Tulsa Survival Guide

guide.
TULSA SURVIVAL GUIDE
Tulsa |ˈtəlsə|
• a major city of northeastern Oklahoma situated on the Arkansas river.
• settled between 1828 and 1836.
• second largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th largest city in the United States.
• population of approximately 400,000
• for most of the 20th century, the city held the nickname “Oil Capital of the World” and
played a major role as one of the most important hubs for the American oil industry.
• in 2012, Tulsa was ranked in BusinessWeek’s top 50 best cities in America.
TULSA survival guide
Welcome to Tulsa!
Wallace Engineering is thrilled to host the 2014 SMPS
Marketing Communications Awards jurors from across
the country for ‘Judging Day’ on Saturday, April 5th.
Wallace Engineering is a structural and civil consulting
firm founded in 1981 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has grown
to include offices in Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Denver
and Atlanta. Our staff of twenty-one principals and over
one hundred thirty people represent personnel registered
as Professional Engineers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico,
District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, and British
Columbia, Canada.
Judging Day
Saturday, April 5th
7:30am-4’ishpm
Address:
200 East Brady Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
Welcome Reception: Friday, April 4th
5-7pm
Address:
Bar 46
107 North Boulder Avenue
Site of MCA
Judging Day
Fai
r
fie
We
lc
om
eR
ece
pti
on
ld
Inn
TULSA survival guide
MCA Judging Day begins early after a good night’s sleep...
MCA Hotel Venue
MARRIOTT FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES
111 North Main Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
918.879.1800
Opened in November 2012, the new Fairfield Inn & Suites
is located within walking distance to a number of
fantastic restaurants, lounges and art galleries in the
historic Brady Arts District.
• 80 guestrooms, including 24 suites
• Complimentary wireless internet services
• Complimentary on-site parking
• On-site exercise room
• Indoor salt water pool
• Complimentary buffet breakfast
SMPS MCA ROOM RATE:
• $99 King
• $109 Double
Restaurants/Lounges to enjoy right outside your hotel lobby door...
Prhyme Downtown Steakhouse
111 North Main Street, Suite A
(NE corner of Main & Archer)
918.794.7700
www.prhymetulsa.com
$$$$
The Tavern on Brady
201 North Main Street
(NE corner of Main & Brady)
918.949.9801
www.taverntulsa.com
$$
Laffa Medi-Eastern Restaurant
111 North Main
(SE corner of Main & Brady)
918.728.3147
www.laffatulsa.com
$$
You MUST also stop by our friend’s shop, Glacier Confection, at 15 E. Brady
(right across the street from the hotel) for delicious chocolate. Recognized as
one of the top ten confectioners in North America by Dessert Professional
magazine. @glacierschocolat
TULSA survival guide
Brady Arts District
One of downtown Tulsa’s oldest neighborhoods, the
Brady District was the main business hub from the late
1800s to approximately 1912.
What later became an area of aging and abandoned
brick warehouses visited only for its historic
entertainment venues, the Brady Theater and Cain’s
Ballroom, has now become a diverse mix of art galleries,
restaurants, nightclubs as well as home to local, regional
and national companies. With the thriving BOK Center
nearby and the opening of ONEOK Field, more and more
Tulsans are spending time in the Brady Arts District.
Wallace Engineering, host firm of MCA Judging Day, is
proud to have been involved in the revitalization of
Tulsa’s urban core and associated with many of the new
projects in the historic District.
