14, 1993, residents of Oklahoma City went to the polls and voted to advance Oklahoma City’s future by approving a temporary penny sales tax. As a result, nine projects were funded and drew attention from around the country. That community- backed investment was spent on renovations to the city’s convention center, performing arts center and fairgrounds; construction of a 15,000-seat ballpark, a mile-long canal, a 20,000-seat arena and a downtown library. MAPS also funded the complete renovation of an often-dry riverbed into the Oklahoma River. The return on investment is tangible: To date, more than $7 billion in economic impact can be directly attributed to the original MAPS program. However, it’s the things you can’t quantify that have contributed the most to Oklahoma City’s story. Because of the original MAPS programs, Oklahoma City is now home to the Oklahoma City Thunder, an NBA team that plays in Paycom Center, a MAPS- funded arena. There is an Olympic and Paralympic training site at the Oklahoma River. The area had to be mowed before MAPS reinvented it. MAPS also had a significant impact on downtown Oklahoma City, which has grown to more than 66,000 employees and almost 11,000 residents. The first iteration of the MAPS program was so successful that Oklahoma City residents have approved three additional versions. The MAPS for Kids programs invested $700 million into construction, transportation and technology projects benefiting Oklahoma City’s public school students. Residents continued investing in their city with MAPS 3, the ongoing $777 million capital investment program that is scheduled to be complete in 2021. Many MAPS 3 projects are changing the landscape of downtown Oklahoma City, including the new, recently opened Oklahoma City Convention Center, Scissortail Park, the OKC Streetcar and an Olympic-caliber whitewater facility called RIVERSPORT Rapids. In 2019, the MAPS 4 initiative was approved, which will bring more than $900 million in investment to the city, including major investments in the city’s social service organizations. The 16 MAPS 4 projects will span from the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, where a new arena will be built, to the northeast corner, where a new civil rights center is being constructed. The package has projects that will ultimately improve life for all residents, including four-legged ones. Learn more at okc.gov/maps4.
Moving to OKC
Being equidistant from both coasts at the junction of three of the nation’s major interstate arteries, Oklahoma City’s location ensures easy travel and transportation to anywhere in the United States, whether by plane, train or automobile. Oklahoma City is the Modern Frontier in the southwest, with a variety of cultural influences combining to make it an exceptional place. Read more at ABetterLifeOKC.com/GetAround. Traveling by car Two of the nation’s most important highways – Interstate 40, which runs from Los Angeles to Raleigh, N.C., and Interstate 35, which runs all the way from Mexico to Canada – meet in downtown Oklahoma City. The intersection of these major highways, along with the nearly 13,000 miles of streets in the city, secures Oklahoma City’s status as the crossroads of America. It also makes Oklahoma City incredibly easy to navigate. One of the many perks of living in Oklahoma City is that residents don’t spend their free time trapped in traffic going to and from work. In fact, the average person spends about 23 minutes commuting one way to work, compared to the national average of 27.6 minutes. A generous network of interstates and free-flowing arteries make it easy to commute from one corner of the metro to another. And Oklahoma City’s streets are made up of a grid system, making navigation a breeze. State and local transportation officials are continuously working to improve the transportation
system and ensure that Oklahoma City’s commute stays congestion-free as the region continues to attract new residents. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s current eight-year construction work plan includes a significant number of key metro-area projects, and the City of Oklahoma City began its largest investment in streets in its history in 2018. In September 2017, Oklahoma City residents approved $1.2 billion in general obligation bond and sales tax funds to make sure Oklahoma City’s transportation infrastructure is growing alongside its population. In addition to the $847 million that will be invested in repairing Oklahoma City’s streets, bridges and improving drainage, the bond and sales tax packages also include funds for adding more bike lanes, building new sidewalks and investing more money in public transit. Traveling by air The key aviation hub of Greater Oklahoma City and its connection to cities across the nation and world is Will Rogers World Airport, which has recently seen a considerable rise in passenger air service. Eight air carriers are helping to get passengers to their destinations as needed, including Alaska, Allegiant, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United and American. A brand-new air carrier, Breeze Airways, recently announced several non-stop flights from OKC.
The 17-acre Myriad Botanical Gardens is a calm and peaceful urban retreat in the heart of Oklahoma City. The park offers a grand performance lawn, a children's discovery garden, a dog park and many community and seasonal activities throughout the year.
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