'Put it to a vote': District judge decides special election on entertainment district won't happen for now

A Cleveland County district judge decided Thursday that allowing a special election to take place in Norman next month would be an improper legislative act.

NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – A Cleveland County district judge decided Thursday that allowing a special election to take place in Norman next month regarding a new entertainment district would be an improper legislative act.

The decision stems from a lawsuit filed by former Norman mayors Bill Nations and Dick Reynolds. The lawsuit argued that the city charter requires special elections to be called by ordinance, but the city council had already approved a resolution for the vote instead.

The special election in question, originally set for August 26, tied to a vote on a tax increment finance district that city leaders and supporters say would fund a $1 billion entertainment district. That investment would include a new arena for the University of Oklahoma, which the university would also contribute towards.

"There's a reason we're seeing double digit growth in students," said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. at a July 1 press conference urging the council to approve the measure. "If we can continue to build that of an environment where folks want to stay here and be here, it's a prosperous and virtuous cycle that feeds upon itself."

Critics and some Norman residents have argued the investment sounds too good to be true. If approved, the project would be funded in part by tax revenue for up to 25 years, with a total of up to $600 million when everything is said and done.

Residents argued at a June 11 Norman City Council meeting that they should have a say in how their tax dollars are invested.

"We should put it to a vote just the same as we do for other quality of life projects," one resident argued.

News 4 reached out to the City of Norman for comment, but a spokesperson redirected the inquiry back to the city's website which says that there will be no special election in August.

The link mentioned, also included reference to the district court decision.