Expect more improvements around lower Scissortail Park

Friday will kick off celebrations to mark the public opening of lower Scissortail Park, with grand opening activities continuing through the weekend with fitness events, wellness classes, a concert, children’s events, performances, food trucks and more.

The south, or lower, park adds sporting fields and courts; shaded, open park spaces; and trails, all connected to the upper park via Skydance Bridge. The lower park completes the 70-acre Scissortail Park, first conceived more than a decade ago as Oklahoma City’s largest park, urban greenspace and magnet for the types of development that will improve our economy.

It was three years ago that we had a successful opening weekend for upper Scissortail Park with fireworks, concerts and food trucks. The timing of the upper park opening was important as we also opened the new MAPS 3 Convention Center and the Omni Hotel shortly after.

The area surrounding the lower park is zoned for mixed use to welcome a blend of residential, retail, restaurants, commercial and industrial interests. The properties and land surrounding the park to the south and west are currently owned by private developers, homeowners and the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority. With some water and storm sewer infrastructure improvements in the planning now, these now vacant areas adjacent to the park will be ripe for development.

The mixed-use zoning and the timing of these developments are important as there is a symbiotic relationship between the places where people live, work and visit and the spaces where they relax, play, eat, meet, enjoy art and find entertainment. Besides being a key gathering, recreational, entertainment and outdoor space, Scissortail Park is also a transformational economic development asset. One of the final MAPS 3 projects, it’s the catalyst for nearly $1 billion investment in private and public development projects around the park.

There will soon be additional development opportunities in the area. OCURA will be working with developers to continue to bring high-density, high-quality, mixed-use urban assets such as restaurants, work spaces, retail and more. Future development surrounding the park and the convention center will create synergy to this important downtown destination.

Scissortail Park is reshaping downtown Oklahoma City’s future and giving us the opportunity to continue to define our city and reward our citizens’ investments through the MAPS program.