Brady District Restaurants
Brady District Bars
Caz’s Chowhouse
17 E. Sheridan
918.588.2468
www.cazschowhouse.com
Oklahoma Joe’s
423 N. Main Street
918.960.2017
www.okjoes.com
Chimera Cafe & Coffee House
212 N. Main Street
918.779.4303
www.chimeracafe.com
Prhyme Downtown Steakhouse
111 N. Main Street
918.794.7700
www.prhymetulsa.com
Gypsy Coffee House
303 Martin Luther King Blvd.
918.295.2181
www.gypsycoffee.com
Spaghetti Warehouse
221 E. Brady Street
918.587.4440
www.40meatballs.com
Hey Mambo Italian Brick Oven
114 N. Boston Avenue
918.508.7000
www.heymambo.com
The Hunt Club Pub & Grub
224 N. Main Street
918.599.9200
www.thehuntclubtulsa.com
Laffa Medi-Eastern Restaurant
111 N. Main Street
918.728.3147
www.laffatulsa.com
The Rusty Crane
109 N. Detroit Avenue
918.947.5454
www.rustycranetulsa.com
Mexicali Border Cafe
14 W. Brady Street
918.582.3383
www.mexicalibordercafe.com
The Tavern
201 N. Main Street
918.949.9801
www.bradytavern.com
Bar 46
107 N. Boulder Avenue
Blu
111 N. Main Street
Caz’s Pub
21 E. Brady Street
Club Majestic Dance Bar
124 N. Boston Avenue
Soundpony
409 N. Main Street
The Hunt Club
224 N. Main Street
The Rusty Crane
109 N. Detroit Avenue
The Tavern
201 N. Main Street
Valkyrie
13 E. Brady Street
Yeti
417 N. Main Street
ZIN Wine•Beer•Dessert
111 N. Main Street
Friday, April 4th
6-9pm
@BradyArtsDist
On the First Friday of every month,
the historic streets of The Brady
Arts District are abuzz with all
sorts of activities.
Select a gallery to start at and then
“crawl” throughout The District’s
diverse venues.
Plan to enjoy dinner at one of
the many District’s restaurants
before or after you visit the galleries.
Reservations are highly
recommended.
TULSA survival guide
Places to enjoy during your stay in the historic Brady Arts District.
AHHA Center
Center of the Universe
The Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa Hardesty Arts Center, fondly known as AHHA, opened in
December 2012 and is the home of the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa in the heart of the
Brady Arts District. Offering exhibition space, classrooms, a family studio, woodshop, darkroom,
rooftop artist studios, and event space, creativity is truly at the core of the building.
The Tulsa Center of the Universe is a worn concrete circle,
approximately thirty inches in diameter, within the middle of
another circle made up of thirteen bricks. Overall, the center is a
little more than eight feet in diameter.
AHHA internally organizes and supports traveling, guest-curated, and collaborative exhibitions
organized with area artists and organizations. A broad range of themes, styles and mediums
present the best exhibitions of interest to the Tulsa community. Long-term residencies at AHHA
introduce students to new art forms and reach the broader community through exhibitions.
The center of the universe is an acoustic anomaly; when one
stands in the center of the circle and makes a noise, that noise
is echoed back several times louder than it was made. Imagine
dropping a small pin and expecting to hear a tiny “tink” as it
hits the floor. Instead, the sound the pin makes is more like the
loud crash of a gong.
Area artists have the opportunity to propose innovative and exciting public classes and
workshops for youth and adults. Traditional and new mediums are supported in state-of-the-art
classrooms including 2D, 3D, and 4D processes, a media lab, and an entire photography suite.
Community art classes are taught by area artists and educators.
Woody Guthrie Center
The Woody Guthrie Center is a public
museum and archive dedicated to the lift
and legacy of American folk musician and
singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie.
The center features an interactive museum
The center features an interactive museum
where the public may view musical
instruments used by Guthrie, samples of his
original artwork, notebooks and lyrics in his
own handwriting, and photographs and
historical memorabilia that illustrate his life,
music, and political activities.
Hosts the world’s largest collection of
material relating to Guthrie’s life.
While this in itself is amazing, the truly amazing thing is that no
one standing outside of the circle can hear a thing. A foghorn
could be going off in the center of the circle, and those on the
outside wouldn’t hear it...or rather, that’s how the legend goes.
In reality, your voice does become extremely distorted when
heard from outside the circle. Supposedly, the parabolic
reflectivity of the circular planter walls causes the distortion.
Many people have spent a lot of time studying how this effect
is made, but there has been no consensus on what causes it.
Whatever the causes of the distortions are, it is truly an
amazing place.
Located in downtown Tulsa, just south of the Brady Arts District
at the apex of a rebuilt span of the old Boston Street Bridge
between 1st and Archer Street, the Center of the Universe is
easy to find. A brick path leads to the pedestrian bridge that
goes over the railroad tracks, accessible from the corner of W.
Archer St. and N. Boston Ave. It is located directly northwest of
the old Union Train Depot (now the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of
Fame), and immediately south of the Williams Center Tower.
