Christian Kanady, CEO of the dwindling Echo Energy, is the lead investor and will be sourcing additional investments. He is/has been reducing his exposure to Oil/Gas for some time now. He has commercial real estate investments around the city with a strong desire to make downtown OKC more vibrant. Obviously this is self-serving to a degree, since he has no tenants in his rather expensive building at Kerr Park.


Perhaps the Parkside Building is where Prarie Surf Media Corp. will have office space, along with Echo Energy and perhaps Kanady's holding company. That's a huge win to me :)

Anecdotally, I have a good friend who is a writer / producer who recently relocated to OKC. She has been an assistant producer on several film projects in OKC over the last 9 months, in addition to an indie that is about to start filming here in a week.

First, I don't think people realize how much is in the works with Hollywood here. One reason is that most states are still highly restrictive when it comes to these projects. Another is that there is incredible demand right now for new content.

She told me the other day that an agent for a major film production insurance company told her he has written more policies for Oklahoma projects than any other state in the union this year.

Notwithstanding the questions about the leasing arrangement, this industry is red-hot in OKC right now with the potential to go to the next level (ala Atlanta).

Back in April I was watching Good Morning America (ABC) one morning. I do not remember the actress's name but during the interview, she stated she was on day 5 of filming in OKC when the pandemic shut them down. More going on here than we think.

Were are the OKC Blue basketball team going to play their home games?

Keep in mind, there is a *huge* difference between filming on location (which is always just part of a production, and there are usually several locations being short-term) versus the base of a production in a soundstage.

For the latter, everyone has to live near the soundstage for an extended period and you need to have tons of jobs done locally. Grips, electricians, set-builders, costumers, makeup and hair, etc. Those people travel with the cast and crew to a location shoot but stay generally in place at soundstages.

So, with this facility, what we will be seeking are entire productions to come here and do all their soundstage work.

To my knowledge, we have next to zero of that happening of any substance and will then have to persuade producers to come to OKC and set up shop for months or years at a time, and bring most of their preferred crew with them.

When people are investing in a big production, they want to include all the best people they know, from directors and cinematographers all the way down the line. And those people want to bring on experienced people with proven talent and with whom they've worked before.


I hate sounding negative, I'm just trying to 1) provide perspective and 2) work through how this would ever make sense.

Were are the OKC Blue basketball team going to play their home games?

The OKC Blue on any given night attracts 50 to 500 fans. The G-League did not operate this past season due to the pandemic. There are a number of gyms and field houses like Abe Lemons Arena (3,360 capacity), OCU;

Abe Lemons Arena, N. W. 23rd Street & Blackwelder
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/YwnqRaKb2C9mcFenFcIx334_QwrVIetcGQZPT2JmYyhp0u19zw WsO3lZOcLiZt0Hbp9_chi375UcBOm9hyYcGPavUs51PJAonPVv IHFs1pLNdsezWyO0M9eUCWT0LvVY1v8mVelkzPzZUFUaBQhzQS WAu0tFwidx_kGwnLU

Capitol Hill High School Dome:
http://okcmod.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/swokc-capitol-hill-hs-gym-4-13-2013.jpg
The Capitol Hill High School Dome Fieldhouse--bleacher seating for 2,200, 500 SW 36th Street,


http://www.classenalums.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/classen_250c.jpg
The Original Classen High School & gymnasium 1901 Ellison (currently vacant) has bleacher style permanent seating for 1,200.

The OKC Blue shouldn't have any issues relocating inside OKC proper.

Keep in mind, there is a *huge* difference between filming on location (which is always just part of a production, and there are usually several locations being short-term) versus the base of a production in a soundstage.

For the latter, everyone has to live near the soundstage for an extended period and you need to have tons of jobs done locally. Grips, electricians, set-builders, costumers, makeup and hair, etc. Those people travel with the cast and crew to a location shoot but stay generally in place at soundstages.

So, with this facility, what we will be seeking are entire productions to come here and do all their soundstage work.

