Program launched to support advanced technology firms
A program to support advanced technology companies at the Conoco Office and Research Complex in Ponca City was unveiled on Thursday.
The mission of the Ponca City Technology Accelerator is to facilitate the start-up and success of high-tech businesses in northern Oklahoma. Businesses occupying the accelerator will have the potential to generate revenue and create quality jobs in the Ponca City area.
Randy Goldsmith, executive director of the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center, on Thursday told local leaders the role his organization will play in overseeing recruitment and operations at the accelerator is a key building block in a state mission to commercialize Oklahoma’s advanced technologies.
Jan Jarrett, director of the Ponca City Economic Development Advisory Board, described the accelerator project as an “exciting and innovative addition to the Ponca City economic development portfolio.”
Partners include the City of Ponca City, the tech center, the Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence and Conoco. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology will serve in an advisory capacity.
Goldsmith described the accelerator as a traditional business incubator with a technical emphasis. “Traditionally, incubators have been more about location, brick and mortar and a roof over your head,” he said. “While these physical benefits are a necessary part of the incubation process, the real value is in the linkages, the mentoring and the proximity to those who have blazed a trail for you to follow.”
He emphasized the value of having access to the technical skills of the research staff at Conoco.
In search of Garth Brooks
Where’s Garth? At least two national publications — the National Enquirer and Country Weekly — are asking around the Oklahoma City area for Garth Brooks.
Reports are that Brooks and his wife, Sandy, want to move their family back to their native Oklahoma from Nashville. Both publications have been calling around Oklahoma City seeking information about reports that Brooks, a native of Yukon, intends to (A) build a home in Oklahoma, (B) build a museum and entertainment complex, and (C) put in a telemarketing center to sell Brooks- related music and other merchandise.
The Enquirer has reported that Brooks bought the former location of a Moose Lodge and 12 acres at old Route 66 and Mustang Road in Yukon, which may be the site of the museum, entertainment center and telemarketing center.
The National Enquirer also reported that the best-selling artist in country music is also seeking a home in the area. Country Weekly is chasing down the same rumors.
The City of Yukon says a building permit was issued to Yukon Career Opportunity for a telemarketing center at the former Moose Lodge, which is now undergoing renovation work. The Canadian County District Court Clerk’s office said the property was sold to T. M. Holdings of Oklahoma City in May.
Both Yukon Career Opportunity and T. M. Holdings have the same address — 3232 W. Britton Road — the home of Tapp Companies. Managed by President Barry Tapp, that firm is a developer of the Silver Springs Crossing commercial complex on the Northwest Expressway — which will have rapid access to the Yukon location once the Kilpatrick Turnpike extension opens next year to Route 66.
Tapp also is developing a 75-acre tract at the other side of Yukon, the southeast corner of Interstate 40 and Garth Brooks Boulevard. Staples, Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse and possibly Kohl’s Department Store will join several restaurants in the new shopping/service center and office complex, according to Tapp.
Obviously that, too, could make a good site for a museum complex.
Tobacco suit impact
A new wave of class-action lawsuits that could bankrupt tobacco companies if they are victorious could also affect payments to Oklahoma and other states from the national tobacco settlement, Attorney General Drew Edmondson says.
Edmondson said there have been questions about the impact of a recent class-action ruling in Florida against the tobacco industry that awarded plaintiffs $145 billion in punitive damages to sick smokers. When the jury decision was announced, tobacco company lawyers predicted that amount would break the industry.
The ruling would have no immediate impact on Oklahoma, which is slated to receive $200 million over 20 years, he said.
And there are provisions in Florida law that set the maximum appeal bond per defendant in a civil case at $100 million and bar punitive damages from bankrupting a business, Edmondson said. “That is still a lot of money, but at least by the larger defendants is certainly doable,” Edmondson said.
Edmondson said he didn’t know how long the appeal would take, but said the punitive damages provision may be used as a basis for appeal.
Even if the tobacco companies are ultimately forced to pay the $145 billion and go bankrupt in the process, Oklahoma would still get its share of the master settlement, Edmondson said. “The way we are looking at it now is if the verdict is upheld upon appeal and if one of the companies can’t stand the economic hit and goes belly up, we believe that the worst that would happen to Oklahoma and to the other states is that the flow of money would be disrupted,” he said.
Oklahoma participated in a master settlement agreement between several states and the country’s leading manufacturers of tobacco products. The states filed suit to recover Medicaid dollars spent to treat tobacco-related illnesses.
The current state budget includes $101 million in tobacco money, and Oklahoma is scheduled to get another payment of nearly $70 million in April 2000.
The attorney general predicted that it could take a few years for the issues to be resolved in bankruptcy court but once that happened the flow of tobacco settlement money would resume, “perhaps with retroactive payments.”
Money for military projects
A defense appropriations bill approved Thursday by the Senate includes $27 million for projects at Tinker Air Force Base, Fort Sill and the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.
The bill also includes $90 million for F-16 upgrading at the Oklahoma Air National Guard and at bases in Des Moines, Iowa, and Toledo, Ohio. The amount for each base won’t be determined until later.
The funding for the military projects was approved 90-10 and the bill now goes to President Clinton.
Programs at Fort Sill will receive $15 million with $10 million for the air-to-air Starstreak missile program. The funding will allow completion of live-fire, side-by-side tests.
“If the Army decides to buy this missile, production will be done on it in Lawton,” said U.S. Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla.
The other expenditure for Fort Sill is for the Red Cross-operated facility at the post. The facility is one of two centers handling delivery of emergency communications for military personnel and their families. The funding will supplement the Red Cross’ fund-raising efforts to allow the center to operate at capacity.
At Tinker, the bill includes $6 million for the blade repair facility where personnel identify problems and make improvements to engine blade overhaul and repair operations, $3 million for a program that develops new sources for weapons systems spare parts and $3 million for a program using sensors to monitor ground water, air and water treatment processes for hazardous materials.
At McAlester, $3 million is allocated for the Trajectory Correctable Munitions program to be located at the plant. The technology allows an artillery projectile to be corrected or altered in midflight. The funding is for tests to help determine if the program is best suited for the Army’s needs.
Nickles said that if the Army decides to use the technology, the work would be done at McAlester.
Returning to Enid
A former Enid city official who left to become a banker is returning as Enid’s city manager.
City commissioners voted to name Bill Gamble to replace Andy Anderson, who has been named city manager in Norman.
Gamble had served as interim city manager before Anderson was hired. He then stayed on as director of the city’s mass transit system and later as its public works director.