<i>National Champion Talons Sign 5-Year BOK Contract</i>
By HENRY PRIMEAUX III
Crown Bristow and Primeaux KIA
DOWNTOWN CELEBRATION: The Tulsa Talons are very excited to have signed a five-year lease to play in the BOK Center beginning in 2009. At the announcement in the Crown Plaza Hotel on Oct. 22 are yours truly, left, SMG Tulsa General Manager John Bolton, and Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor. To the right is the Talons 2007 Arena2 National Championship trophy.
GTR Newspapers photo
It is an honor for the Tulsa Talons to be the first announced tenant to sign a five-year contract to play in the18,000-seat, $178 million BOK Center beginning in 2009.
The Talons will play the 2008 season in the regular home at the Tulsa Convention Center. The new contract will make the BOK Center the Talons’ new home from 2009 through 2013. Paul Ross and I wish to thank Mayor Kathy Taylor and her team for being so enthusiastic in supporting the Talons.
We are very excited about the new facility, where we will use the $3 million scoreboard system and the video monitoring system that will show the on-field action throughout the concourses so that fans won’t have to miss a moment of action even when they go for refreshments.
The Talons will also get new turf, new goals and pads, new dressing rooms complete with lockers, hydrotherapy equipment and a players’ lounge.
The Arena will be managed by SMG Tulsa, a branch of the larger SMG firm that manages large conference and entertainment venues worldwide. The Tulsa SMG general manager is John Bolton, and we look forward to working with him.
Coaches Return
The Talons are also happy to announce that Head Coach Mitch Allner and Assistant Coach Marty Robinson will return for the 2008 season. They led the team to a record-breaking 2007 season, with a 14-2 regular season record, three playoff wins and ArenaCup Championship victory.
Allner returns for his fourth season with the Talons, two of which he served as the offensive coordinator. He was a top-ranked player in the af2, playing for the Talons, as well as the Quad City Steamwheelers and the Iowa Barnstormers. He continues to be named in the league’s Record and Fact book year after year. Allner is the only person in the af2 to have played and coached in the ArenaCup. He played for the Talons as a wide receiver and defensive back in 2003 when they defeated Macon for the title.
The 2008 season will be Marty Robinson’s fourth season as a volunteer coach with the Talons. Marty will continue to coach the offensive and defensive lines. Robinson has coached football locally in Tulsa for the past 15 years, and continues to coach at East Central High School.
Co-owner Paul Ross and I are thrilled to have both of them return for another season.
Great Job!
Our thanks go to Kathleen Coan and all she has done for the United Way the past 23 years. Kathleen is retiring soon, but we will not be surprised to see her continue to work hard in the area for the many people in need. Greater Tulsa is a great region because of the benevolent people who give to others. Thank you, Kathleen, for being a leader in helping so many people for so many years!
OSU Dedication
We are looking forward to the dedication of the OSU-Tulsa’s Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 10 a.m. OSU-Tulsa President Gary Trennepohl says the Helmerich ATRC demonstrates a strong commitment to the city of Tulsa. The $43 million center was made possible through Tulsa County’s Vision 2025 initiative, the state’s 2005 higher education bond issue and Walter and Peggy Helmerich of Tulsa. The 123,000-square-foot research center includes specialized laboratories, clean rooms, an imaging suite, advanced information technology equipment, faculty offices and two high-tech seminar rooms.
Come and Visit
Our Primeaux KIA dealership continues to be number one in the region. The intersection of I-44 and Yale is completed, and traffic now runs through there as smooth as silk. Crown Bristow remains a five-star dealership. Come on down to 4747 South Yale, or drive over to Crown Bristow and give us a visit. We’ll beat any deal!
Updated 11-26-2007
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