To my knowledge, we have next to zero of that happening of any substance and will then have to persuade producers to come to OKC and set up shop for months or years at a time, and bring most of their preferred crew with them.

When people are investing in a big production, they want to include all the best people they know, from directors and cinematographers all the way down the line. And those people want to bring on experienced people with proven talent and with whom they've worked before.


I hate sounding negative, I'm just trying to 1) provide perspective and 2) work through how this would ever make sense.
I understand your pragmatic analysis, but maybe we should be asking what we need to do to make this happen for a new industry to come to OKC instead of just conceding that there is no way because it has not happened before. We need diversification and new industries. Bringing any new one here has its challenges. We don’t need to just throw up our hands and say “no way”.

I understand your pragmatic analysis, but maybe we should be asking what we need to do to make this happen for a new industry to come to OKC instead of just conceding that there is no way because it has not happened before. We need diversification and new industries. Bringing any new one here has its challenges. We don’t need to just throw up our hands and say “no way”.

Absolutely no one is saying that.

Just adding some background and hoping things work out.

Keep in mind, there is a *huge* difference between filming on location (which is always just part of a production, and there are usually several locations being short-term) versus the base of a production in a soundstage.

Pete - you know a whole lot more than the majority of us obviously - but is there a possibility that we're on the front end of both an increased market demand and technological advance that really makes this less of a stretch than it would have been even 5 years ago?


For the latter, everyone has to live near the soundstage for an extended period and you need to have tons of jobs done locally. Grips, electricians, set-builders, costumers, makeup and hair, etc. Those people travel with the cast and crew to a location shoot but stay generally in place at soundstages.

So, with this facility, what we will be seeking are entire productions to come here and do all their soundstage work.

To my knowledge, we have next to zero of that happening of any substance and will then have to persuade producers to come to OKC and set up shop for months or years at a time, and bring most of their preferred crew with them.

When people are investing in a big production, they want to include all the best people they know, from directors and cinematographers all the way down the line. And those people want to bring on experienced people with proven talent and with whom they've worked before.


I hate sounding negative, I'm just trying to 1) provide perspective and 2) work through how this would ever make sense.

What's the median wage range (let's say 30th to 70th percentile) of those individuals in CA? This is definitely the kind of thing that deserves incentives if that's the final piece to make this viable in OKC - unlike incentivizing even a company like Paycom, they would clearly not consider OKC otherwise. So then there's several potential advantages in that productions could save capital while due to the cost of living, the majority of these crew members, I'd imagine, can potentially live a higher quality of life here vs. CA, depending on their interests (obviously no wage discrepancy can replace the beach for someone whose identity revolves around the beach).

A few things that can also be done to advance this possibility:

-Ensure there is a partnership with well funded scholarships with several universities to expand/improve film programs to be able to fill these kinds of jobs.

-Work with airlines to ensure there is better connectivity between LA/OKC.

it will be fun to see if this turns into anything - I would definitely be okay with this for a 10 year trial period. If it clearly starts to become something special, then a more specialized facility can be built in/around downtown to replace what's been done in the Cox Center to be completed 15-20 years from now so that a Cox redevelopment would be live around 2040.

Honestly, I don't think in the next 10-15 years OKC as a community (public or private) will have the expendable capital to do the Cox Center right - so a temporary use that is better than what we're doing now sounds ideal.

The OKC Blue on any given night attracts 50 to 500 fans. The G-League did not operate this past season due to the pandemic. There are a number of gyms and field houses like Abe Lemons Arena (3,360 capacity), OCU;.

the OKC Blue has a long term plan not involving the Cox

Downtown OKC studios could provide big boost to local film biz
https://oklahoman.com/article/5674470/downtown-okc-studios-could-provide-big-boost-to-local-film-biz


“After our announcement last month, we received inbound calls from around the world about pent up demand for sound stages,” Cannon said. “We are in deep conversations with some of those promising prospects … the collaboration of state and city stakeholders to support our growing film industry is very encouraging.”


