Questions and Answers with Roy Williams
The Oklahoman
Jan. 25, 2008
Q: How much discussion has the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber had with the Shawnee tribe about their proposed casino and hotel before your decision to attend their news conference Wednesday?
A: With Oklahoma City's strong economy and increasing appeal as a visitor destination, we're meeting with a number of developers and potential investors looking at all sorts of opportunities. Our work with the Shawnee tribe can be characterized in the same way. We've had a couple very short briefings about high-level plans, and that's the extent of our work on this project.
Q: Mayor Mick Cornett is opposed to the casino, as is nearby Remington Park, a member of the chamber. Rhonda Hooper, the head of the chamber's convention committee, was present at the news conference, but she was there on behalf of the tribe as chief executive officer of Jordan Associates. Was it a difficult decision for you as to whether to attend the news conference and are you worried that it might be misinterpreted by either side?
A: No, it was not difficult. The chamber, specifically with our role managing the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, is here to support all businesses that will help grow our visitor product and our economy. This venture can play an important role in attracting visitors.
Q: Will the chamber support this development if the Shawnee tribe is unable to prove the new casino won't hurt Remington Park?
A: I think your question presents this as an "either/or” scenario, which is not necessarily the case. We look at the bigger picture. We believe that growing our visitor attraction base will increase the number of visitors to Oklahoma City and build the critical mass that makes everyone a bigger success.
Q: Do you believe casinos have a net benefit to a local economy?
A: This is a very complex issue, and doesn't have a simple answer. Under the right circumstances, relative to taxation and wage issues, casinos can have a positive effect. If not, Las Vegas would not be thriving.
We do believe visitors have a net benefit to the local economy. To the extent that casinos support our effort to attract visitors, we see this as a win for Oklahoma City.
Q: What issues will the chamber examine before deciding on whether to endorse the Shawnee tribe's casino?
A: It's not the chamber's role to endorse specific businesses, but obviously we advocate for projects that help the economic development of this community. The chamber's due diligence for any project involves many issues, including the infrastructure required for a project, the positive tax impact, the potential strategic benefit in meeting a community need, and total employment, among others.
The bottom line question is whether a particular business venture is a net positive for the community. In this scenario, we don't yet know enough to make that call.
Business Writer Steve Lackmeyer |