TULSA survival guide
Other neighborhood districts to visit during your time in Tulsa...
Blue Dome
Brookside
Cherry Street
The Blue Dome Entertainment District
encompasses nine square blocks in the eastern
section of downtown Tulsa.
The Brookside District is just a few miles south of
downtown Tulsa. Experience fine dining, fun
nightlife, unique shopping, art galleries and
exceptional services located on Peoria between
32nd and 41st Street.
The Cherry Street District is set near downtown in
the northern midtown area, defined by a portion of
15th Street between Utica and Peoria dubbed
"Cherry Street”.
It features buildings with a high level of
architectural or historical significance, including
the Blue Dome building, a 1920s-era Gulf Oil
station. Numerous early 20th century buildings
contribute to the character of the district.
The Blue Dome Entertainment District is
recommended for a nice night out at a local
restaurant or pub while catching some great local
bands.
Restaurant Recommendations:
• Juniper
• Tallgrass Prairie Table
• Yokozuna
• McNellie’s Pub House
• Joe Momma’s Pizza
• S&J Oyster Company
• White Flag
• Albert G’s BBQ
• El Guapo’s
• Dilly Deli (breakfast/brunch)
• Joe Bots Coffee / Dwelling Spaces (coffee)
Bar Recommendations:
• Fassler Hall (brauts and brew)
• Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge
You can find one-of-a-kind boutiques, antiques,
handmade pottery and art galleries. Brookside also
offers some amazing restaurants... from coffee
houses, sushi, family dining to fine five-star cuisine.
It’s also a fun area to stroll and enjoy meals on the
patios.
There are plenty of boutiques, decor shops, salons,
and art galleries for shopping. Scenic Riverside
Drive, which parallels the east bank of the river,
and River Parks, the park that stretches along the
riverbank, are also popular sections of Brookside.
Restaurant Recommendations:
• In The Raw
• Keo
• The Hen
• Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar
• Doc’s Wine & Food
• Cafe Ole’
• Mondo’s Ristorante Italiano
• R Bar & Grill
• Blue Moon Bakery (breakfast/brunch)
• Claud’s Burgers
Whether it's sampling one of over 20 restaurants in
the area or viewing Tulsa's finest local and regional
art galleries, Cherry Street offers entertainment for
everyone. A hot spot for decades, Cherry Street
features the highest number of locally owned
businesses in town.
Visitors to this neighborhood find great shopping,
particularly antiques and collectibles, a variety of
local eateries, as well as some fabulous old homes
in the surrounding residential areas.
Restaurant Recommendations:
• Palace Cafe
• Zanmai
• Lucky’s
• Tucci’s Caffe Italia
• Smoke
• Mi Cocina
• Andolini’s Pizza
• Hideaway Pizza
TULSA survival guide
d
fiel
Fair nn
I
Tulsa Downtown Trolley
Cruise through the Brady Arts, Deco and Blue Dome Districts every Friday and Saturday night from 5:30pm to 1:30 am.
Arrives at Guthrie Green on the hour and half hour. The ride is free! www.trolleymap.com
• Brady Arts District | Stops 1-5
• Deco District | Stops 6-9
• Blue Dome District | Stops 10-13
TULSA survival guide
Other hot spots to enjoy during your stay in T-Town...
Utica Square
Tulsa Golden Driller
It's hard to believe that Utica Square was once
thought to be on the "outskirts" of town. Over
fifty years later, Utica Square is an anchor of
midtown Tulsa and one of Tulsa's most treasured
attractions.
The Golden Driller is a 76-foot-tall, 43,500-pound statue of an oil worker. It is the largest free-standing
statue in the world, and the fourth tallest statue in the United States.
Today, Utica Square is known for its quality stores
and restaurants and has earned the reputation as
the area's finest open-air shopping center.
Restaurant Recommendations:
• Stonehorse Cafe
• The Wild Fork
• Polo Grill
• Queenie’s
It was originally built in 1953 by the Mid-Continent Supply Company of Fort Worth for the International
Petroleum Exposition. Six years later, it was temporarily erected again for the 1959 show. Due to the positive
attention it attracted, the company donated the statue to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trust Authority which
had it anatomically redesigned and permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center for the 1966
International Petroleum Exposition.
