa County special election on April 5, 2016, for the unexpired term for Tulsa County Sheriff and county and municipal sales tax propositions. Links lead to more detailed information or earlier blog entries. (This entry may change as I decide to add...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 5, 2016 7:00 PM

Vision Tulsa and Tulsa County, April 5, 2016, election in a nutshell

Tomorrow, April 5, 2016, voters across Tulsa County have a special election for sheriff and will also vote on the county's sales tax proposal (1/20th of a cent for 15 years) for capital projects. Here's what the white countywide ballot will look like. Voters in several Tulsa County municipalities will...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 4, 2016 5:57 PM

Arkansas River retrospective

Over the last 13 years, I've written quite a bit about the Arkansas River and proposals for damming and remodeling it, and about what Tulsans really are seeking when they ask for water in the river. Recently I resurrected several of my Urban Tulsa Weekly columns and my 2007...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 29, 2016 6:00 PM

April 5, 2016, Vision Tax / River Tax ballot resolutions

On April 5, 2016, the Cities of Tulsa, Glenpool, Jenks, and Owasso and Tulsa County will vote on sales taxes to replace the 0.6% Vision 2025 county sales tax that expires at the end of this year. The following are the ballot resolutions approved by the respective City Councils and...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 19, 2016 12:38 AM

Dallas whitewater river feature endangers water supply

Adventures in "water in the river," from this week's Dallas Observer: This has to do with one of the stupidest, zaniest, least necessary and most mentally challenged projects the city has ever undertaken -- and that's saying something -- a so-called "white water feature," or fake rapids, in the Trinity...

Posted by Michael Bates on January 27, 2016 7:59 PM

Riverside Drive protection major amendment on Tulsa Council agenda

An ordinance to amend the "Bartlett Amendment," which requires Riverside Drive improvements to be a separate item on the ballot at capital improvements elections, is on the agenda for tonight's (August 8, 2013) Tulsa City Council agenda. The amendment would exclude Riverside Drive improvements between 2300 and 3400 Riverside Drive...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 8, 2013 3:15 PM

Foreclosure looms over Jenks Riverwalk

Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks faces foreclosure: Court records show the American National Bank of Texas has started foreclosure proceedings against Colburn Electric, Jerry Gordon, and RWC Management. I'm skeptical that any riverfront development can duplicate the success of San Antonio's Paseo del Rio, with its combination of a natural bend...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 23, 2011 7:59 PM

Planning Tulsa's Riverfront: A Brief History

This is the originally submitted version of a story that was published on January 31, 2007 as the cover story of the February 1-7, 2007, edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly, under the headline "The River Review: Planning Tulsa's Riverfront: A Brief History." The story as published can be found on...

Posted by Michael Bates on January 31, 2007 10:13 PM

A promenade on the river

This is the originally submitted version of a story that was published on October 4, 2006, in the October 5-11, 2006, edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly. The story as published can be found at the Internet Archive. Posted on BatesLine on March 23, 2016. A promenade on the river By...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 4, 2006 1:14 AM

Wanted: A Promenade

This is the originally submitted version of a story that was published on September 27, 2006, in the September 28 - October 4, 2006, edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly. The story is not available in the Internet Archive but was previously online at http://archives.urbantulsa.com/article.asp?id=3657. Posted on BatesLine on March 23,...

Posted by Michael Bates on September 27, 2006 11:51 PM

River realities: The Arkansas, viewed from an airboat

This is the originally submitted version of a story that was published on September 20, 2006, as my column in the September 21-27, 2006, edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly. The story as published can be found on the Internet Archive. Posted on BatesLine on March 23, 2016. River reality By...

Posted by Michael Bates on September 20, 2006 11:07 PM

Making the most of Tulsa's unique places

A version of this column was published on August 2, 2006, in the August 3-10, 2006, issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly under the headline, "Intelligent Design." Below is the column as originally submitted. The as-published version of the story is available on the Internet Archive. Submitted version posted on BatesLine...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 2, 2006 5:06 PM