OKC MAPS PROJECTS – 25 YEARS
place Oklahoma City among a group of elite destinations for training and competition. New permanent trails developed in MAPS 3 now connect distant areas of the metropolitan area to the Oklahoma River and downtown. Convention center improvements addressed the limited role played by Oklahoma City in the national convention market. MAPS funding upgraded and extended the life of the aging and undersized Cox Convention Center by more than two decades. This improved conference venue provided the initial step in rebuilding the city’s convention profile as early MAPS projects were marketed as new assets for conventioneers visiting Oklahoma City. These efforts have since led to the groundbreaking on the construction of a nationally competitive conference center approved in MAPS 3 and adjacent Omni conference hotel. The improvements at State Fair Park reflect the tightly woven role of agriculture and animal husbandry in the state economy, as well as the significance of the facility in-state entertainment and tourism. The success of these improvements led to the subsequent construction of the Bennett Event Center at State Fair Park in MAPS 3. The trolley system is the only relatively small project among the initial MAPS efforts and the only project that is no longer active. The trolleys were decommissioned in 2010 at the end of their useful life. The final project in the original MAPS initiative, the Ron J. Norick Downtown Library was completed in August 2004. The library serves the local community through traditional library services as well as providing computer access, meeting space, and online services. The library carries a largely educational focus and is designed to serve primarily city residents.
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