View Full Version : Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Arena)
Teo9969 10-24-2023, 12:03 AM The Paycom area is a little over 13 acres. Directly to the west is the REHCO lot which I would guess is 25 acres (Hudson to Robinson and Reno to north of the bike path ROW) and then to the west of that another 12 acres or so. Do you think all three (old paycom, REHCO, lot to the west of REHCO) would be done at the same time?
Assuming the new arena is put on the Cox site, I would assume that the old Paycom site and REHCO sites lag at least 3 years behind the new arena. 2029 is right around the corner for large project developments. Think about Dream hotels, which OKCTalk first started talking about in 2021, so they were working on that in 2020 if not earlier. Permits haven't even been filed and the earliest it would likely open is 2026, so 7 years?
An RFP hasn't even been thought about for the Paycom site yet and likely wouldn't be until at least we've selected a new site for the arena and started construction, so 7 years from 2026 would be 2033. REHCO could happen any day, but they seem content to hold for awhile. I'd assume they'd want a hotel on that property but would want a subsidy for it and that's off the table until the 2030s.
HOT ROD 10-24-2023, 12:11 PM those other projects could move faster given the momentum that the arena will create, along with Dream and the other projects slated to start soon, not to mention the big elephant in the room - LA 2028 with OKC potentially co-hosting. Assuming all of that - there could be huge momentum/incentive to build on the REHCO lands, the Paycom site, and possibly the COOP lands (and more).
It could be the largest building boom in OKC history, in just 5 years, all due to momentum of events and attractions upcoming and development starting now/soon in downtown.
dankrutka 10-24-2023, 01:16 PM Apparently Empire Slice House is opening at the arena.
Nice! More of this! The food at the arena is terrible. This will be a big upgrade.
okatty 11-15-2023, 10:12 AM Attended the Spurs game last night and sat in Section 109 down in the “end riser” area. Did the rise between the rows change significantly this season in those areas? The row in front of us was not much higher than our row. I can’t claim to have sat in that area a lot, but I have in past years and never noticed this as an issue. Just curious if others have experienced this.
midtownokcer 11-15-2023, 10:42 AM Attended the Spurs game last night and sat in Section 109 down in the “end riser” area. Did the rise between the rows change significantly this season in those areas? The row in front of us was not much higher than our row. I can’t claim to have sat in that area a lot, but I have in past years and never noticed this as an issue. Just curious if others have experienced this.
It's definitely changed after they replaced and reconfigured about half the seats in the lower bowl/100s. The seating changes were supposed to create better sightlines. Sounds like that wasn't the case in your experience?
https://youtu.be/29ude1iyxaI?si=-68ktidxoNpSx6XR
okatty 11-15-2023, 10:48 AM ^No ours was not good. That new walk thru area in the middle maybe impacts it….not sure. I was very unimpressed with those seats. Thanks for the News9 clip.
CitySooner 11-15-2023, 10:56 AM Attended the Spurs game last night and sat in Section 109 down in the “end riser” area. Did the rise between the rows change significantly this season in those areas? The row in front of us was not much higher than our row. I can’t claim to have sat in that area a lot, but I have in past years and never noticed this as an issue. Just curious if others have experienced this.
Somebody in our office had this happen to them on their season tickets. What once was an alright view, is now blocked by the person in front of them because of the issue you described. The Thunder are actually moving their seats for no additional cost because of this.
okatty 11-15-2023, 11:03 AM ^I am certain this changed with the new seating this year. We had tickets for many years in Section 108 and 112 and never experienced this. I would use caution if buying a ticket that says “end riser.”
Bowser214 12-14-2023, 07:00 PM Country Music Association nominated Paycom Center as top concert venue nationwide!
Glad this came out after the vote! Lol
https://koco.com/article/oklahoma-cma-paycom-center-country-music-assocation-top-venue/46128775
Jersey Boss 12-14-2023, 07:05 PM No loading dock demerits either.
chssooner 12-14-2023, 08:05 PM Country Music Association nominated Paycom Center as top concert venue nationwide!
Glad this came out after the vote! Lol
https://koco.com/article/oklahoma-cma-paycom-center-country-music-assocation-top-venue/46128775
Why? Country shows don't have super fancy stages. Just a simple stage and a guy or girl singing on stage.
