Norman residents file petition for public vote after approval of Rock Creek Entertainment District

Norman residents have filed a referendum petition with the city to turn the Rock Creek Entertainment District in University North Park over to a public vote. 

According to the petition, the ordinance approving the entertainment district would be left to voters on Feb. 11, 2025, the day of the first municipal regular election. Residents have 30 days to gather signatures from registered voters. 

Introduced in September 2023, the Rock Creek entertainment district is a $1.1 billion development set for University North Park. The development relies on funds from a tax increment finance district or TIF. The district includes plans for an arena with OU basketball and gymnastics as the anchor tenant, retail areas, 500 housing units and office spaces. 

The group that filed the petition operates under the name Oklahomans for Responsible Economic Development or ORED. On its website, ORED features writings and presentations from OU economics professor Cynthia Rogers. 

Rogers told OU Daily one of the main issues for those who oppose the approval of the entertainment district is the financing model. Rogers said the diversion of tax dollars to support the entertainment district in the TIF would lead to funds being taken from public education and other areas.

“It’s absolutely 100 percent clear that if you use property tax, school taxes, for something other than schools, you’re taking money out of public education,” Rogers said. 

Rogers said Norman residents are being misled about the project, pointing to the statement made by developers that the entertainment district was a “risk-free” investment for the city.

“There’s a significant risk because we could spend hundreds of millions of dollars, divert hundreds of millions of dollars, put it into an arena that the authority that owns it goes bankrupt,” Rogers said. “We still owe the payments on that debt.” 

At the Sept. 18 Norman City Council meeting, supporters of the project told OU Daily, including interim Dean of Professional and Continuing Studies Gregg Garn, they believed the entertainment district would move the city forward.

“I think this (is) a powerful one for the university and for the city to come together to move forward in a powerful way,” Garn said. “And I don’t see adverse effects for the public schools.”

Since the filing of the petition, some Norman residents have received text messages as part of a campaign encouraging people to not sign the petition. 

“Support Norman’s growth and the new sports arena anchored in the Rock Creek Entertainment District that was approved by city council. Don’t sign the petition that may put this crucial project at risk of further delays,” the message read. 

The text message pointed residents to a website titled Elevate Norman. OU Daily asked Norman Economic Development Coalition President and CEO Lawrence McKinney, Norman Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Scott Martin and Visit Norman Executive Director Dan Schemm if their organizations were involved in the campaign. All three said their organizations, while in support of the entertainment district, are not involved in this website. 

OU Daily also reached out to OU Marketing and Communications, who said neither the university or the OU Foundation are involved. 

Three residents, Pamela Mccoy-Post, Paul Arcaroli and Richard Sondag, filed the petition on Sept. 20. Attorney Robert Norman is the petition’s legal representation, according to ballot language filed with the city. All four addressed the Norman City Council last week during public comments when, in a 5-4 vote, council approved the entertainment district. 

On Sept. 18, an eight-hour council meeting was filled with over 70 residents addressing council with their concerns and support of the entertainment district. At that meeting, Norman told OU Daily he wanted there to be a public debate for residents, who only receive three minutes to speak to council. 

“We have to make our case somewhere else,” Norman said. “We can and we will.” 

News Reporter Natalie Armour contributed to this reporting. This story was edited by Ana Barboza, Ismael Lele and Anusha Fathepure. Josh McDaniel and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story. 

Peggy Dodd is editor-in-chief and covers the city of Norman, including city council and local elections. Peggy uses her reporting to inform residents of city affairs, provide an outlet for Normanites to engage with city leaders and ensure Norman voters are fully informed. Peggy is originally from Jones and can be contacted at pdodd@ou.edu.