The statue's right hand rests on an oil derrick which had been moved from a depleted oil field in Seminole,
Oklahoma. An inscription at the base of the statue reads: "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International
Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have
created from God's abundance a better life for mankind." In 1979, the Golden Driller was adopted by the
Oklahoma Legislature as the state monument.
Tulsa River Parks
Offering the best in outdoor recreation, River Parks’ 26 miles of asphalt-surfaced
trails weave past gathering areas, playgrounds, fountains and sculptures along
the banks of the Arkansas River in Tulsa. Additionally, River Parks owns and leases
hundreds of acres reserved for wildlife habitation and land preservation. River Parks
also controls the water levels of portions of the Arkansas River using the gates of the
Zink Dam.
Outdoor events occur throughout the year featuring concerts, festivals, fireworks
and numerous running and cycling competitions. Several notable events that are
held at River Parks include Oktoberfest, FreedomFest (Tulsa’s July 4th celebration),
ScotFest and Tulsa Tough.
Restaurant Recommendation:
• Blue Rose Cafe
TULSA survival guide
Gilcrease Museum
Philbrook Museum
Gilcrease Museum is one of the country's best
facilities for the preservation and study of American
art and history. The museum's charm, beauty and art
collections draw thousands of visitors from around
the world to the Osage hills for a glimpse into the
past. Gilcrease Museum houses the world's largest,
most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts of
the American West. The museum also offers an
unparalleled collection of Native American art and
artifacts, as well as historical manuscripts, documents
and maps.
Villa Philbrook was a child of the Twenties. World War I was over. Women could vote. It was a time of
flappers, rumble seats, prohibition, bootleggers and five-cent Cokes. More than that, in Tulsa the Twenties
smelled of oil and resounded with money.
The Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History
and Art — Gilcrease Museum — opened in Tulsa on
May 3, 1949. Collector and oilman Thomas Gilcrease
(1890-1962) created this private museum. The vast
collection was deeded to the City of Tulsa in 1955 as a
result of a successful bond issue passed in 1954.
Just 10 minutes from downtown Tulsa, the museum is
open 10am-5pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
In 1926 Edward Buehler Delk (1885–1956), a Kansas City architect, was hired to design an Italian
Renaissance villa on 23 acres by oilman Waite Phillips. Delk skillfully interpreted Renaissance styles in the
most fashionable manner of the day and was hired in a burst of commissions with three major projects at
once: Villa Philbrook, Villa Philmonte and the Philtower office building. This impressive home was completed
in 1927. Friends say that the Phillipses built the villa as a place where their two children could entertain
friends. When they moved in, daughter Helen was sixteen, son Elliott was ten.
In 1938 Waite Phillips surprised Tulsans with the announcement of his gift of the 72-room mansion and
surrounding 23 acres of grounds as an art center for the city of Tulsa. The vision first made possible by Waite
and Genevieve Phillips is now one of America's finest art museums. The integrity of the original residence
remains intact while later additions to the facility and gardens complete this classic Tulsa attraction.
Serving an average of 150,000 visitors annually, Philbrook has become a poignant testimony to Tulsa's past
while building a shining example of this city's bright future. Through the generosity of Trustees, Donors, and
the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Philbrook opened a new satellite facility in Tulsa's Brady Arts District
on June 14, 2013. Philbrook Downtown features the Museum's growing collection of Modern and
contemporary art as well as highlights from the Native American collection, and includes the Eugene B.
Adkins Collection and Study Center. Philbook is open 10am-5pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
Westhope House
Westhope, also known as the Richard Lloyd Jones House, is a Frank Lloyd Wright
designed Prairie School home that was constructed in Tulsa in 1929. Richard Lloyd
Jones was Wright’s cousin and the publisher of the Tulsa Tribune. The home is located
at 3700 South Birmingham Avenue and is listed in the National Register. Westhope is
the location of a frequently-quoted anecdote about Wright: Richard Lloyd Jones
called Wright in the middle of a storm to complain that the roof was leaking on his
desk, and Wright replied, "Richard, why don't you move your desk?”.