Ginkasa 12-14-2023, 08:13 PM That's cool, but to be clear I think it reflects more on how many country acts we just naturally attract being who we are and (more positively) how positive the artists, etc. find the experience playing in the arena. Its more a behind the scenes thing than a commentary on how good the arena is overall, if that makes sense.
jn1780 12-14-2023, 08:19 PM It almost seems like a partipation prize. As long as your venue isn't terrible and your in a market favorable to country music you will probably get on the list eventually.
Mississippi Blues 12-14-2023, 10:34 PM I don’t care how you swing it, that’s kinda funny.
DoctorTaco 03-05-2024, 07:10 AM AHMM posted these photos of an NBA Locker room for an "undisclosed team" in an "undisclosed city," but I think we all know where this is. Amazing work as always from that shop:
https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/americas/nba-professional-performance-center/
P.S. as I posted this I assumed it was at Paycom but is it actually at the practice facility? idk
DoctorTaco 03-05-2024, 07:11 AM AHMM posted these photos of an NBA Locker room for an "undisclosed team" in an "undisclosed city," but I think we all know where this is. Amazing work as always from that shop:
https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/americas/nba-professional-performance-center/
P.S. as I posted this I assumed it was at Paycom but is it actually at the practice facility? idk
Bill Robertson 03-05-2024, 07:38 AM I was in the arena locker room a few years ago. It may have been redone since then but it didn't look like that then. A lot less white and the wood was a darker color.
DoctorTaco 03-05-2024, 08:12 AM I was in the arena locker room a few years ago. It may have been redone since then but it didn't look like that then. A lot less white and the wood was a darker color.
This remodel was done only a year ago
caaokc 03-05-2024, 11:54 AM AHMM posted these photos of an NBA Locker room for an "undisclosed team" in an "undisclosed city," but I think we all know where this is. Amazing work as always from that shop:
https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/americas/nba-professional-performance-center/
P.S. as I posted this I assumed it was at Paycom but is it actually at the practice facility? idk
I think it’s the practice facility. I don’t think the arena has a weight room and tubs
^
The project is labeled "Professional NBA Arena Locker Room".
pickles 03-05-2024, 01:11 PM I think it’s the practice facility. I don’t think the arena has a weight room and tubs
These things are standard in NBA locker rooms.
warreng88 04-16-2024, 10:16 AM I noticed they were installing sidewalks south of the arena but the concrete dividers were still up between the sidewalks and the arena. Not sure what's going on here.
HFAA Alum 04-16-2024, 10:29 AM Probably getting things ready for the playoffs. It's been a little while since we've hosted a series, not since Utah.
kukblue1 04-16-2024, 10:37 AM I'm glad they are putting a side walk there. Walking across from the Park will be easier and walking to parking in lower bricktown will be easier.
I noticed they were installing sidewalks south of the arena but the concrete dividers were still up between the sidewalks and the arena. Not sure what's going on here.
Where exactly?
There has been a sidewalk along the boulevard for some time, along with the concrete barriers:
HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/paycom041524a.jpg
Bowser214 04-16-2024, 11:00 AM I saw this also yesterday. So across from the empty lot where the Boulevard Apartments are supposed to be built.
warreng88 04-16-2024, 11:03 AM I saw this also yesterday. So across from the empty lot where the Boulevard Apartments are supposed to be built.
Exactly and it's weird because they aren't straight north/south. I have a meeting at the Skirvin this afternoon, I'll go by and take some pics and post them.
Urbanized 04-16-2024, 11:09 AM ^^^^^^^^^
The new sidewalks are intended to help attendees more easily access the building from the east. Before now many people felt obliged to trek across the muddy field in order to cut a block or so off of their walk when arriving from the east. This is for the building in general, but obviously they are working to have it done for playoffs.
There will also be surface improvements to the eastern half of that strip specifically for TV broadcast trucks. As I've mentioned before in the arena thread, TV trucks can no longer live on the REHCO lot, owing to the streetcar tracks. Makes it impossible to run cables across the street. This location is a temporary solution until the new building arrives. The deeper the Thunder makes it into the playoffs, the more satellite and other truck will have to be housed.
Regarding the jersey barriers, those are an NBA security requirement. It's possible that those could be replaced in the future by some other barrier devices, but that won't happen this season.
