While the nation's eyes watched Ohio and Texas March 4 to learn the outcome of key presidential primaries, a much more important election for Oklahoma City residents took place at their local polling booths.

That's when voters in the state capital of Oklahoma lined up at precincts to cast their ballots on a referendum to extend a 1-cent sales tax to pay for public improvements including an upgrade of the Ford Center.

The potential prize? An NBA franchise.

Moving up to the ranks of a "big league city" is no small step, but it's one that Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett says his community is ready to make.

"This referendum ensures that we will be competitive on a regional basis with other communities that have new or recently built arenas," Cornett told the IAMC Dispatch on election day. "Our arena no longer has a competitive advantage against Tulsa and other cities in the region, whether it's for hosting Big 12 Conference tournaments or other marquee events."

Thanks to the voters of Oklahoma City, the measure to spend $97 million to improve the 20,000-seat Ford Center and another $24.6 million to build an NBA practice facility passed overwhelmingly.

Oklahoma City, welcome to the big leagues.

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett

Declaring victory later that night, the mayor told The Oklahoman, "We really are creating a city where people want to be, and this is a golden age in Oklahoma City. I think someday we will look back and people will realize it."

Actually, IAMC realized that last year when the association's board of directors voted unanimously to hold the Fall 2008 IAMC Professional Forum in downtown Oklahoma City.

The board did so knowing that Oklahoma City had already proven itself worthy of major league recognition. What happened March 4 only confirmed that.

"The impact of yesterday's vote was multi-faceted," Greater Oklahoma City Chamber President & CEO Roy Williams told the Dispatch on March 5. "The voters of Oklahoma City said they want to continue the phenomenal momentum of the city. The voters said they want to improve the Ford Center such that it becomes a first-class venue for all types of arena activities. And finally, the voters said they want their city to become a big league city by attracting an NBA team."

The team most likely to call Oklahoma home is the Seattle SuperSonics, owned by a group of Oklahoma City business leaders including Clay Bennett. While the Sonics are currently in court to terminate their lease in Seattle, the NBA Board of Governors will vote next month on Bennett's request to relocate the team and its superstar rookie Kevin Durant to Oklahoma City.

According to 62 percent of the voters who cast their ballots on March 4, that move can't happen soon enough.

Proving it is what Oklahoma City has been doing for the better part of the past two decades. The historic and elegant Skirvin Hilton, the host hotel of IAMC's upcoming Fall Forum, reopened last year after a $50 million restoration — part of more than $2 billion in private sector development that has landed downtown since 1993.

Bricktown, the crown jewel of the central business district's rebirth, is anchored by a beautiful new baseball stadium and the corporate headquarters of Sonic. The Colcord Hotel, which also will host IAMC attendees, reopened in December 2006 following extensive renovations of the property first built in 1910.

"The Oklahoma River is undergoing new development," the mayor adds. "It has become one of the premier rowing venues in the world and will soon host the Olympic trials. This is a river that didn't even have water in it seven years ago, and in about a month we will have riverboat cruises going down it."

Corporate employers and small businesses alike have taken notice. Boutique shops, hotels and restaurants have opened up all over town.

"We have created 65,000 net new jobs in the last four years," Cornett says of his metro area of 1.2 million people. "While the rest of the country seems to be slowing down, our real estate prices are going up and our economy is still growing. City tax revenues are ahead of projections."

You don't have to convince Corporate America. IAMC Active member firm Dell has grown its operation in Oklahoma City to more than 2,000 employees in three years. Boeing, another IAMC Active member company, is spending $100 million on a new electronics and avionics manufacturing plant in the city. West Business Services is expanding its call center by 200 employees. Arinc Engineering is growing by 100 high-tech workers in manufacturing and R&D in avionics and communications systems. And IAMC Active member firm Quad Graphics is investing $10 million in expanding its Oklahoma City printing plant, creating 75 jobs and 150,000 square feet of new space.

Devon Energy and Chesapeake Energy, both based in Oklahoma City, rank among the largest corporations in the country.

"A lot of our growth is occurring in the biomedical field," says Cornett. "Aviation is another sector that is enjoying significant growth. A number of sites are available for corporate development at or near Tinker Air Force Base, one of the largest bases in the country with 24,000 employees."

Ron Starner, executive director of IAMC

Construction has already begun on the project, estimated to cost between $500 million and $600 million. Completion of the re-routing is slated for 2012, with the boulevard set to open in 2014.

"Our goal is to create a city where people want to live," Cornett says. "We are spending $1 billion on capital improvements to our schools. And in December, we had an $800 million bond issue to improve local streets and build 350 miles of sidewalks."

The former television news anchor and Oklahoma University professor says that education is the key to the ongoing transformation of his community, the 12th fastest-growing large city in the U.S.

"We are rebuilding the entire inner-city school system," the mayor notes. "We want business executives around the country to know that we are an inclusive community with an extremely high quality of life. We have no traffic congestion. We are the second largest city in America that is in compliance with the Clean Air Act. When you look at all of those elements, there are opportunities to create jobs here. We are poised to grow."

Cornett, the 35th mayor of Oklahoma City and at age 49 its youngest since 1959, likes to say that his city "works hard and dreams big."

If the Sonics or another NBA team decides to play hoops in Oklahoma City, those dreams will take on a new dimension — and March 4, 2008, will go down in history as one very important day.