OKC MAPS PROJECTS – 25 YEARS
MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) The passage of the original MAPS projects on December 14, 1993 by 54% of voters ushered in a long- lived era of significant public capital improvement projects in Oklahoma City. The initial $350 million program focused primarily on the revitalization of the core downtown area. Years of urban decay, demolition, and suburban migration, all exacerbated by the Oil Bust of the 1980s, weighed heavily on the continued viability of downtown as the core of civic life in the region. City leaders recognized the pivotal role played by substandard public facilities in the struggles of the city core and proposed the original MAPS projects as an initial step toward reversing the economic decline of the area. MAPS Projects . The initial set of nine projects within MAPS is notable and includes several facilities that are now viewed as core city landmarks. Figure 4 summarizes the cost and economic development focus of the nine major projects. Projects include construction of the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, construction of the Bricktown Canal, renovation and expansion of the Cox Convention Center, construction of Chesapeake Arena, renovation of the Civic Center Music Hall, creation of the Oklahoma River system, construction of the Ron J. Norick Downtown Library, improvements at State Fair Park, and a trolley system for transportation to/from downtown and the surrounding area. The 2009 MAPS report provides additional context concerning the economic development issues addressed by the projects. The set of initial projects also highlights the relative lack of modern public amenities in the downtown area at the onset of MAPS. It further reflects the steep decline that had occurred in Oklahoma City’s stature as the civic hub of the region and state. These projects dramatically altered the visible look of downtown and created a key set of new civic assets for Oklahoma City and the broader region to enjoy. Figure 4. Original MAPS Projects – Summary Project Type Project Name Cost Economic Development Focus Sports Arena Chesapeake Energy Arena $87.7 million Recreation/entertainment and tourism Convention Center Cox Convention Center Improvements $60.0 million Public convention and meeting space, tourism River System Oklahoma River Redevelopment $53.5 million Recreation/entertainment and tourism Music Hall Civic Center Music Hall Renovation $53.0 million Civic/arts/entertainment and tourism Ballpark Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark $34.0 million Recreation/entertainment and tourism Canal Bricktown Canal $23.0 million Recreation/entertainment and tourism Library Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library $21.5 million Education Fairgrounds State Fairgrounds Improvements $14.0 million Recreation/entertainment and tourism Trolley Oklahoma Spirit Trolleys $5.0 million Transportation and tourism Total $350 million
Source: City of Oklahoma City and Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
The initial MAPS projects were funded through a 1 cent local sales tax beginning January 1, 1994. The tax was initially approved for five years and then extended in December 1998 by a vote of the people for an additional six months, reaching 66 total months. 3 The six-month sales tax extension dubbed ‘Finish
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