TULSA survival guide
Deco District
Tulsa’s Deco District is located at the center of downtown Tulsa from 1st to 8th Streets between
Denver Avenue and Cincinnati Avenue. The Deco District is a collection of local businesses,
restaurants, shops and entertainment venues that celebrate Tulsa’s art deco history and
everything modern downtown Tulsa has to offer.
Tulsa is known for its art deco architecture and city design. Just as the city was growing in the
1920s thanks to the major oil boom, the Art Deco movement took off, and residents began
building skyscrapers, churches, industrial buildings, homes and other buildings in the popular
style. The tradition has been continued into modern times, and the architecture of the early 20th
century has been preserved into the 21st.
The businesses in the Deco District range from restaurants like Billy’s on the Square to
entertainment such as the Tulsa Children’s Museum and shopping at The Full Deco to staying in
the district at the Mayo Hotel. Tulsa’s Deco District is a unique place full of history, charm, local
arts and delicious dining.
Art Deco Walking Tours
Take a guided tour through the central business district and
learn more about the history and architecture of many buildings
along the way.
Known as the "Terra Cotta City" in the late 1920s for its
beautiful examples of Art Deco buildings, Tulsa offers a selfguided Art Deco Landmarks Walking Tour so others can learn of
the fascinating history and architects behind these structures.
Many of the buildings are now listed on the National Register
of Historic Places, and three internationally-recognized architects
designed buildings in Tulsa that are considered outstanding
examples of Art Deco style: Frank Lloyd Wright (Westhope);
Barry Byrne (Christ the King Church); and Bruce Goff (Boston
Avenue United Methodist Church).
Restaurant recommendations:
• The Vault
• Tavalo
• Trula’s at the Mayo Hotel
• Elote Cafe
• The Daily Grill
• Mod’s Coffee and Crepes
• Atlas Grill (breakfast)
Pop Up Shops
Visit the local Pop Up Shops in the Deco District,
located within the Philcade Building at the corner
of 5th and Boston. Shops include: The Bookerie,
Picklesworth, made: The Indie Emporium Shop,
Okie Crowe and more.
Other Art Deco buildings include the Philcade, Warehouse
Market, Spotlight Theater, Tulsa Union Depot, Fairgrounds
Pavilion, Will Rogers High School, Tulsa Monument Company, the
Fire Alarm Building and the Brook Theater (now the Brook
restaurant).
Maps for the self-guided Art Deco Landmarks Walking Tour are
available from the Tulsa Metro Chamber. The map can also be
downloaded at www.tulsachamber.com/downloads/art-decowalking-tour/
TULSA survival guide
Interesting landmarks to see...
BOK Center
Boston Avenue Church
The BOK Center, or Bank of Oklahoma Center, is a 19,199-seat multi-purpose arena and a primary
indoor sports and event venue located on the west side of downtown Tulsa. Designed to
accommodate arena football, hockey, basketball, concerts and similar events, the facility was built
at a cost of $178 million in public funds and an additional $18 million in privately funded
upgrades. Ground was broken on August 31, 2005 and a ribbon-cutting ceremony involving Tulsa
took place on August 30, 2008.
The Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, located in
downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma and completed in 1929, is
considered to be one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical
Art Deco architecture in the United States, and has been placed
on the National Register of Historic Places.
Designed by César Pelli, the architect of the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the BOK Center is the
flagship project of Tulsa County's Vision 2025 long-range development initiative. Pelli employed
cultural and architectural themes of the city, including Native American, art deco and
contemporary styles, making heavy use of swirling circular elements in the exterior and interior
designs of the building.
Current permanent tenants are the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League and the Tulsa Shock
of the Women's National Basketball Association. The facility also hosts NBA preseason games and
college basketball matchups on a regular basis.
The design of the $1.25 million edifice is credited to two
individuals: Adah Robinson and Bruce Goff. Robinson an art
teacher at Central High School in Tulsa sketched the original
ideas for the church. Bruce Goff, formerly one of her high school
students, and the architect in 1924-1926 of her home and
studio, then took the sketches and came up with the design for
the church. There is still some debate over who was more
responsible for the building. The church credits Adah Robinson
with the design of the building, while Goff experts maintain
that it is clearly his design.
