Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-05-18
No Convention Too Big.

TETIIIIH Tulsa has been busy with her commerce. in
w duStry educational system and social life, sight
has not been lost of the city unusual ability to enter
tain conventions and other public gatherings, and with
view to making Tulsa the big convention city of the
state the citizens have voted the bonds necessary and
erected a Convention hall, that is all that the
implies.
The building is Tulsa's new community center-the
home Of local entertainments OF every kind, and the
of conventions exhibitions grand opera, dramatic
productions municipal Christmas tree exercises, union
church services automobile and mechanical shows, balls
Dances receptions and other public enterprises
The Tulsa Convention hall is the largest municipal
auditorium between Kansas City, Mo, and Houston
Texas and has been commented upon by theatrical
managers musical and dramatic stars, and national con-
vention characters, being the most conveniently ap
pointed and completely equipped building for general
purposes in the entire southwest.
The building opened to the first attraction last
September when the Oklahoma Confederate Reunion
held its annual session in the auditorium During the
first six months of its operation the building used
by 80 different attractions, occupying the structure ~
days and 36 nights. This record although representing
the first half year of the buildings operation compares
favorably with the activity characterizing the audi
tOriums and convention halls of larger cities.
All Obstacles Were Surmounted
The first six months of the buildings history was
struggle to make it go" The theatrical attractions
booked for the entire l9l415 season before the
building completed. With few EXCEPTIONS this pre-
cuded the possibility of securing hghcass attractions
for the institution. AS for local entertainments
three obstacles to be overcome. First, people
afraid of the enormous size of the building doubling
their ability to draw capacity crowds. Second, the
became current and generally accepted that
the acoustics very bad which kept many people
away from the hall Third, the building situated
off the beaten path and it took campaign through
the local and state press and through the free booking
of a nine-number community lyceum course to educate
the public to patronize the building.
But this period of education and construction has
passed and Convention hall is the community center
of the city of Tulsa 1t is the Convention Mecca of the
state and concerted efforts being made to at
tract national gatherings to the unique structure.
From convention standpoint, the building is
uniquely equipped The building can be divided into two
separate and distinct audtorums by the dropping of the
asbestos fire curtain. The stage will accommodate nearly
a thousand people, while the auditorium proper can
comfortably house gathering of $500 people.
The building is equipped with dozen committee
rooms about equally convenient to stage and auditorium
Either the stage auditorium is conveniently arranged
for convention displays and exhibits. The lighting,
heating and ventilating system is mexceed in any