$10M Kings Post Bridge Donated To Tulsa’s Gathering Place

A major donation to Gathering Place was recognized Friday by the most significant donor of them all, George Kaiser, who made a rare public visit to the park his foundation is building.

A team of Halliburton executives from Houston flew in to see the $425 million Gathering Place and be recognized for their company's recent $10 million donation.

Their charity, and a first visit from the company CEO, was enough to get Kaiser out in front of cameras for brief comments.

"And whenever you're ready to come full circle, we'd be willing to build you a new headquarters building, with very cheap rent on some extra land on the south end of this park," Kaiser said.

But Kaiser didn't say a single thing about the park, or himself. It was all about Halliburton paying for the bridge in the middle of the park.

"That bridge, Jeff, thank you, and welcome to Tulsa," he said.

Work briefly quieted down during the recognition but a crane is in place to install roof panels on the Boathouse, and there's still bare dirt where landscaping will be finished soon.

The windows are in at the Lodge, work continues on the skate parks on the south end and on Riverside Drive, but the Chapman Adventure Playground is complete.

Final inspections of that equipment are underway, preparing for the first scheduled field trips in two weeks.

The park will fully open to the public this summer after dozens of major donations like the one recognized Friday.

"Our charitable commitment to Gathering Place is a great way to honor the heritage of our company, our deep roots and our thousands of employees who live in the State of Oklahoma," said Halliburton CEO Jeff Miller.

Gathering Place has not set a certain date for the opening, just this summer.