Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

David, you pretty much nailed the fond memories I have of racing during the State Fair! Like most everyone I really miss it!

Bobo the clown... Oh boy... I remember him. I can remember being a kid and trying to hide from him as we walked by because I didn't want him to make fun of me like he was everyone else. Ha ha. It was great fun though and really made for a unique and memorable atmosphere. I can also remember going and grab some of the great State Fair food while heading into the races and playing a few games at the midway before or after the races.

We use to go several times during the fair. My dad and I would always go to a couple of the races and my mom and sister would go to the circus and some of the ice skating shows. I can remember walking around the fairgrounds a few times while a race, we didn't attend, was taking place and hearing the roar of the engines echoing throughout the fairgrounds and just itching to go watch them. Ha ha.

Dad and I would also always go to the big Demo Derby the did every year. I remember they use to get tons of cars for that thing!

Since they did away with the racing,; I hardly step foot on the Fair Grounds now during the fair... and generally boycott the place... doubt it does any good but it make me feel better.

I like dirt!

In a nutshell, the Fair Board seemed to of been corrupted when the Murphy Brothers, who runs the carnival rides during the Fair, and Big Splash on the Fair grounds, brought in one of their out of state employees to manage the Fairgrounds following the death of Tulsa Expo CEO Denny Tuttle. Keeping their connection kind of a secret.

Randi Miller, one of the Seven Dwarf's political prostitutes, ruled that Bell's new Business Plan which included a very nice 1.5 million dollar improvement

package including a metal roller coaster was not adequate. Bell's had asked for and received a reduction in rent following construction of the new RV Park which disrupted parking near the Bell's entrance during the Fair, and hindered them from making their normal profits for that season. Coupled with a Tornado that struck in mid-season shutting down the park for a month for repairs.

Keep in mind Bell fought for the addition of the park improvements and the new roller coaster for 2 years in District Court, and had recently won that battle with the neighbors. This was prior to the ruling to have them evicted, one attorney for the Fair Board who is a brother n law to the Murphys stated that Bell's was not in the Master Plan for the Fairgrounds. But never informed Bell's of that fact while they spent money fighting for their new roller coaster.

They were evicted because their lease had expired and the Fair Board ruled against the renewal based on their proposed Business Plan.

Cathy Bell ran against Randi Miller for the Republican County Commissioner's seat and Zinged her with an outstanding 85% of the vote count at the end of the night.

Then an audit discovered that Murphy had not paid their rent on the Big Splash property to the Fair Board for the past two years. And a check had been held in the Expo office for 18 months for past rent. The CEO was fired that day, place seems to of been in turmoil since the day they decided to evict Bell's.

Appears leadership is heading towards making the Expo more of a Horse and Livestock facility, and not a Multi-Purpose Event Center. Political events are currently at a fever pitch in Tulsa over many of these projects heading in different directions than may Tulsa natives agree with.

Reminded many of us of the time when Tulsa Speedway was evicted from the Fairgrounds by fiat, similar to that of the Bell's eviction.

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=8757239

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080701_1__Anacc87371

http://www.batesline.com/archives/2006/11/for-bells-the-b.html