Sooners' new arena fight takes another annoying turn fans are tired of seeing

It seemed as if Oklahoma was in the clear for a brand new arena that would be part of the Rock Creek Entertainment District plan, but the Sooners' battle against some residents and council members of the City of Norman might not be over yet, after all.

In February, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the gist of a petition against the entertainment district project insufficient, which immediately prompted OU to move forward with the plans after a long two-year delay. However, on Friday, Norman councilmember Kimberly Blodgett proudly posted on Facebook that she and two other councilmembers put an ordinance appeal related to the Rock Creek Entertainment District on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting.

City of Norman could once again delay Oklahoma's new arena project

These councilmembers are trying to send the entertainment district and its tax increment financing, or TIF, to a public vote, according to OU Daily, which City Attorney Rick Knighton says the city does not have the authority to do.

The Rock Creek Entertainment District would include a new arena for OU men's and women's basketball, OU women's gymnastics, and whatever other concerts and events the city wanted to host there. The project would also include hotels, restaurants, housing and more around the arena at the University of Oklahoma’s North Park area. The area would be similar to Ballpark Village in St. Louis, which new OU athletic director Roger Denny helped represent St. Louis bond issuers during the deal that eventually led to the construction of that successful project that helped revive that part of St. Louis.

"The thing I learned from that is you’ve just got to keep plugging away at it and plugging away at it," Denny said during his introductory press conference. "Every time it turns and you think the deal might be falling apart or whatever it is, we’ll stay in the fight longer than anyone else. I think that’s what we’ll look to do, and we’ll continue to plug away until we get that built.”

The City of Norman, though, which could end up being a major beneficiary of this massive project in the end, has been the biggest enemy against the Sooners making this vision a reality. This newest attempt on Tuesday could end up going nowhere, but it likely won't be the last try at this improvement getting delayed again as the city essentially keeps biting the hand that feeds it.

Norman is a town that revolves around the Sooners, whether some residents want to realize it or not. It's the reason the city is even on a map. OU athletics brings the city's economy millions of dollars every year, especially on Saturdays in the fall. An increased attendance for basketball and gymnastics would only make the economic growth even more steady through the winter, not to mention the added jobs year around. It's a win-win for both parties.

And OU fans are growing tired of this constant fight as it seems like no one hates the Sooners more than the place they call home.