Business Briefs (Week of Feb. 17)
Monday, February 20, 2023
(0 Comments)
Looking for business briefs? This week's roundup (for the week ending Feb. 17) from The Journal Record.
Rother shrine will draw multitudes to OKC
The shrine honoring the first declared U.S. martyr will be a place of pilgrimage where people from near and far can come to pray and to rededicate their lives to God, said Leif Arvidson, executive director of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. But the shrine began touching lives even in the conceptual and construction phases. Tony Yanda – senior director of operations with the general contractor, The Boldt Co. – said the project was like no other and its completion is “bittersweet.” The $50 million shrine on SE 89th Street between Shields Boulevard and Interstate 35 was dedicated Friday, nearly three years after site work began in April 2020.
At JR Forum, legislators at odds with Stitt agenda
Lawmakers are eager to get past the rhetoric of the election season and pass bills to help Oklahoma’s workforce, according to a panel of legislative leaders speaking at The Journal Record’s First Week Forum. Legislative priorities for the 2023 session – workforce, taxes, education and marijuana – do not match those Gov. Kevin Stitt highlighted in his State of the State address, although there is some overlap, said legislative leaders who participated in the Feb. 9 forum, held at the Oklahoma History Center before a live audience.
Economist: Pandemic recovery continuing across Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s economy continues to recover from the pandemic, although jobs are still below pre-pandemic levels in some sectors, especially energy. Chad Wilkerson, vice president and Oklahoma City branch executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, gave an overview of the U.S. and state economy during a meeting of the Commercial Real Estate Council of Oklahoma City. Across industries, the largest changes in employment in Oklahoma from January 2020 through December 2022 are transportation being up nearly 20% and energy being down the same despite a 12% increase last year.
OSU: Don't blame 'Tahoma 31' for Super Bowl slips
Super Bowl LVII will be remembered as an exciting back-and-forth contest that ended with the Kansas City Chiefs' dramatic 38-35 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles. And for the slippery field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Much was said, tweeted and posted about the condition, with the surface seeming to get worse as the game wore on. The game was played on Tahoma 31, one of many turf varieties credited to the Bermuda grass development team at Oklahoma State University. However, the OSU scientists who developed Tahoma 31 had no role creating or preparing the field for the Super Bowl, the school said in a statement.
Cherokee Nation investing millions in addiction treatment
The Cherokee Nation, with more than 440,000 enrolled citizens, plans to use a portion of its $98 million in opioid settlement funds to construct a 50-bed, 17,000-square-foot treatment facility in Tahlequah, where the tribe is headquartered. The facility will be completely operated by the tribe and provide no-cost treatment for Cherokee Nation citizens struggling with substance abuse.
Many to lose insurance as public health emergency ends
Some 300,000 Oklahoma adults and children may lose access to health care coverage through the state’s SoonerCare program in the coming year. That’s because of a change being made in rules that govern who may qualify for coverage. The rules were relaxed in 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic to prevent people from losing access to health care at that critical time. Now, with the public health emergency set to officially expire in May, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has ordered state agencies like the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to revert to pre-pandemic rules.
Black history at the Capitol and a 'chilling effect'
Oklahoma’s first Black History Day at the state Capitol hosted more than 800 students, providing a history lesson for lawmakers as well as young people whose teachers might fear teaching the unvarnished truth. Though Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law House Bill 1775, a measure that prohibits teaching history regarding race and gender that could make any student or teacher feel uncomfortable, he proudly participated in the Feb. 13 event, acknowledging the contributions made by Black Oklahomans opposing racial segregation in the state.
Renovated KickingBird course, clubhouse to open in June
The renovated golf course and new clubhouse at KickingBird Golf Club will open June 30 following a $20 million upgrade. The course has been closed since renovations started in July 2021. Improvements included work on the irrigation system and greens. The 50-year-old clubhouse was demolished to make way for the new 3,384-square-foot clubhouse and 6,670-square-foot events center that will host all golf tournament pre- and post-round functions.
JR announces Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEOs and CFOs, 2023
The Journal Record has announced its 2023 Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEOs & Financial Stewardship Award honorees. Forty-one Most Admired CEO selections, as well as the four financial stewardship award recipients, will be recognized at the 14th annual Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEOs and Financial Stewardship Awards event on April 24 at the Skirvin Hilton hotel in Oklahoma City. CEOs and CFOs are honored in three categories – public company, private company and nonprofit. An overall winner will be chosen from each category and announced during the event.
Williams completes MountainWest acquisition
A deal valued at about $1.5 billion completed by Tulsa-based Williams will expand the company’s infrastructure network in key markets in the Rocky Mountains region, it said. Williams said its acquisition of MountainWest Pipelines Holding Co. from Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. involved a transaction including $1.07 billion in cash and $430 million in assumed debt, for an enterprise value of $1.5 billion. Assets involved include approximately 2,000 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline systems located primarily in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado with daily transmission capacity of about 8 billion cubic feet.
Tribe boosts health care in eastern Oklahoma
The Cherokee Nation recently unveiled $15 million in improvements at four outpatient health centers in eastern Oklahoma, part of an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in health care. The tribe also has announced an investment of more than $435 million in other health care projects, including planned construction of a new $400 million hospital in Tahlequah.
New commission proposed to develop 'future workforce'
Oklahoma Senate leaders hope to create a new entity that would give the private sector more power to develop its future workforce. Senate Bill 621, by state Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, would create the Oklahoma Workforce Commission. The legislation was highlighted at a press conference at the Oklahoma History Center. Leaders of the State Chamber, along with Gov. Kevin Stitt and members of the Workforce Transformation Task Force created by Stitt’s executive order, came together to present a plan they said would more efficiently create the workforce Oklahoma needs, advocates said. SB 621 would create a new framework allowing for a mix of public and private dollars to fund state contracts with any organization that delivers on workforce development.
New center at TU to seed-fund, encourage new businesses
The University of Tulsa launched a new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship with a goal to provide seed capital for dozens of companies envisioned by TU students, alumni and faculty members. Efforts are underway to raise at least $10 million in venture capital funds to be administered through the center within the Collins College of Business. Officials said the money will be leveraged to help TU community members commercialize intellectual property, create ventures, and attain additional startup funds.
Cherokee Nation acquires casino, resort in Mississippi
The Cherokee Nation has staked a claim on the casino industry outside Oklahoma after acquiring the Gold Strike Casino and Resort in Tunica, Mississippi, for about $450 million in cash. The tribe announced that CNE Gaming Holdings, an indirect subsidiary of Cherokee Nation Businesses, officially had assumed operations of the casino after receiving final approval of the Mississippi Gaming Commission. CNE purchased the facility’s operating company from Mandalay Resort Group, a subsidiary of MGM Resorts International.
New curfew hours considered for OKC’s Bricktown District
A proposal to adopt an earlier curfew for young people who visit Bricktown will be considered by the Oklahoma City Council, officials said. What’s been suggested, and supported by the Bricktown Association Board, is that a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew should be adopted for visitors younger than 18 unaccompanied by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult. Currently, the curfew in the downtown entertainment district begins at 11 p.m. and runs through 6 a.m.
|
Print Page
Email to a Friend