Latest news with #BrokenArrow
Daily Mail
10-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
It looks like an abandoned piece of land but it is set to become an insane $98million project in booming city
What looks like an abandoned lot covered in brush and dirt is about to be transformed into a massive $98million shopping destination in one of America's fastest-growing cities. Hackberry Market, a 211,000-square-foot retail development, is set to bring major names like Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx and Burlington to south Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. City officials confirmed the project will sit on more than 30 acres of land. The sprawling retail center is expected to generate more than $100million in annual sales. 'The development team and their retail and restaurant owners and operators are making a $98 million investment to construct the retail and service industry space,' a Broken Arrow press release stated. This includes over 200,000 square feet of anchor retail buildings and five outparcels for additional retail and food service space with over $100 million in annual sales projected from the development. Mayor Debra Wimpee called the move a major win for the city. 'A development like Hackberry Market is a big WIN for everyone in the City of Broken Arrow,' said Mayor Wimpee. 'Not only will it meet our residents' demand for additional retail and dining options, but the tax revenue helps fund our police, fire, streets, and all of the infrastructure that makes Broken Arrow the BEST place to live in Oklahoma and the 12th Best Place to live in the entire country!' 'It doesn't happen without amazing developers like Hackberry Market, LLC, who have incredible vision for growth.' But the city won't immediately see a flood of revenue due to a 25-year tax increment financing (TIF) district agreement in place to help fund the infrastructure needed to support the development. The TIF district is projected to rake in $120.5million in sales and use tax revenue over its lifespan. Property taxes, which support public schools and local services, will be unaffected. The project is a public-private partnership between the Broken Arrow Economic Development Authority, Hackberry Market LLC and Lockwood Development. Officials say the project could create hundreds of new jobs and serve as a catalyst for even more commercial growth on the south side of the city. Construction is set to begin soon with a grand opening expected by late 2026 or early 2027, according to city spokesman Aaron McColloch. A 'groundbreaking ceremony' took place on Thursday that celebrated the start of construction at Hackberry Market. City manager Michael Spurgeon said: 'First off, I want to personally thank Hackberry, LLC., Sooner Investment Development Company, and Lockwood Development for investing in our city and providing our citizens with job opportunities as well as additional retail, dining, and entertainment options that will improve life right here at home,' said Spurgeon. 'Secondly, the City Council should be commended for their vision and willingness to establish TIF District No. 6 to assist Hackberry LLC, with the infrastructure improvements necessary to build a project of this magnitude.' Broken Arrow has seen explosive population growth over the past two decades. it is the state's fourth largest city and last year the population grew 3,022 people to 122,756 - a 2.5 percent rise. The city has become a magnet for developers looking to tap into its booming economy. Another major shopping center is also in the works for the area. Adams Creek Town Center, a $35 million, 22-acre shopping hub on the city's north side, will bring major national retailers like Burlington, Five Below, Books-A-Million, and Pet Supplies Plus to the fast-growing Tulsa suburb. Construction on Adams Creek Town Center is expected to be completed by the end of the year with stores expected to move in and open next year.
Reuters
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Former NFL RB LeShon Johnson convicted in federal dogfighting case
August 6 - Former NFL player LeShon Johnson has been convicted on six federal felony counts for his role in operating a large-scale dogfighting ring in Oklahoma, federal prosecutors announced on Monday. The 54-year-old, who played for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants in the 1990s, now faces up to 30 years in prison and fines totaling up to $1.5 million. The charges stem from a years-long investigation into Johnson's operation, which authorities say was responsible for one of the largest dogfighting cases ever prosecuted in the U.S. Federal agents seized 190 dogs from Johnson's properties in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Okla., calling it the largest seizure of its kind in a federal dogfighting case. Many of the animals were found to be injured or scarred. Investigators also uncovered equipment used to train dogs for fighting, including treadmills, bite sticks, steroids and detailed records of fights and breeding activity. Prosecutors said Johnson operated under the name "Mal Kant Kennels," where he bred and sold dogs -- mostly pit bulls-- trained for fighting. Evidence presented at trial included financial records showing more than $400,000 in sales over four years, with transactions conducted via Cash App, some involving out-of-state and even international buyers. This was not Johnson's first brush with the law over animal cruelty. He was previously convicted on state animal fighting charges in Oklahoma in 2005 but avoided prison time. Authorities believe Johnson may have been involved in dogfighting even during his NFL career, which ended in 1999. --Field Level Media
New York Times
05-08-2025
- New York Times
LeShon Johnson, Ex-N.F.L. Player, Is Convicted in Major Dogfighting Case
A jury in Oklahoma has convicted LeShon Johnson, a former N.F.L. running back, on dogfighting charges in a sprawling federal case that the authorities said could bring a hefty prison sentence and fines. In October, federal agents seized 190 pit-bull-type dogs from Mr. Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., the most ever taken from a single person in a federal case, according to the Justice Department, which announced on Tuesday that a verdict had been reached in the case. After a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, Okla., jurors on Friday found Mr. Johnson guilty on six of the 23 counts that he had been charged with for his role in running what investigators described as a major dogfighting kennel. The jury concluded that he had violated the federal Animal Welfare Act's prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting and delivering animals to be used in fighting ventures. Mr. Johnson, who played for the Green Bay Packers, the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants in the 1990s, could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. He remains free until his sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-NFLer convicted of running dog fighting breeding operation
Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A federal jury in Oklahoma on Monday convicted a former NFL player on a half dozen animal abuse charges for breeding and selling fighting dogs. LeShon Eugene Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., was found guilty on six counts of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act by a jury following a trial in which they heard evidence that he bred and trafficked so-called champion and grand champion fighting dogs and their offspring. "This criminal profited off of the misery of innocent animals and he will face severe consequences for his vile crimes," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. The grand jury indictment was unsealed in March, accusing him of possessing 190 bull-type dogs for use in animal fighting operations. Federal prosecutors accused him of operating Mal Kant Kennels, which had two locations, one in Broken Arrow and the other in Haskell, which is also in Oklahoma. They said he selectively bred champion and grand champion fighting dogs, defined as those that have won three and five fights, respectively. He marketed and sold stud rights and puppies from winning dogs to other dog fighters who wanted the Mal Kan Kennels "bloodline," according to prosecutors who said his operation contributed to the growth of dog fighting across the country. The 190 dogs in his possession were seized by law enforcement in October and are now in U.S. Marshal custody following the verdict on Monday. This is the largest seizure from a single person in a federal dog fighting case, the Justice Department said. Johnson faces up to a maximum of five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $25,000 for each of the six counts. The conviction is also at least the second dog fighting case brought against Johnson, who pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004 for running Krazside Kennels. Johnson played five seasons in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants in the 1990s, for a total of 62 games played. There have been several dog fighting cases. In February, a Florida man was sentenced to seven years for a dog fighting conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a gun. In December, a former Defense Department official received 18 months for participating in a multi-state dog fighting conspiracy, and a Virginia man became the final of seven defendants in July of 2023 to be sentenced to 46 months for dog fighting charges.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Yahoo
Ex-NFL player convicted for operating dogfighting ring... again. Now he faces up to 30 years in prison
LeShon Johnson's shameful career operating a dogfighting enterprise of immense magnitude is as long as it is grisly, far longer than his stint as a running back, even if his season as the leading rusher in college football is included along with his five years in the NFL. The Department of Justice announced Monday that a federal jury in Oklahoma convicted Johnson of violating federal Animal Welfare Act prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting and delivering animals to be used in fighting ventures. Johnson, who operated in the open plains of east Oklahoma not far from where he grew up, faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, five years for each of the six felony counts. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. Authorities took 190 pit bulls and other dogs from his property, the most ever seized from an individual in a federal dogfighting case. Many were scarred and injured. Authorities also uncovered treadmills, bite sticks, steroids and records that detailed fight arrangements and wagering. The verdict culminated a two-year investigation that included raids on Johnson's properties in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Okla. Operating under the name Mal Kant Kennels, Johnson was found to have bred, trained and fought dogs in multiple states. The former ballcarrier who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1993, also had a conviction in Oklahoma state court for dogfighting in 2005, which preceded the much-publicized dogfighting conviction of star NFL quarterback Michael Vick by three years. Twenty years ago, Johnson had a breeding operation called Krazyside Kennels, and its most famous dog, Nino, was the topic of an online narrative that chronicled the pit bull's fights in several states, his last match approaching two hours despite having his ankle snapped in the first 30 seconds. When Johnson was arrested in Tulsa in May 2004, agents found a calendar that detailed his breeding and fight schedules. Fights were listed so far back that investigators believed Johnson fought dogs during his NFL career, which ended in 1999. A 2007 Sports Illustrated story that focused on Vick's involvement in dogfighting rings included information about Johnson's case. George Dohrmann — who was a Los Angeles Times reporter before moving to Sports Illustrated — wrote that Johnson was one of several athletes who had been charged with dogfighting or spoken openly of their links to the practice. "[Fighting dogs] is a fun thing, a hobby, to some [athletes]," an NFL Pro Bowl running back who asked not to be named told Dohrmann. "People are crazy about pit bulls. Guys have these nice, big fancy houses, and there is always a pit bull in the back. And everyone wants to have the biggest, baddest dog on the block." Johnson avoided prison after his 2005 conviction, getting a deferred sentence and probation. This time he likely won't be so fortunate. 'Dogfighting is a vicious and cruel crime that has no place in a civilized society,' U.S. Atty. Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma said Monday. 'I commend the hard work of our law enforcement partners in investigating this case and holding the defendant accountable for his crimes.' U.S. Atty. Gen. Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel also issued statements condemning dogfighting and lauding the conviction of Johnson. 'This criminal profited off of the misery of innocent animals and he will face severe consequences for his vile crimes,' Bondi said. Added Patel: 'The FBI will not stand for those who perpetuate the despicable crime of dogfighting. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, those who continue to engage in organized animal fighting and cruelty will face justice.' Johnson was a Green Bay Packers third-round draft pick in 1994 after he led the nation with 1,976 yards rushing at Northern Illinois in 1993. His best day in the NFL came on Sept. 4, 1996, when he rushed for 214 yards for the Arizona Cardinals in a win over the New Orleans Saints, scoring touchdowns of 70 and 56 yards. Nicknamed "the Cowboy" because he had been a bull rider on the junior rodeo circuit growing up in Oklahoma, Johnson's NFL career was interrupted by lymphoma cancer in 1998. He made a comeback with New York Giants in 1999 and also played in the XFL for the Chicago Enforcers. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
