Up Staged

Development

River Spirit Casino Builds Sports Viewing Bar

A new $17.5M sports bar and lounge is touching down at Tulsa’s River Spirit Casino.

• Cover the Spread: It will be called The Gridiron Sports Bar and it’s expected to be the largest sports viewing site in Oklahoma. The add on at River Spirit comes at a time when Oklahoma lawmakers will once again consider legalizing sports betting.  

• Slam Dunk Dining: The Gridiron will go where an old buffet was that didn’t reopen after the pandemic. The 14,000 square foot space is divided into The Gridiron as the main sports bar, The Locker Room which will be a private event space and a VIP lounge. About 160 sports fans can enjoy the new bar with 2 Top Golf Swing Suite bays opening this summer.

Read more about River Spirit’s restaurants HERE.

Small Business

Applications for the 20th Entrepreneurs Cup are Now Open

Calling all business minded college students! The time to let your business plan shine is here.

• Planning With Purpose: The Entrepreneur’s Cup is a statewide collegiate business plan competition that simulates the real-world process of researching a market, writing a business plan, and making a presentation to potential investors. It is in its 20th year of helping next generation entrepreneurs in Oklahoma create jobs for the state.

• Big Business: Applications are now being accepted and there are 2 divisions in which students can win money to make their plans permanent. Over the last 19 years, The Entrepreneur’s Cup has awarded more than $2.4M in cash.

Qualified applicants can apply HERE.

Travel

TIA Announces Highest Number of Travelers Since 2008

The numbers have landed and TIA reports that over 3.1M passengers traveled through Tulsa in 2023.

• This is Your Captain Speaking: Last year Tulsa International Airport had the highest number of annual passengers since 2008. TIA finished with an 8.8% increase year-over-year, and 4.6% over 2019. The surge is due to the increase in seat capacity invested by airline partners as well as the continued resurgence in air traffic in the Tulsa market.

• No Stops Please: American Airlines’ new nonstop service to New York LaGuardia operated for its first full year, proving to be an incredibly popular route for travelers. TIA also announced plans for a new VIP Lounge and a 5 year plan to bring international direct flights to Tulsans. So pack your bags, let’s go somewhere!

See the complete traffic report HERE.

Event

Big Birthday Bash Planned for Cain’s Ballroom 100th

If you live in Tulsa, you’ve likely got a memory attached to the historic Cain’s Ballroom. It’s time to celebrate 100!

• Birthday Song: It’s time to sing happy birthday to Cain’s, a sweet spot in downtown Tulsa since 1924. Join the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture as they kick off its centennial year today at 4:30p. Guests can also sample the Cain's Centennial beer from Marshall's Brewing Company.

• Tulsa Tunes: Cain’s Ballroom is consistently ranked among the best music venues in the world and put Tulsa on the map for being one of the best towns in the world for tunes. Cain’s is a family owned and operated stop in the downtown Tulsa Arts District that has helped establish Tulsa as the music capital of Oklahoma.

Reserve your spot to the party HERE.

Arts

Tulsa’s Kids on Broadway to Offer Free Training for Young Artists

If you’ve got a little back seat singer who’s got some potential pipes, you’ll want to tune into this.

• Practice Makes Performers: Beginning January 28th, Kids on Broadway will offer free musical theatre training to kids ages 6 to 16. Rehearsals happen on Sunday afternoons at the Tulsa Elks Lodge with a show the last two weekends in April. Each child is given a lead role! 

• Shine the Spotlight: Kids on Broadway is a year-round performing arts organization serving the greater Tulsa community for children. Its mission is to offer young people the opportunity to learn about and participate in quality professional theatre in a supportive environment.

Sign your child up HERE.

In other news

• 🎭 Acting Out: Kids on Broadway Academy of Performing Arts is offering a free 10-week musical theatre workshop to kids 6-16 on Sundays from 1:30-4:30 beginning Jan 28 at the Elks Lodge in Tulsa, culminating in performances the last two weekends in April. Call Ben Jammin (831) 334-2121 for more info and to register.*

• 🥶 Ice Ice Baby: You don’t have to be a Tulsa Oiler’s hockey player to take to the ice. See this guy who laced up for driveway glides.

• 🖼 Vote for Philbrook: We already know it’s the best art museum in Tulsa, but it’s time to let USA Today know it should be the best in the country!

• 👩🏽‍💻 Tax Transparency: The City of Broken Arrow is putting it all out there with a re-launch of a website that tells taxpayers know exactly where their money is going.

• 💦 Meter Measures: The City of Tulsa is taking the guesswork out of water bills with its automated meter reading program being installed now.

• 🐒 Monkey Business: The Tulsa Zoo is offering a mentorship program to 8th through 12th graders interested in furry friends and the great outdoors.

*Content is sponsored.

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