Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame files for bankruptcy
TULSA — The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame has filed for bankruptcy.
The news broke in the middle of an eviction hearing before a special judge in the Tulsa County District Court Small Claims Division.
Jason McIntosh, executive director of the Jazz Hall of Fame, confirmed the bankruptcy filing but declined to comment further at the advice of counsel.
The Tulsa County Industrial Authority filed a lawsuit in November seeking to terminate its lease with the Jazz Hall and recover $8,474 in past-due taxes and utilities.
The lawsuit also alleges that the Jazz Hall fell so far behind in its utility payments that electricity to the building was turned off on Oct. 19.
The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame leases the Union Depot, at First Street and Cincinnati Avenue, a facility bought and refurbished by the county with $4 million in Vision 2025 funds. It pays $1 a year in rent and is required to cover tax, insurance and utility costs.
The bankruptcy filing puts an automatic stay on the Industrial Authority's case until the bankruptcy proceedings are completed.
“Obviously, we are disappointed in this action because the (Union) Depot itself is a facility owned by the public, and the fact that they filed bankruptcy gives us great concern that the property continues to be in jeopardy,” said Industrial Authority attorney Kristopher Koepsel.
“He( McIntosh) failed to pay all kinds of different bills over the years ,” Koeps el continued .“He has a debt that is owed to the Tulsa County Industrial Authority. We believe he still has a significant debt to PSO, and if he's not spending his money on those things, he is certainly not maintaining the building.”
The Jazz Hall has for a decade struggled to pay its bills to the county on time. In 2012, county officials discussed terminating the Jazz Hall's lease after it accumulated more than $30,000 in unpaid electric bills and thousands more in unpaid assessments and insurance costs.
The Tulsa County Industrial Authority is made up of the three county commissioners.