"In a time of economic upheaval and downtrending, the City of Oklahoma City Metropolitain Area Projects (MAPS) provides a stellar example of what can be done to revitalize cities and bring back new growth and life to what was formerly a struggling major metropolitan area. MAPS has not only injected new life into Oklahoma City, but served as a catalyst for continued growth across the board - - business, transportation, housing, and enhanced public gathering spaces - - have created new jobs and new hope, and will serve as a model for other communities brave enough to embark on such undertakings."

Therese Carpenter Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality

Additional Project Participants who should be recognized:

• The citizens of Oklahoma City
• The City of Oklahoma City, 100 N. Walker, 4th Floor, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
• Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, 204 N. Robinson, Suite 2400, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (green highlighted groups nominated as recipients of the award)

Executive Summary:
The oil boom that ended in the early 1980s and the traumatic collapse of the Oklahoma's energy business led to substantial out-migration, failure of financial institutions, excess capacity in real estate, and fiscal crises in state government. The inner city fell into a period of economic stagnation that persisted through the 1980s and into the 1990s. A serious lack of infrastructure was the limiting factor in attracting potential major investors and employers. Around this time, an ambitious redevelopment proposal for rebuilding the City's core, known as Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) was developed by city officials and was presented before the electorate. Instead of using separate bond issue propositions for each of the proposed projects and risk achieving voter approval of only a few projects, all the selected projects were placed on a single ballot that proposed a five year, penny sales tax that would pay for costs.

This was a unique approach at trying to garner public support for the different projects and also achieve the overall vision of growth of the economy and community. What were once stockyards, oilfields, refineries, and abandoned warehouses with environmental contamination have been transformed over time into vibrant, healthy business and community centers. Some of the private development in Oklahoma City would have been possible without the giant leap in marketability that was brought about facilities provided by MAPS but those initiatives would certainly have been much smaller and slower to develop. If it were not for the citizens of Oklahoma City and their willingness to create their own future, MAPS may have ended up as just another "great idea" languishing from a lack of funds and public support. Oklahoma City's residents supported the vision that if the City provided state of the art facilities and infrastructure, private investment would soon follow transforming blighted areas into lively, healthy communities and leading to a strong economy. The MAPS projects serve as an example of a successful collaboration between private and public sectors worthy of emulation.

• MAPS were funded by a temporary one-cent sales tax approved by city voters in December 1993. The tax was later extended by a vote of the people for six months to cover cost increases during construction and expired on July 1, 1999.
• During the 66 months it was in effect, over $309 million was collected. In addition, the deposited tax revenue earned about $54 million in interest, which was also used for MAPS construction.
• A 21-member citizen oversight board was appointed by the Mayor shortly after voter approval of MAPS to review project components including financing and site location and then make recommendations to the City Council. The creation of such a board allowed those involved with implementation of MAPS to connect with a range of stakeholders from beginning to end. Financial planning for the MAPS program and subsequent successful programs was a result of a dynamic, interactive effort on the part of the community, small and large businesses, social and cultural service organizations, and municipal government.
• The nine projects completed as part of MAPS included construction of a Bricktown ballpark, the Ford Center, the downtown library, Bricktown canal, renovation of the convention center, improvements to the State Fairgrounds, rebuilding of the Civic Center Music Hall, development of the North Canadian River into a seven-mile series of navigable river lakes called the "Oklahoma River", and the "Oklahoma Spirit" trolley system. The first of the MAPS projects, the Bricktown ballpark was opened in the spring of 1998 and the downtown library, the last of the MAPS projects, was dedicated in August, 17, 2004.
• The City of Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Urban Renewal Authority (OCURA), a public body corporate, began the process of acquiring properties through purchase or condemnation of blighted areas and assembling them for development for the betterment of the City. Once the parcels consolidated under one owner, OCURA worked with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to evaluate the land for areas that needed further investigation and analysis. Two large parcels in the area were enrolled in the Oklahoma Voluntary Brownfields Redevelopment Program [27 A O.S. SSS2-15-101 et seq.]. Under Oklahoma law, all parties that participated in the cleanup, their lenders, lessees, successors and assigns receive the State Brownfield liability release. The subsequent owners, lenders, lessees, successors and assigns also receive the enforcement bar from CERCLA liability provided in the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Redevelopment Act. Leaking Underground Storage Tank cleanups and oil well plugging were pursued under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
• Environmental reports indicated elevated levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals in the area. Several small plumes of petroleum contaminants in the Bricktown area were identified and investigated. Many of these plumes were found to be residual contamination from former gasoline service stations, former oil field operations, former refinery operations, and former bulk oil distribution centers. Soil and groundwater remediation, removal and disposal of underground tanks, abatement of asbestos in buildings, and capping of abandoned oil wells were also conducted by the City and OCURA on the various sites developed as part of MAPS and other subsequent redevelopment measures.
• Direct and indirect benefits that ensued as a result of MAPSs were:
• Remediation and transformation of underutilized and blighted urban brownfields into vibrant community centers.
• Capital investments within Oklahoma City's downtown, including the MAPS projects, total approximately $3.1 billion since the initial vote approving MAPS. Another $1.9 billion has been announced.
• A substantial increase in business in downtown and Bricktown - with more new businesses responding to the opportunities.
• Development of housing, mixed use facilities, office space and parking facilities It also provided the infrastructure that attracted aN BA team to make Oklahoma City its permanent home.
• World-wide recognition of the Oklahoma River as a venue for sports such as Olympic rowing, and kayaking and as a popular destination for fitness and recreation.
• Development of Oklahoma City as a cultural center.
• Empowered the residents of Oklahoma City to own their future and create the kind of community that they needed. "MAPS has changed not only the way we see ourselves and the way we feel about our city, it has changed the way people across the country and across the world think of and view Oklahoma City" Kirk Humphreys, Former Mayor of Oklahoma City

