Proposed Business Improvement District
View the Presentation 6-27-08 New Questions and Answers Regarding the Proposed Ballpark — July 9, 2008Letter from Bill Witt, Borden Dairy, to City Council Letter from Chuck Lamson, Tulsa Drillers, to Mayor Kathy Taylor regarding North Tulsa Youth BaseballLetter from Ann Nicholson Smith, Neighbor for Neighbor, to Mark Hilliard, Tulsa Drillers"Baseball: A Hot Sport in North Tulsa Community""Drillers Help Youth Baseball League Find Growing Success" - Tulsa World article by Cory Young"Drillers Hit Home Run with Northside Youth" - Tulsa World article by John Klein"League Covers Bases" - Tulsa World article by Ginnie Graham 
Downtown Ballpark Assessment Frequently Asked Questions
What is this assessment?
To improve downtown Tulsa’s business climate, property values and economic vitality. The assessment has two components:
One will provide downtown services similar to what Downtown Tulsa Unlimited does today on the current district which expires June 30th, 2009.
The other major component will be to assist in the financing/construction of less than one-half of the cost of an all purpose sports facility which will be principally used by the Tulsa Drillers. Private gifts and the lease agreement with the team will pay for more than one-half of the costs of this facility.
Who pays the ballpark assessment?
Property owners inside the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL) considering they will benefit the most from this $60-million investment in downtown Tulsa.
Are there exemptions?
Yes. As with the current business improvement district (BID), churches and federal property will be exempt.
How much is the assessment?
The total is six-and-half cents per square foot per year, invoiced annually. The trust benefiting the City of Tulsa will administer the district. It is contemplated that approximately $1.1-million will go to downtown services annually and the balance will go toward construction funding. If the ballpark is not built, we will likely revisit the BID closer to the expiration date for the current district.
Is this more than I am currently paying?
Yes. Given the broad benefits of a new ballpark to the entire downtown community we have simplified the structure and will apply one rate to all property inside the IDL. The $.065 per square foot covers everything.
How much more?
The increase depends upon your location within the IDL. You should have received an estimate of your proposed assessment. If not, you can obtain the information from the City Clerk.
When would this go into effect?
July 1, 2009, upon the expiration of the existing district.
Does the District have a sunset provision? When will it expire?
30-years
As a landlord, will I be able to pass this expense on to my tenants?
The typical lease should allow landlords to pass the assessment through. However, we encourage you to review your current lease forms and how you currently handle the existing assessment with your tenants.
What portion of the Six-and-half-cents will go to the ballpark and what portion will go for services?
Approximately $1.1-million annually indexed for inflation, not to exceed 4% will go to downtown services. The balance will go to the stadium construction.
Who is going to provide the services, currently provided under contract to the city, by Downtown Tulsa Unlimited?
As the existing Improvement District expires on June 30, 2009, the City will conduct a review of the services, with public input of the downtown business owners, to determine what services should be provided. A public bidding process, in which DTU may participate, will be conducted to contract the services. The trust will select the most appropriate party to provide these services.
How many people will this stadium bring to downtown Tulsa?
The Drillers alone have 70-home games and each game averages about 5,000 fans. Additionally, we believe that another 30+ days per year of activity can occur with concerts, events, car shows, street fairs, youth soccer, etc. In total we expected over 400,000 new visitors per year to downtown.
Do we have adequate parking?
Absolutely, in fact it works quite well. Most Driller games are either 7:05PM weeknights or 2PM on Sundays. As a result, we have ample parking with existing public and private garages and parking facilities.
Have you consulted major property owners and received their input?
Yes, we have had extensive discussions with dozens of property owners. We have received tremendous support from the substantial majority of the largest property owners. They see the long term benefits to their investments in downtown Tulsa.
Is this Business Improvement District legal?
Yes, this is structured in compliance with Oklahoma law and has been utilized for the last 25+ years in downtown Tulsa.
Will this new stadium create the successful environment that Bricktown in Oklahoma City has become?
We believe that this stadium, in concert with the new BOK Center and renovated Convention Center will create an exciting and successful downtown environment.
Where will the ballpark be located?
We have two locations under consideration. The preferred location is in the historic Greenwood District. The City also has option rights through August on land in the East Village.