Pinnell confirmed Cannon and Payne are drawing interest from significant film producers.

“They’re very intrigued by the downtown Oklahoma City sound stage concept,” Pinnell said. “They love the idea of being able to film an entire movie in a mile and half area. They’re enthralled by it. You don’t get that in Atlanta where you have to drive an hour outside of town to go to Pinewood studio. And there is no infrastructure around it.”

ABQ getting a huge Netflix expansion.

https://deadline.com/2020/11/netflix-billion-dollar-production-commitment-new-mexico-abq-studios-stranger-things-1234620435/

Hopefully not a bummer for us and this project. You'd think the other main streaming services (Hulu/Disney/Peacock/CBS) would all have the studio capacity they needed.

Per Twitter, city council approved a 5-year lease with Prairie Surf.

Per Twitter, city council approved a 5-year lease with Prairie Surf.

Does anyone know the basic terms of this lease? What is the city doing for them, what are they paying in rent?

Does anyone know the basic terms of this lease? What is the city doing for them, what are they paying in rent?

Just got a chance to listen to the presentation. Not sure about the rent but basically it's a 5-year base term with three 1-year renewal options. PSM hopes at that point will be ready for a purpose-built facility. As far as the exterior it sounds like it's pretty much stuck as-is for now besides PSM adding their signage. Best of luck to them.

https://oklahoman.com/article/5677907/lease-approved-okcs-cox-center-now-in-the-movie-business

Film production starting as soon as next month...

Where is the money coming from to build the massive setup? Are there any cost figures?

That's an encouragingly quick start date. Any chance the city council knew that tenants were already lined up when they approved the lease this morning? I didn't see it reported in connection to that detail, but maybe it was covered in the meeting.

From rent? The article I posted has the rent figures.

P Panda - Sounds like PSM is going to foot the bill for that therefore they're getting cheap rent in the first two years. Once they get the ball rolling the rent bumps consistently through the remainder of the lease.

Oh okay cool yeah I was wanting to know the cost for building out the stage and production setup.

The first production is another by the same group doing Unbreakable Boy, staring the same lead actor and currently filming in OKC.

It's also a small faith-based film made largely for churches.

From that Oklahoman article:


The lease is for five years with three one-year extension options. It calls for stepped-up lease payments from Prairie Surf starting at $150,000 for the first and second years, $300,000 for the third year, $450,000 for the fourth year, $600,000 for the fifth year, and $825,000 plus all utility costs in excess of $1.1 million for each annual extension option.

So, about $12K per month for the first 2 years for the entire Cox Center.

Considering the mention of "all utility costs in excess of $1.1 million" for any extension past five years I have to wonder what the utility costs arrangement is for the first five.

Considering the mention of "all utility costs in excess of $1.1 million" for any extension past five years I have to wonder what the utility costs arrangement is for the first five.

That also means the city would be paying more in utility costs than they'd be receiving in rent.

I like that the city won't be paying for the buildout required for PSM to operate. My take is it's less risky for the city to give a lower introductory rental rate to offset the investment required than it would be for the city to pay for it and try to recoup the investment throughout the life of the lease. If PSM does flop in the next couple years then the city is just stuck with a building with little functional utility, which is already the case.

The Oklahoman has this completely wrong. They wrote:


The lease is for five years with three one-year extension options. It calls for stepped-up lease payments from Prairie Surf starting at $150,000 for the first and second years, $300,000 for the third year, $450,000 for the fourth year, $600,000 for the fifth year, and $825,000 plus all utility costs in excess of $1.1 million for each annual extension option.

They are confusing utility payments for rent.

