About Oklahoma City
know how it all began. The city was founded in the Land Run of 1889 when 50,000 homesteaders raced to stake a claim on unassigned lands. The brave spirit that took our city from a population of zero to 10,000 overnight lives on today and can be seen in our growing companies and in our community attitude. About the region Oklahoma is land of diversity, beauty and hospitality, which is easily seen in the state’s landscape. Mile for mile, Oklahoma has the nation’s most diverse terrain. With 11 distinct ecoregions, four mountain ranges, and more man- made lakes than any other state, the opportunity to enjoy Oklahoma is as unlimited as your imagination. The Greater Oklahoma City region is located in the center of the state, making it easy to explore all that Oklahoma has to offer. When combined with its unique history and the spirit of its people, Oklahoma is a place where anything is possible. To learn more, visit the state’s tourism website at TravelOK. com. The MAPS impact You may wonder how Oklahoma City was able to become a modern Cinderella story, and the answer is simple: Oklahoma City is not afraid to bet on itself. After a decade of economic depression in the 1980s, Oklahoma City leaders knew that if they didn’t invest in themselves, no one else would. A bold plan to reshape Oklahoma City’s future began to take form and the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) program was born. On Dec. 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, $7 billion in economic impact can be directly attributed to the original MAPS program. However,
Downtown attractions backed by MAPS include the Chesapeake Energy Arena, home to the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team (above), the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and Scissortail Park.
Oklahoma City Welcome Guide | ABetterLifeOKC.com 7
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