Richard at Remax 04-16-2024, 11:41 AM It looks like there are two. both are diagonal. One starts at the intersection and goes NE. The other starts around where people come across the street from the convention garage and goes NW. Im pretty sure they meet at the same spot but didn't get a great look at it
HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/paycom041624a.jpg
HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/paycom041624b.jpg
HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/paycom041624c.jpg
HOT ROD 04-18-2024, 05:34 PM Love the Paycom banner pic. Remember when the arena was expanded, they used KD's pic there.
Nice to see the TEAM recognized and promoted.
HOT ROD 04-18-2024, 05:35 PM As to the concrete, what's taking them so long? OKC Thunder was going to be in the playoffs, since at least February.
Not sure why wait until April to start preparing the area. ?.
Laramie 04-23-2024, 10:58 AM Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events and gymnastics.
It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 - 600 room) hotel wing or adding nine or 17 stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story/36 story - 325 - 448 foot tall (1,004 - 1,208 room) luxury hotel.
jedicurt 04-23-2024, 11:02 AM Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events.
It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 room) hotel wing or adding nine stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story - 325 foot tall (1,004 room) luxury hotel.
i would love this. i just don't think it's a reality.... sadly enough.
Laramie 04-23-2024, 11:29 AM ^ ^ ^
I think it could happen, we (OKC) need to be aggressive in finding creative ways to lure conventions (large gatherings) to our city. If the Dream Hotel becomes reality, you're looking at 300 or more rooms added to the current DT hotel room count. Also, more tourist attractions like a DT Zoo Aquarium.
Although Omni will be the city's designated main convention center hotel, that doesn't restrict building more hotels downtown. It does restrict TIF funding for any new hotels.
aDark 04-23-2024, 01:02 PM Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events and gymnastics.
It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 - 600 room) hotel wing or adding nine or 17 stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story/36 story - 325 - 448 foot tall (1,004 - 1,208 room) luxury hotel.
I struggle to understand what OKCTalk's fascination is with hockey. It seems like every other month someone is suggesting we "bring hockey back" or use the Paycom for hockey or starts a new thread re bringing the NHL/Coyotes to town. I know I've seen someone in the thread on the new arena suggest that we are making a misstep in not making building it to be NHL compatible.
Help me understand. Are many in town in love with hockey or is it a select few who are just vocal on this board? Is there actually a large contingency of hockey fans in OKC as some vestige of when we briefly had the Barons? Is it because it's a 4th (5th?) tier sport and would therefore be sustainable in our metro? Is it just one poster named Laramie running 3-6 accounts to frequently re-introduce hockey into threads about development?
I am truly uneducated on how/why hockey would be a good fit for OKC and why it gets brought up so much. It doesn't seem to have a large market share of sports across the US, generally speaking. It doesn't seem to naturally belong in Oklahoma where its hardly played at any level.
PoliSciGuy 04-23-2024, 01:18 PM I'd love to see an AHL team here. Hockey is a great sport to watch live. In one of my old haunts they had a 17-18 year old team that was always a great night to go watch, if only for a bunch of teenagers willing to fight each other after every hit. I don't think NHL makes sense for OKC outside of the fact that we're building a new NBA arena, but a higher level minor league hockey team would be great.
bison34 04-23-2024, 01:19 PM Hey, let's build an arena meant for an NBA team, but let's build it to be NHL-specific, as well.
No arena that has both is NHL-specific. They are basketball-specific, and happen to be able to have a hockey rink in it.
Let's build an NHL-specific arena for a sport that in no way, shape, form or fashion is interested in coming to OKC.
OKCtalk is a funny place.
caaokc 04-23-2024, 01:21 PM If anything I think Tulsa would be more worthy of an NHL team or a step up to AHL. They support The Oilers way better than OKC did with the Barons.
citywokchinesefood 04-23-2024, 01:52 PM Hey, let's build an arena meant for an NBA team, but let's build it to be NHL-specific, as well.
No arena that has both is NHL-specific. They are basketball-specific, and happen to be able to have a hockey rink in it.
Let's build an NHL-specific arena for a sport that in no way, shape, form or fashion is interested in coming to OKC.
OKCtalk is a funny place.
OKC would support an NHL team as long as they were good. As soon as they hit tough times it would go tits up. We are lucky the Thunder rebuilt so well and the people approved the arena or we would not have an NBA team come 2030. The attendance stats and listening to the Boomers and casual fans in the bar pretty much confirm the fair weather fan status of the majority of Oklahomans. For the most part the people that go to the games are really the only ones I trust to have a relatively informed opinion on the team. The average Oklahoman does not know anything about basketball.
