TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa is renovating an iconic attraction that draws in thousands of tourists every year for its acoustic anomaly.
After ten months of gathering feedback from the community, the city shared its vision for transforming the Center of the Universe on Monday.
“Oh, you can kind of hear it," tourist, Nicholas Sanders said while checking out the spot in downtown Tulsa.
Established in the 1980s, the Center of the Universe is a Tulsa landmark that draws thousands of people to the heart of downtown, including tourists from all around the world like Sanders.
“I feel the nostalgia about being somewhere where Sylvester Stallone has stood," Sanders said.
Sanders is visiting from New Mexico and said he learned about the attraction through the TV series "Tulsa King."
“I actually came out to check out the Center of the Universe," Sanders said. "Heard about it. Seen it on the 'Tulsa King,' figured it would be a tourist thing to come see," Sanders said.
He said learning about the attraction through the television series made it very appealing, but the actual experience was much different than he expected.
“You know, there’s some work that could be done for sure," Sanders said. "You know, there’s some brick that’s missing and some asphalt that has been laid down."
It's a sentiment that has echoed among many Tulsans. Earlier this year, the Downtown Tulsa Partnership and the city announced a $7.64 million renovation plan for the Plaza and Boston Avenue bridge. The plans include making the area more walkable, and adding shade and green space.
“People seem pretty excited," said District 4 City Councilor Laura Bellis. "I think a lot of folks are asking when can this happen, right… so yeah, positive responses."
Sanders enjoyed the experience, but he also had a lot of questions about the history of the site and the story behind the audible phenomenon. He said he hopes a plaque is included to give visitors more information about the popular location.
“I think it’s nice that the city is going to reinvest into it, bring it up to 2022, 2023 standards and maybe add to it a little bit, it’s a neat experience," Sanders said.
Construction is expected to begin next Spring.
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