City Of Oklahoma City Looks At Plan For American Indian Cultural Center

A firm out of St. Louis will look at what could happen if Oklahoma City decides not to finish the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum.

We're coming up on 10 years since construction began. It stopped in 2012.

The mayor and the city council have a lot of questions, and they're trying to figure out the best way to move forward.

They're hoping this firm can provide answers.

The state is giving the unfinished American Indian Cultural Center and the property it’s on to the City of Oklahoma City.

Now the pressure is on city leaders to figure out what do with it.

“Right now we’re trying to keep an open mind and gather information. There are several questions about the legislation that was passed at the state level,” said OKC Mayor, Mick Cornett.

Mayor Mick Cornett says the legislation was passed with a lot of strings attached and the city was never consulted as negotiations took place.

“But it is my understanding that everything that is in the bill was necessary to pass it and get it out of the state legislature,” said Cornett.

State taxpayers have already paid a whopping $91million to get the center to this point.

But millions more are still needed to finish it.

5/29/15 Related Story: Plans Shape Up For American Indian Cultural Center In OKC

“It feels like bullying and trying to shove this idea down our throat to get it off of their plate,” said OKC Councilman, Ed Shadid.

Shadid says the state would pay OKC to take on the risk of finishing the center, but the city can't afford it.

Also, if the center turns a profit, the city would have to pay the state.

“What can you do with this half-finished museum and the land around it,” said Shadid.

That's what PGAV Planners out of St. Louis is tasked with figuring out.

“It can be private development, it can be just left unfinished,” said Shadid. “It can be a public facility. This firm will look at all the possibilities.”

“Whether or not that’s American Indian Cultural Center or something else, we’ll just have to wait and see,” said Cornett.

Shadid says he will reject the legislature's proposal to finish the center. He also says other council members are on board with him.