Convention site gets several low rankings
Proximity to interstates, shopping in Edmond lacking for location
By Tricia Pemberton, Staff Writer


EDMOND — Proposed convention center site No. 6 is on the northwest corner of 33rd Street and the newly named Kelly Parkway in Edmond.

Although only about one mile from the Broadway Extension-Memorial Road intersection, the site received a low ranking from Odell for interstate and highway access.

John Sweeny is vice president of operations for Oklahoma Citybased Kusum Hospitality, which owns the Holiday Inn Express at Second Street and I-35 in Edmond and other hotels throughout the state. He said visibility, traffic and access will be the key to a successful convention center site in Edmond.

A lack of visibility and heavy traffic could hurt such a center located at Kelly and 33rd, he said.

Odell also gave the site a low ranking for compatibility with other uses. The area is primarily industrial or office space.

Another low ranking was given for proximity to existing hotels, restaurants and retail. The site is closest to shopping, dining and hotels along the Memorial Road corridor in Oklahoma City, but any sales tax money spent there would all go to Oklahoma City. Sweeny said this would hurt Edmond as well.

Site No. 6 received a medium ranking for land cost. Odell showed the site should sell for about $24,000 and is listed as agricultural with about 103 acres.
It also received a medium ranking for its ability to influence additional development. There is adjacent empty land.

The site netted high rankings for size and shape; ability to accommodate an event center, hotel and parking; infrastructure utilities; slope and vegetation; and development cost and timing. The site is vacant.

Cathy Williams-White, director of the Edmond Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the site would be excellent in terms of fiber optic capabilities, but agreed it is distant from Interstate 35. It also has a high number of trains that run nearby on a daily basis, she said.

The Edmond Economic Development Authority commissioned the convention center study with the intent of providing the city council with viable options.
City Manager Larry Stevens said he thinks the city now has a framework for discussion though no formal plan is in place to move forward.

Williams-White said if plans do move forward, Edmond residents could expect to see a center built within five to 10 years

I think the 2nd street/I-35 location will probably be the winner. Meaning it will also be close to the mixed use project at 2nd and I-35.

There are two mixed-use projects along I 35 and there's some more shopping center construction as well. But I still think that Edmond should develop the downtown area, and that developing a convention center along the freeway is a bad idear, even if it is more feasible. I'm all for the mixed-use projects, and they are great where they're located, and it makes sense to have a convention center by those, but it makes more sense to promote more use of Edmond's downtown by putting it by the downtown, as well as UCO.

I could go for the downtown area or the I35 area either one, but if it's going to be the downtown area I don't think 33rd and Kelly is that great of a place, either. That's sort of a hidden intersection, some industrial stuff around it, office buildings and the post office. The road narrows just past Kelly, and I don't know, it just seems sort of a non-descript area, although I am sure they would make the changes needed to make it a more visually acceptable spot if they did decide to build it there. It would be nice if it could be on North Broadway somewhere but that would involve knocking out some houses.

If the area is scraggly then stick something like a convention center there to bring the area back to life. If the area is nice, it doesn't need a convention center, and it would be a sucker because you wouldn't have room to build or demolish, then build something like an office building near by.

Good point, but 33rd is way too far from Downtown for my liking. Find an area of homes that won't be missed and just knock 'em out, I say...

One proposal I believe involved taking out some UCO parking for the facility... I would like to see it built on a surface parking on a small footprint with a hotel, parking garage, and the convention center all in one. A (badly needed) garage could also be built for UCO parking. And while they're at that they can build one for downtown Edmond, too.

I've heard that UCO has some of the worst parking problems of any colleges in the state. They would have to build the garage and have that finished before they could tear up more parking for a convention center.

That's true... And they DO have terrible parking. I just use the visitor parking every time, and pay a dollar or two depending on how long my class lasts. It's no use to try the commuter lots.