This is the rent schedule directly from the lease agreement:


First Year Rent is $1.00
Second Year Rent is $75,000
Third Year Rent is $175,000
Fourth Year Rent is $225,000
Fifth Year Rent is $250,000
Option Year 6 Rent is $250,000 plus the CPI increase for the prior year up
to a maximum of 257,500
Option Year 7 Rent is Prior year amount plus the CPI for the prior year up
to a maximum of $265,225
Option Year 8 Rent is Prior year amount plus the CPI for the prior year up
to a maximum of $273,182

For utilities, the lease document says they run about $1.1 million per year and that PSM will be taking 75% of the Cox Center. This is what they'll pay in utilities:


Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $300,000
Year 4: $450,000
Year 5: $600,000
Option Years
Year 6: $825,000 plus all utility costs in excess of $1,100,000
Year 7: $825,000 plus all utility costs in excess of $1,100,000
Year 8: $825,000 plus all utility costs in excess of $1,100,000

Their portion of utilities will be about $825,000 per year, but they will pay much less than that unless they go beyond 5 years.

So, this will be the cost to the city:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/coxrent.jpg


You can read the full lease agreement here:
HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/psmlease.pdf

Yikes.

now. you think about it though... the city will be getting money back in sales tax and hotel tax revenue... not that much over the next 4 years probably... but that will then offset the costs some.. plus if there is an influx of permanent crew, that could be even more. so i'm actually okay with that number.

now. you think about it though... the city will be getting money back in sales tax and hotel tax revenue... not that much over the next 4 years probably... but that will then offset the costs some.. plus if there is an influx of permanent crew, that could be even more. so i'm actually okay with that number.

I don't disagree with that logic, but the optics are bad. City departments will all likely be facing some huge budget cuts over the next several years as the economic repercussions are felt from the COVID pandemic. Is that the right time to be investing $2 million into a film business?

We're already losing money on the thing sitting there doing nothing. We'll just be losing a bit less money over the next few years.

We're already losing money on the thing sitting there doing nothing. We'll just be losing a bit less money over the next few years.

They are having to move the Blue and other events elsewhere.

They still lease it out for all types of events.

The Oklahoman has this completely wrong.

Gasp!

They are having to move the Blue and other events elsewhere.

They still lease it out for all types of events.

the blue have a long term plan not involving the cox ... but not this quick ..



i do think the city is not allowed to book any event in the cox that could go in the new CC once it opens

If this ends up a success and these people really do move out and build a major production studio in the city then it will be worth it. If they stick around a few years and burn out then yeah the city loses out. It’s a gamble and hopefully it pays off.

i do think the city is not allowed to book any event in the cox that could go in the new CC once it opens

i was curious outside of the Blue, how many events would be there once the CC Opens. that's why i think this is a smart move and the optics are right at the right time.. we have a CC opening soon and so lets start getting this building used, because it's better than empty.

$2 million is a drop in the bucket in this city. especially considering that number is over 4 years... that is a small amount of money for the positive spin and publicity it could give our city. heck, i don't think you could do a national campaign to make OKC look as good as a TV show or a few movies set here could for just 2 million

the blue have a long term plan not involving the cox ... but not this quick ..



i do think the city is not allowed to book any event in the cox that could go in the new CC once it opens

That's pretty key information for decision making. Given the likely sparsity in conventions for the next year guaranteed and more likely 2-3 years guaranteed, it seems the timing on this is really ideal.

When it comes to the blue, I am not sure how long it will take, but remember we will have a new arena at the fairgrounds they could play in. Something to take into account.

the blue have a long term plan not involving the cox ... but not this quick ..



i do think the city is not allowed to book any event in the cox that could go in the new CC once it opens

The city is PAYING for the Blue to move out of the Cox Center to make way for this movie studio. Says so right in the lease:


The City, through the OCPPA, and PSM agreed to share the cost for relocating and/or
buying out booked events and those costs associated with relocating the OKC Blue basketball
team before the end of the team’s contracted term.

The city is PAYING for the Blue to move out of the Cox Center to make way for this movie studio. Says so right in the lease:

right i understand that .. i was talking about events not counting the blue ... the blue clearly didn't want to be out now ..

I keep thinking PSM is Penn Square when reading through this thread... Haha

wouldn';t it be great if this is a success and they build a new studio (or at least Hq offices) in Film Row district. ..

I wonder if the city would consider selling those buildings near the jail (currently used for storage), they'd be perfect for studio sets.

