Cornett Reflects on City’s Success
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett talks about his city’s turnaround
BY WAYNE GREENE World Senior Writer
Thursday, March 21, 2013
An economy-wrecking bank failure, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history and being tagged as one of the nation’s fattest communities all helped make Oklahoma City the success it is today, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said Wednesday.
“To truly understand Oklahoma City’s ascension, you also have to understand the desperation of what Oklahoma City’s people have been through,” Cornett told members of the Rotary Club of Tulsa.
The city has prospered after voters approved a series of tax-funded public works projects – including reconstruction of the city’s downtown core, improvements to public schools and amenities to make the community more livable – but Cornett said those successful campaigns stemmed from trouble.
The 1982 failure of Penn Square National Bank marked the beginning of an oil bust that would bring down 139 Oklahoma banks and result in a generation of young Oklahomans looking to begin their lives in other states, Cornett said.