Praying Hands
These mighty hands stand 60 feet high and weigh 30 tons, with claims to be the largest bronze sculpture in the
world. One would like to imagine that they are strong, American hands, but evangelist Oral Roberts outsourced
their casting to Juarez, Mexico in 1980.
The sculptor worked from sketches of the hands of Oral Roberts, founder of the University, initially, then Gary
Mitchell served as a live model. The sculpture was cast in 450 pieces and assembled on site.
The hands were originally called "The Healing Hands" and they stood in front of Oral Roberts University’s
"City of Faith," a medical center devoted to faith healing. But the City of Faith wound up on the short end of a
series of lawsuits and declared bankruptcy in 1989. The hands were then moved to the entrance drive of Oral
Roberts University.
TULSA survival guide
Tulsa History
The earliest Oklahoma settlers date back to the Ozark Bluff Dwellers. They lived in the northeastern part of Oklahoma known as Green Country. The Native American
population came to the area in 1836 by way of the infamous Trail of Tears. Their journey ended beneath the branches of the Council Oak Tree, located on the east side
of the Arkansas River. It was here that many decided to make their home. They called their settlement Tallahassee. Today this spot is located at 18th and Cheyenne near
Downtown Tulsa. The “Five Civilized Tribes,” Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks and Seminoles, all came to the area. They brought with them their ideas of
trading and commerce. These ideas influenced and shaped the Tulsa area as well as the state of Oklahoma.
For the next decade, the area remained untamed wilderness, with only a few settlers and mostly Native Americans. In 1846, Lewis Perryman built a log cabin trading
post near what is now 33rd Street and South Rockford Avenue. Perryman, who was part Creek, established a business foothold in the rugged frontier until the Civil
War. The war forced many residents to flee the area.
Fortunately, the reconstruction period after the war contributed to the growth of the area. In 1879 the first Post Office opened, followed by the arrival of the railroad.
By this time, the area became known as Tulsey Town as it grew into a trading post and cattle town.
It wasn’t until the establishment of the Post Office in March 1879 that the name Tulsa was adopted as the growing city’s name. In 1882, Tulsa’s population was about
200. By the time the city was incorporated on January 18, 1898, the population had grown to 1,100.
Another growth jump was attributed to an oil well called Sue Bland No.1 that struck oil at Red Fork, across the river from Tulsa. This giant reserve of oil and natural
gas would come to be known as the Glenn Pool Strike. Shortly after this discovery, the Commercial Club was formed to promote and advertise Tulsa.
In 1905, Tulsa began to build houses, businesses and water systems to prepare for the arrival of the people who would harvest the reward of the discovery of oil.
During this time period, Tulsa became known as the Oil Capital of the World.
It was not until after World War II that an increase in offshore drilling operations affected the petroleum industry. Fortunately, the aircraft and aerospace industry was
beginning to blossom. American Airlines built a major maintenance center and SABRE reservation system relocated from New York to Tulsa. To date, there are more
than 300 aviation-related companies in Tulsa.
Another major means of transportation arrived in Tulsa in 1970, when the Tulsa Port of Catoosa opened. This linked Tulsa with the rest of the world via river navigation
to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Such advancements have made Tulsa a diverse city full of opportunity. Several national and international corporations
have proudly made Tulsa their home.
Following the "Oil Bust" of 1982-84 the title of "Oil Capital of the World" was relinquished to Houston. City leaders worked to diversify the city away from a largely
petroleum-based economy, bringing blue collar factory jobs as well as Internet and telecommunications firms to Tulsa during the 1990s, and enhancing the already
important aviation industry.
The early 21st century saw Tulsa's economy, along with the national economy, facing another economic down-turn and a loss of jobs. However, recovery was reported
beginning as early as 2004 and by 2006 the total number of jobs in Tulsa had increased to levels exceeding those prior to the downturn. Helped by relatively low
housing prices, Tulsa continued to be an attractive market for business expansion. The efforts by city leaders led to the passage of the "Vision 2025" program in 2003
with the purpose of enhancing and revitalizing Tulsa's infrastructure and tourism industry. The keystone project of Vision 2025 was the construction of the BOK Center
in downtown Tulsa. The multi-purpose arena, designed by famed architect Cesar Pelli, broke ground in 2005 and opened on August 30, 2008.