Rover 04-23-2024, 03:15 PM If anything I think Tulsa would be more worthy of an NHL team or a step up to AHL. They support The Oilers way better than OKC did with the Barons.
Support of a minor league team of anything isn't necessarily a predictor of major league success.
irishtate 04-23-2024, 03:24 PM i would love this. i just don't think it's a reality.... sadly enough.
I'll agree as well. And when nimble ideas like this aren't even considered, I sure wish there were resonable answers from someone in planning/development, etc. I just mean so I could personally grasp the why's and why not's.
If "we" can engineer Palm Jumeirah, surely we can build an NBA arena next to an old one, while still using the old one concurrently
bison34 04-23-2024, 03:30 PM I'll agree as well. And when nimble ideas like this aren't even considered, I sure wish there were resonable answers from someone in planning/development, etc. I just mean so I could personally grasp the why's and why not's.
If "we" can engineer Palm Jumeirah, surely we can build an NBA arena next to an old one, while still using the old one concurrently
But OKC doesn't need 2 full-size arenas right next to each other. Not at all. Especially in 2 prime lots. If Detroit, Dallas, New Orleans, Denver, Charlotte, Boston, etc. don't need 2 full-size arenas, OKC definitely doesn't.
Of course it can be done.
Also, you are responding like OKC can't build one and use the other at the same time. They 100% will do that. But I think you meant using both at the same time, and there is no reason to. Not that they can't, but the old arena will be a money pit.
Jersey Boss 04-23-2024, 03:33 PM But OKC doesn't need 2 full-size arenas right next to each other. Not at all. Especially in 2 prime lots. If Detroit, Dallas, New Orleans, Denver, Charlotte, Boston, etc. don't need 2 full-size arenas, OKC definitely doesn't.
Of course it can be done.
Also, you are responding like OKC can't build one and use the other at the same time. They 100% will do that. But I think you meant using both at the same time, and there is no reason to. Not that they can't, but the old arena will be a money pit.
Great points. That is why OKC needs to make the new arena ice hockey capable.
In 10 years the population and the NHL would be a great fit.
Why should OKC metro be left in the dark due to not looking ahead.
The City not the Thunder own the arena
Jersey Boss 04-23-2024, 03:36 PM Support of a minor league team of anything isn't necessarily a predictor of major league success.
I made that point several posts ago comparing the Calvary to the Hornets/Thunder
PhiAlpha 04-23-2024, 03:55 PM I struggle to understand what OKCTalk's fascination is with hockey. It seems like every other month someone is suggesting we "bring hockey back" or use the Paycom for hockey or starts a new thread re bringing the NHL/Coyotes to town. I know I've seen someone in the thread on the new arena suggest that we are making a misstep in not making building it to be NHL compatible.
Help me understand. Are many in town in love with hockey or is it a select few who are just vocal on this board? Is there actually a large contingency of hockey fans in OKC as some vestige of when we briefly had the Barons? Is it because it's a 4th (5th?) tier sport and would therefore be sustainable in our metro? Is it just one poster named Laramie running 3-6 accounts to frequently re-introduce hockey into threads about development?
I am truly uneducated on how/why hockey would be a good fit for OKC and why it gets brought up so much. It doesn't seem to have a large market share of sports across the US, generally speaking. It doesn't seem to naturally belong in Oklahoma where its hardly played at any level.
I can see why people like hockey given that we built Paycom to lure an NHL team (and were very close to getting one) but I struggle to understand the unrealistic obsession with doing anything other than demolishing the Paycom Center. The idea of keeping it around for some minimal use instead of just using the brand new building across the street that is only pre booked for 43 nights per year is just so unlikely that its not even worth discussing.
bison34 04-23-2024, 04:03 PM Great points. That is why OKC needs to make the new arena ice hockey capable.
In 10 years the population and the NHL would be a great fit.
Why should OKC metro be left in the dark due to not looking ahead.
The City not the Thunder own the arena
I mean, the NHL isn't happening here. If Houston csnt get a team, why would OKC?
I am sure the arena will be able to have an ice rink, though.
PhiAlpha 04-23-2024, 04:08 PM If anything I think Tulsa would be more worthy of an NHL team or a step up to AHL. They support The Oilers way better than OKC did with the Barons.