 

Before:

After:

What kind of long-term economic benefits did the project bring to the local community, such as population increase, job creation, tax revenue generation, just to name a few possible benefits?
The oil boom ended in the early 1980s and the traumatic collapse of the energy business led to substantial out-migration, failure of financial institutions, excess capacity in real estate, and fiscal crises in state government. Suburban sprawl and development of industry away from old commercial centers and closer to cheap land and the growing trucking industry resulted in underutilization of buildings in Bricktown. What was once a heavily industrial area busy with activity turned into a ghost of itself with empty warehouses and .abandoned derelict buildings with transients sheltering in every doorway.
Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) was Oklahoma City's visionary capital improvement program for new and upgraded sports, recreation, entertainment, cultural and convention facilities. It is believed Oklahoma City is the first city in the country to undertake a public facility enhancement project of this size. MAPS were funded by a temporary one-cent sales tax approved by city voters in December 1993. The tax was later extended by a vote of the people for six months to cover cost increases during construction. The tax expired on July 1, 1999. During the 66 months it was in effect, over $309 million was collected. In addition, the deposited tax revenue earned about $54 million in interest, which was also used for MAPS construction. The nine projects completed as part of MAPS included construction of a Bricktown ballpark, the Ford Center (arena), the downtown library, Bricktown canal, renovation of the Cox convention center, improvements to the State Fairgrounds, rebuilding of the Civic Center music hall, transformation of a seven mile stretch of the North Canadian River into river lakes, and the "Oklahoma Spirit" trolley system. The first of the MAPS projects, the Bricktown ballpark was opened in the spring of 1998 and the downtown metropolitan library, the last of the MAPS projects, was dedicated in August, 17, 2004.
The various MAPS projects were believed to be capable of improving the economy and attractiveness of this core and having a profound impact on proximal areas. The area needed extensive investment in infrastructure and services in order to draw in new or expanding businesses, events and other enterprises, essential for healthy and continual economic growth. Redevelopment of certain key facilities through the MAPS program helped bring in events and enterprises that were unlikely to have attracted by the severely limited facilities previously offered by Oklahoma City. The City desperately needed to encourage diverse private investment and downtown reinvestment in order to prevent economic fallout from sole reliance on a single industry -oil from happening again.



The oil bust and years of suburban sprawl severely damaged the vitality of the City core. The MAPS program stimulated the beginnings of a generational shift towards the inner city and this shift is slowly gaining prominence. MAPS projects helped create the Bricktown district on the eastern edge of downtown, drawing visitors to the Bricktown Canal, Bricktown ballpark, shopping, and restaurants. Spin-off development from the City's MAPS program is steadily gaining momentum as business and community organizations commit resources in the downtown area, particularly along the Bricktown Canal and the surrounding entertainment district. The success of MAPS allowed the City to create a downtown Business Improvement District, tax increment financing, leveraged grant funds, and loans to encourage reinvestment in the community. A more densely populated market place is being created in the inner city with initiatives like MAPS and successive projects like MAPS for Kids, work of civic groups, investments in streetscape projects, and the creation of an elaborate trail system connecting the inner city to the suburban rim. Trails running the length of the Oklahoma River on the north and south banks are part of the OKC Trails network and are open for runners, walkers, skaters and bikers.

The MAPS program provided the money for investment into the riverfront transformation. The North Canadian River has been transformed into a seven mile series of expansive river lakes that have already hosted a prestigious rowing tournament. The Cox convention center triggered the construction of a hotel that connected to the convention center by a skywalk, providing ideal facilities for conventions and meetings. Condominiums and townhouses built in adjacent historic areas are almost completely occupied and additional residential development is being planned. The Oklahoma Museum of Art, in downtown Oklahoma City, built entirely with private funds was designed around a landmark movie theater that had been abandoned for more than 20 years and threatened with demolition.

Investments in the area resulting from MAPS like the ballpark, canal, a refurbished convention center, a reconstructed music hall, a 20,000 seat arena, a library/learning center, and the Oklahoma River improvements has helped draw tourists, and local residents alike to the City's central core. The new downtown library has become a center of community activity. Concerts in the library's auditorium have been well attended. A very important link between core residential development and the library exists on a sustained daily basis. The "Oklahoma Spirit" trolley service makes getting around the downtown area convenient. The Oklahoma River is developing into a special tourist attraction with its boathouses for competitive rowing and its river cruisers that allow tours of the waterways and its locks. A new art museum, numerous dining and entertainment establishments in Bricktown, water taxi boat tours and a new sports retail establishment also add to the attractiveness of the area. A new 16-screen movie theatre complex brings thousands of movie viewers to Bricktown. The "Oklahoma City Thunder" a National Basketball Association team will be permanently housed at the Ford Center and their games have generated substantial increase in business in downtown and Bricktown- with more new businesses responding to the opportunities. Oklahoma City's central core is slowly but surely being transformed on a grand scale into a rising center of art and culture with great quality of life.