It will also be great if they could get a few movies and/or tv shows set and about Oklahoma City. Hope we can become another Albuquerque at least ....

.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5498cce2e4b044170dcb783b/1447195023777-GV4QL9JEPRVHJ5DQJVD5/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kOyTfLZiV2PNjKdnQQRsBpRZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpzojtLi4ukUfwdiFkPMXrokEhqAAZAnnueEmL 1xJbPDPUCndo7ocswNI1K7i2iGLUs/537EV-west+edited.jpg?format=2500w
My favorite pic of the Cox Convention Center.

wouldn';t it be great if this is a success and they build a new studio (or at least Hq offices) in Film Row district. ..

I wonder if the city would consider selling those buildings near the jail (currently used for storage), they'd be perfect for studio sets.

It will also be great if they could get a few movies and/or tv shows set and about Oklahoma City. Hope we can become another Albuquerque at least ....

I don't think the low ceiling clearances, narrow hallways and doors make it desirable for storing anything very big, let alone sets. Then there is the issue of transporting them. Seems like they need storage near or on site where they will be used.

Just for clarification, I’m meaning the metal buildings not too far from the Oklahoma county jail and 21C Museum hotel.

What’s up with all the cars parked on the grass and sidewalks every day on the east side of the fox center. It looks very tacky and should be allowed. There’s parking garage below so there should be no excuse.
Isn’t that against city code…

With all the vacancies downtown, they're probably overjoyed there's enough people to use the building and park on the sidewalk.

What’s up with all the cars parked on the grass and sidewalks every day on the east side of the fox center. It looks very tacky and should be allowed. There’s parking garage below so there should be no excuse.
Isn’t that against city code…

Contact the Action Center at okc.gov

Ever since Continental co-bought the Santa Fe garage with BancFirst and moved all their parkers to that structure, the Cox Center parking has seen low occupancy -- and this was before the pandemic.

So, at any given time there are hundreds of available spots down there.

In fact, preserving that parking is the main reason the Cox Center is still standing.

Contact the Action Center at okc.gov

Reported on 1/25 and 2/1.

Nothing had changed. Cars still parking there this morning.

And I can’t seem to find any report for the address on action center website. It’s like they are ignoring it because it’s their own property

Reported on 1/25 and 2/1.

Nothing had changed. Cars still parking there this morning.

And I can’t seem to find any report for the address on action center website. It’s like they are ignoring it because it’s their own property

They can take days, if not weeks, to respond to things sometimes, which is sad. Next step would be to contact either your city councilperson or the one for the ward the Cox is in (Hamon is that one).

Can you explain exactly where this is happening? The east side of the CCC has very little grass. Are you talking about the area directly across from the Santa Fe Hub?

Can you explain exactly where this is happening? The east side of the CCC has very little grass. Are you talking about the area directly across from the Santa Fe Hub?

Along Gaylord in the small patches of grass. Probably 5-10 cars parked out there on the grass daily

I reported it again and asked for the service report # so I could track and make sure it was actually reported and entered this time
It’s C21-07918

https://ibb.co/gztCmqp
Here is a picture of what is happening every day. Not that there any many visitors to town right now but just doesn’t look good when you’re coming into downtown to see vehicles parked on the grass like this.
There were 4 cars on the grass as of 7am today already

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cox020921a.jpg

Yea that is bad. I am guessing they are workers doing something inside those CCC doors.

Yea that is bad. I am guessing they are workers doing something inside those CCC doors.

It's for the Prairie Surf Studios project.

I suggest someone tweet the photo to Holt. He is one of OKC's biggest proponents of cleaning up the city image. He will know who to contact.

Yea that is bad. I am guessing they are workers doing something inside those CCC doors.

3rd week of it. Been paying attention everyday to it. It looks tacky. Prairie surf already acting like your typical rental tenants - I joke.

I don't understand why they'd do that if they have access to the parking below ground, wouldn't you want your car to be warm and ice free?