I do think Tulsa would be a better fit for an NHL team than OKC. Not because of how they support the Oilers or how we didn't support the Barons, but because it's a growing metro of 1 million people with no professional franchises that generally loves athletics and heavily supports community events enmasse. It also has a bunch of decent sized companies that currently aren't tied up in other professional sports sponsorships. It's essentially the same reason everyone thought the NBA could work here when we got our trial run with the hornets.
I don't think OKC is ready for a professional sports franchise with a season that overlaps with the NBA. Corporate sponsorships alone would be an issue but between NBA and College football fans/sponsors are already spread thin. Just not worth it at this stage of the game.
PhiAlpha 04-23-2024, 04:14 PM OKC would support an NHL team as long as they were good. As soon as they hit tough times it would go tits up. We are lucky the Thunder rebuilt so well and the people approved the arena or we would not have an NBA team come 2030. The attendance stats and listening to the Boomers and casual fans in the bar pretty much confirm the fair weather fan status of the majority of Oklahomans. For the most part the people that go to the games are really the only ones I trust to have a relatively informed opinion on the team. The average Oklahoman does not know anything about basketball.
Yeah I agree to a point but I think the massive drop in support had a lot to do with the rebuild coinciding with Covid and the team essentially telling season ticket holders to go F themselves in 2021. Probably was a merciful move on their part but hitting the reset button on season ticket holders, some of whom had tickets for the entire history of the franchise, while tanking probably wasn't the best move if they cared about keeping ticket sales up. I posted some research I did on it in another thread but all of the teams that eliminated fans for an entire season or more have had more difficulty building back fans support than franchises that took a more relaxed approach. I'm sure a bunch of our season ticket holders watched games from home and thought "I guess I don't really need to renew those for next season, I'll just pick back up when we're good again." Fortunately, as you mentioned, that only took two seasons but support would've come back a lot quicker if they hadn't completely blown it up.
PhiAlpha 04-23-2024, 04:20 PM I'll agree as well. And when nimble ideas like this aren't even considered, I sure wish there were resonable answers from someone in planning/development, etc. I just mean so I could personally grasp the why's and why not's.
If "we" can engineer Palm Jumeirah, surely we can build an NBA arena next to an old one, while still using the old one concurrently
Why not?
1. Because we'll have a $1 Billion arena across the street that everyone would prefer to use over the 30 year old one across the street.
2. Maintenance costs on a building that gets little to no use.
3. Property value in the middle of downtown will make it more valuable as an empty lot.
Snowman 04-23-2024, 04:22 PM But OKC doesn't need 2 full-size arenas right next to each other. Not at all. Especially in 2 prime lots. If Detroit, Dallas, New Orleans, Denver, Charlotte, Boston, etc. don't need 2 full-size arenas, OKC definitely doesn't.
Of course it can be done.
Also, you are responding like OKC can't build one and use the other at the same time. They 100% will do that. But I think you meant using both at the same time, and there is no reason to. Not that they can't, but the old arena will be a money pit.
It is not like we are intentionally building a pair at the same time intended to run for the entirety of their lives, the question is if their is there enough advantages to keeping a building open that still can have decades of usable life, while their is still dozens of surface parking blocks and much less developed properties within few blocks.
caaokc 04-23-2024, 06:25 PM I mean, the NHL isn't happening here. If Houston csnt get a team, why would OKC?
I am sure the arena will be able to have an ice rink, though.
I think it can have a rink but it might be a weird layout (Google Delta Center, Bankers Life Fieldhouse hockey layouts) since they plan on designing the seating bowl specifically for basketball.
bison34 04-23-2024, 07:29 PM I think it can have a rink but it might be a weird layout (Google Delta Center, Bankers Life Fieldhouse hockey layouts) since they plan on designing the seating bowl specifically for basketball.
Well, if they don't design it around our current NBA team, it would be a major disservice. I think it's fine if it has a weird layout for hockey. Just my opinion, but no sense designing an arena with an NBA tenant with a hockey-based layout.
i would rather have 2 arenas than 1 brand new arena/development facing an empty lot. an empty lot that would probably sit empty for years. see: all the empty lots around cool developments around the city lol. unless of course there is already a master plan ready to go.
okcrun 04-24-2024, 08:41 AM I think it can have a rink but it might be a weird layout (Google Delta Center, Bankers Life Fieldhouse hockey layouts) since they plan on designing the seating bowl specifically for basketball.
