Arts commission declines to recommend 35-foot 'KICK 66' boot for Classen Boulevard after neighborhood backlash

The Oklahoma City Arts Commission on Aug. 22 voted not to recommend a $1 million MAPS4-funded Route 66 sculpture, known as KICK 66, for the proposed site at NW 20th and Classen Boulevard, following more than two hours of public comment and debate.

Randy Marks, program planner for Arts and Cultural Affairs, told the commission the project was selected from roughly 50–55 RFQ responses and chosen by a nine-member selection committee. Marks said the commission had asked artists to accept an accelerated schedule because the city expects a surge of Route 66 visitors during the 2026 centennial and that the chosen design by Oklahoma City artist Cameron Eagle was the selection committee’s unanimous top pick. "He out designed and out competed the other two artists," Marks said.

The proposed installation featured a 35-foot aluminum boot with integrated lighting, powder-coated finishes, artificial turf and a miniature concrete Route 66 winding through the triangular site. The design includes sculpted prickly pear cactus, a mound containing a time capsule intended to be opened in 2126, and musical-lyric stitching referencing the Route 66 song, Marks said. Marks also said the committee and city staff had met with site partners, including Wesley United Methodist Church, which holds title to the parcel in question.

Opposition from dozens of residents and business owners in the city’s Asian District dominated public comment. Speakers said the boot would overwhelm the entrance to a neighborhood many described as a cultural corridor developed by Asian-owned businesses over decades. "This project in its current form does nothing but harm that diversity," said Jojo Bowles, who spoke from the public microphone. Mariah Gillespie, a worker at a nearby Milk Bottle building business, said tourists already visit that corner daily and called the boot "disrespectful to the community that it would be placed in." Jenny Nguyen, who owns properties directly across from the proposed site, said, "This boot doesn't make any sense on that corner." Several speakers urged moving the artwork elsewhere on the Route 66 route or substantially redesigning it to better reflect the neighborhood.

Some speakers supported the location as an opportunity to draw visitors into the Asian District. Mike Huang, a founding board member of the Asian District, said the area is uniquely positioned on Route 66 and urged the commission not to relocate the piece but to allow time for design adjustments and community feedback. Steve Lee, executive director of the Asian District Cultural Association, asked only that the artist consider adding elements that reflect the neighborhood.

Commissioners raised site- and process-related concerns in discussion. Commissioner Terry Cooper questioned whether the proposed location is on the “original” Route 66 alignment and said the Asian District’s streetscape and community investments merited greater sensitivity. Several commissioners and Marks emphasized that finalists had been given a site tour during the selection process but that strong public sentiment warranted further review.

The motion on the floor — to recommend to City Council a public art agreement for KICK 66 at the Classen Boulevard location — failed on a voice vote. Marks told the room the Arts Commission is advisory and that the City Council will be the ultimate decision-maker if the project is resubmitted. He added the staff would "take this under advisement" and explore options including relocating the artwork, modifying the design, or further community engagement.

The commission also discussed technical details raised by commenters and commissioners: fabrication materials (heavy-duty powder-coated aluminum), lighted plexiglass elements meant to mimic neon, and the inclusion of a time capsule and sculptural landscape elements. Marks said recasting the bronze and other heavy conservation issues were separate matters for a different monument discussion but affirmed the KICK 66 selection had been competitive and vetted by references.

For now, the commission will not forward a recommendation to City Council on KICK 66 as designed for the Classen Boulevard site. Marks said options include presenting the same artwork in a different location, allowing the artist to revise the concept with community input, or relaunching the selection for an alternate design or site. City Council will receive no recommendation from the Arts Commission on this submission at this time.