Tulsa County approves Project Clydesdale tax-incentive plan after public hearing on water, local hiring and fiscal terms

The Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 29 voted to approve and adopt the Project Clydesdale economic development project plan and its accompanying tax-incentive district under the Oklahoma Local Development Act.

The decision followed a second and final public hearing that drew developers, labor representatives, local elected officials and residents. Speakers praised the deal's potential economic benefits while raising concerns about long-term tax forgone revenue, local hiring guarantees and utility capacity.

Supporters said the project will bring large-scale private investment and jobs. Justin McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, said the project represents "a major opportunity to attract investment, create quality jobs, and strengthen the economic foundation of our entire county," and warned that "if this incentive doesn't pass, the project will simply pack up and go to another community elsewhere." Chelsea Furie, president and CEO of the Owasso Chamber of Commerce, and Margaret Coates, superintendent of Owasso Public Schools, also told the board the TID payments would provide resources to local schools and spur regional economic activity. Coates said the project could expand school resources and create pathways for students, and the county staff estimated that if all four phases execute, Owasso Public Schools could receive an annual average of about…