Page 47 - ALLISON'S MAGAZINE ~ ISSUE #104

Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Gathering Place
is a one-of-a-kind destination: a
massive, free, community-focused
waterfront park. Executive
director Tony Moore discusses
the effort it took to build the park,
its attractions, and what the park

means to Tulsans.

How does Gathering Place reflect
founder George Kaiser’s values?
George is a native Tulsan who made
his fortune in oil and banking, and he’s
truly a supporter of the city he lives in.
Ten years ago, major corporations and
talent were leaving for markets such as
a place for everyone Dallas, Houston, and Austin; George
knew this would spell disaster for the
city. It was his idea to make Tulsa a more
vibrant place to live, work, and play so
interview with tony moore | written by matthew brady | photography by gathering place
we would retain our talent and attract
young families. He thought that a park
could do just that.

But not just any park. George gave the
first $200 million and asked for the
rest to be a collaborative effort among
stakeholders, corporations, foundations,
and private donors in Tulsa, who
donated the next $200 million. The
city gave the remaining $65 million. To
date, it’s the largest private donation to
a community park in the history of the
United States.

Tell us about the effort to build it:
The park is slated to be a total of one
hundred acres, around seventy of
which opened in 2018. Phase One was
a massive collaboration of just under
2,000 area trades, from masonry to
woodworkers to construction workers.
The topography where the park was
built was gentle-sloping and flat, but

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