If you are building a brand new arena and are going to plan on making it possible to accommodate a hockey team at some point in the future you really should design it around both. It's not the weird layouts in both of those arenas that's the issue, it's that the layout could mean a lot fewer seats (on top of the already reduced capacity due to rink/court sizes) which could be the difference in getting a team or not especially for a market our size. Those arenas are 25 and 33 years old, surely the design around accommodating both has progressed since then.
bamarsha 04-24-2024, 10:50 AM Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events and gymnastics.
It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 - 600 room) hotel wing or adding nine or 17 stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story/36 story - 325 - 448 foot tall (1,004 - 1,208 room) luxury hotel.
Remember the Cox and Chesapeake being used for the men's and women's bball tourney at the same time... that was an awesome arrangement.
April in the Plaza 04-24-2024, 09:05 PM I struggle to understand what OKCTalk's fascination is with hockey. It seems like every other month someone is suggesting we "bring hockey back" or use the Paycom for hockey or starts a new thread re bringing the NHL/Coyotes to town. I know I've seen someone in the thread on the new arena suggest that we are making a misstep in not making building it to be NHL compatible.
Help me understand. Are many in town in love with hockey or is it a select few who are just vocal on this board? Is there actually a large contingency of hockey fans in OKC as some vestige of when we briefly had the Barons? Is it because it's a 4th (5th?) tier sport and would therefore be sustainable in our metro? Is it just one poster named Laramie running 3-6 accounts to frequently re-introduce hockey into threads about development?
I am truly uneducated on how/why hockey would be a good fit for OKC and why it gets brought up so much. It doesn't seem to have a large market share of sports across the US, generally speaking. It doesn't seem to naturally belong in Oklahoma where its hardly played at any level.
the NHL is definitely unrealistic at this point in the credit cycle, but I can see how a sizable contingent of OKC Taxpayers would want to ensure that a $1.5 Billion publicly financed arena is utilized to the maximum extent possible. hopefully we can get OU and OSU to play a few games in there as well.
as for what OKC could realistically support, I can see MLS working within the next 7 to 10 years although I don't think the Funks are the group that will get it done.
Jeepnokc 04-25-2024, 09:13 PM I struggle to understand what OKCTalk's fascination is with hockey. It seems like every other month someone is suggesting we "bring hockey back" or use the Paycom for hockey or starts a new thread re bringing the NHL/Coyotes to town. I know I've seen someone in the thread on the new arena suggest that we are making a misstep in not making building it to be NHL compatible.
Help me understand. Are many in town in love with hockey or is it a select few who are just vocal on this board? Is there actually a large contingency of hockey fans in OKC as some vestige of when we briefly had the Barons? Is it because it's a 4th (5th?) tier sport and would therefore be sustainable in our metro? Is it just one poster named Laramie running 3-6 accounts to frequently re-introduce hockey into threads about development?
I am truly uneducated on how/why hockey would be a good fit for OKC and why it gets brought up so much. It doesn't seem to have a large market share of sports across the US, generally speaking. It doesn't seem to naturally belong in Oklahoma where its hardly played at any level.
OKC actually has a pretty active youth hockey program with house leagues and travel teams. My son played on a travelling team where they played Tulsa, Kansas City, Wichita, Springfield Missouri and Springfield Arkansas. UCO, OU have had club teams for awhile and OSU just started a club team. There are several adult leagues also. OKC has three rinks and they stay pretty booked up. OKC also has the Oklahoma Warriors which is part of the North American Hockey League which has 32 teams over 17 states.
https://nahl.com/teams/team-detail.cfm?id=715
https://nahl.com/the-nahl/about/
Doesn't mean OKC can support an NHL team but there is an active hockey presence in OKC.
Thunderbolt 04-26-2024, 10:38 AM Look at the Deer District in Milwaukee to accompany their new arena. This is exactly the model I would hope we see for the Paycom Center lot once the new arena is built.
https://deerdistrict.com/
They should consider placing the new arena and soccer stadium close together within the same complex, incorporating hotels, apartments, retail spaces, and mixed-use developments around them. This model mirrors the ballpark project recently proposed in Kansas City.
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q-ZS4Z5OJzdxHwiT3YVQJGVDD7Q=/0x198:4096x2246/fit-in/1200x600/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25285216/2.jpg
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