Oneok Inks Naming-Rights Deal For New Downtown Tulsa Ballpark
Natural gas company Oneok and the Oneok Foundation "have pledged $5[M] to obtain the 20-year naming rights" to the new downtown baseball stadium in Tulsa, the future home of the Double-A Texas League Tulsa Drillers, according to P.J. Lassek of the TULSA WORLD. Oneok CEO John Gibson said that the company will receive "some perks including a suite and signage opportunities," but he added that "that's not why Oneok sought the naming rights." Gibson: "We want a very vibrant downtown area." The Drillers have a 30-year lease with the Tulsa Stadium Trust, which "was created to own the ballpark with the city as its sole beneficiary." The stadium, which is slated to be completed in time for the '10 baseball season, is expected to have "at least 6,200 seats, 30 suites and a sunken playing field that is about 13 feet below street level" (TULSA WORLD, 1/13). In Oklahoma City, Randy Ellis notes the $60M ballpark project includes construction of the stadium and "acquisition of surrounding land for mixed-use redevelopment" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 1/13).
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