Metropolitan Area Projects Plan
Encyclopedia
The Metropolitan Area Projects Plan, or MAPS, was a $350 million public works
and redevelopment
project in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
during the middle to late 1990s, funded by a temporary voter-approved sales tax
increase.
to Indianapolis, Indiana
because the airline considered Indianapolis to have a better standard of living
, then-mayor Ron Norick and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce proposed MAPS as a measure to improve the city's economy and attractiveness as a tourist destination.
City residents were initially skeptical over funding the public projects through a sales tax increase, and as late as a month before the tax referendum
opposed the plan by a 20% margin. However, the plan did pass by a slim margin in a vote in December, 1993. During the five year tax period the city raised nearly $310 million in direct taxes, plus $52 million of income on the tax money it had deposited. The tax was extended with voter approval for an additional six months to raise enough money to complete all of the projects, and construction continued until 2004.
Encouraged by the success of MAPS, city leaders proposed and adopted "MAPS for Kids", a public school improvement program. In December 2009 the city approved a third program, "MAPS 3
", which would build $750 million in further improvements paid for by a similar sales tax increase.
www.okc.gov/maps3
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
and redevelopment
Redevelopment
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses.-Description:Variations on redevelopment include:* Urban infill on vacant parcels that have no existing activity but were previously developed, especially on Brownfield land, such as the redevelopment of an industrial site...
project in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
during the middle to late 1990s, funded by a temporary voter-approved sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
increase.
History
In the early 1990s Oklahoma City was in decline as a city. In 1992, after the city lost a contract to house a new maintenance facility for United AirlinesUnited Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
to Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
because the airline considered Indianapolis to have a better standard of living
Standard of living
Standard of living is generally measured by standards such as real income per person and poverty rate. Other measures such as access and quality of health care, income growth inequality and educational standards are also used. Examples are access to certain goods , or measures of health such as...
, then-mayor Ron Norick and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce proposed MAPS as a measure to improve the city's economy and attractiveness as a tourist destination.
City residents were initially skeptical over funding the public projects through a sales tax increase, and as late as a month before the tax referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
opposed the plan by a 20% margin. However, the plan did pass by a slim margin in a vote in December, 1993. During the five year tax period the city raised nearly $310 million in direct taxes, plus $52 million of income on the tax money it had deposited. The tax was extended with voter approval for an additional six months to raise enough money to complete all of the projects, and construction continued until 2004.
Encouraged by the success of MAPS, city leaders proposed and adopted "MAPS for Kids", a public school improvement program. In December 2009 the city approved a third program, "MAPS 3
Metropolitan Area Projects Plan 3
The Metropolitan Area Projects Plan 3, or MAPS3, is a $777 million public works and redevelopment project in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma funded by a temporary voter-approved sales tax increase.-History:...
", which would build $750 million in further improvements paid for by a similar sales tax increase.
Projects
MAPS comprised nine projects, chosen to appeal to a wide variety of city residents:- renovations to the Civic Center Music HallCivic Center Music HallThe Civic Center Music Hall is a performing arts center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1937 and includes the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre, the Freede Little Theatre, CitySpace, the Meinders Hall of Mirrors and the Joel Levine Rehearsal Hall.The Civic Center Music...
, The Myriad (Now Cox Convention Center)Cox Convention CenterThe Cox Business Services Convention Center is a multi-purpose complex, located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma....
and Oklahoma State Fairgrounds; - construction of the AT&T Bricktown BallparkAT&T Bricktown BallparkRedHawks Field at Bricktown opened in 1998 in downtown Oklahoma City's Bricktown district, replacing All Sports Stadium. It is the home of the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the AAA affiliate of the Houston Astros major league baseball team. The park seats 13,066 fans.The stadium frequently hosts the Big...
- construction of the Ford Center, an indoor multipurpose sports arena. The new arena was an important aspect of plans in 2006 through 2008 by local businessman Clayton BennettClayton BennettClayton "Clay" Ike' Bennett is an American businessman and chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC, the ownership group of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA franchise that was formerly the Seattle SuperSonics...
, who had just purchased the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, to move the basketball team to Oklahoma City. - construction of the "BricktownBricktown (Oklahoma City)Bricktown is an entertainment district just east of downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . It was formerly a major warehouse district. The major attractions of the district are the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, the navigable Bricktown Canal, and the 16-screen Harkins movie theatre...
Canal" - construction of a riverfrontRiverfrontA riverfront is a region along a river; often in larger cities that border a river, the riverfront will be lined with marinas, docks, parks, trees, or minor attractions. Today many riverfronts are a staple of modernism and city beautification....
and recreational dams for the North Canadian RiverNorth Canadian RiverThe North Canadian River is a tributary of the Canadian River, approximately long, that flows through New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma in the United States.... - the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, a four-story main library to replace a facility that had been built in 1951
- a new Library/Learning Center
- development of the Oklahoma Spirit Trolleys, a trolley-replica busTourist trolleyA tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a rubber-tired bus , which is made to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram....
network
www.okc.gov/maps3
External links
- MAPS page - official page, maintained by the Government of Oklahoma City