WHEN he first disclosed plans to seek a taxpayer-funded upgrade to the Ford Center, in order to give Oklahoma City a shot at landing a pro basketball franchise, Mayor Mick Cornett summed things up this way: "This is a choice. We can choose to be an NBA city, or we can choose not to be.”
It really is that simple. Those who live in Oklahoma City and want to see our city continue the momentum that's been more than a decade in the making need to choose "yes” on March 4, a week from Tuesday.
A yes vote would mean approval of a 1-cent sales tax, to begin the day after the current MAPS for Kids tax expires at year's end. The arena tax would last about 15 months and fund major improvements to the Ford Center and construction of a practice facility. New restaurants, better concession areas and other upgrades would be the result — essentially a new arena.
With a yes vote, Oklahoma City voters would be saying they believe that what transpired here with the New Orleans Hornets — when we knocked the NBA's socks off with our support of the displaced squad — wasn't a fluke but instead was a sign of things to come, if only the city got the chance.
A yes vote would signal to others in the region, indeed around the country, that Oklahoma City is more than just that place where the awful bombing happened, and instead is a vibrant and growing city that wants to grow even more. Joining the NBA community would help that happen — we've written previously about the league's remarkable and ever-growing global reach.
A yes vote would make it easy for the NBA's board of governors to approve the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City. The NBA's commissioner has said it's clear the Sonics will be moving on, because there's no resolution in sight to an ongoing beef with ownership. Oklahoma City is first in line for the Sonics' new address, but we'll be erased from the list if the tax is defeated.
Opponents of the March 4 proposition lean heavily on class envy arguments, saying the team's wealthy owners — all Oklahoma City businessmen — should pay for arena upgrades and a practice site if they want their team here. The reality is that taxpayer-funded facilities are the norm in pro cities. From Jerry Jones' new home for the Dallas Cowboys to George Steinbrenner's new Yankee Stadium, public dollars are helping pay at least some of the freight.
And there's much to be said for local ownership. If the Sonics come here, it's fair to expect that the men who have already invested so heavily in their team will do everything they can to make it work, for their team and the city.
Oklahoma City has been transformed in the past 10-15 years. A yes vote March 4 would help continue that transformation. And a no vote? "I think it kills our momentum — 10 years of positive momentum,” Cornett said.
We'll choose the former.
