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[ZT] Mayor declares victory for Ford Center upgrades

Oklahoma City leaders scored a big league victory Tuesday night as voters overwhelmingly supported a proposal to upgrade the Ford Center in the hopes of landing an NBA franchise.

“We really are creating a city where people want to be, and this is a golden age in Oklahoma City,” Mayor Mick Cornett said. “I think someday we will look back and people will realize it.”

With all precincts reporting, 44,849 voters, or 61.9 percent, approved the proposal to 27,564, or 38.1 percent, against.

The proposal would extend a 1-cent sales tax, which is currently paying for MAPS for Kids. The tax is set to expire at midnight Dec. 31. If the measure passes, the tax would extend through June of 2010, raising about $121 million. About $20 million of that money would pay for a new NBA practice facility.

The rest would go toward improvements at the Ford Center, including decorative floors and walls, new bathrooms and concession areas, restaurants, suites, a family fun zone, NBA locker rooms and offices and a host of other renovations.

Remark:看来我们又有机会在OKC欣赏NBA比赛了。