There will be some drop off, but I know of multiple conventions that were cancelled for this year and they've already been rebooking for 2021. Many organizations and companies will try to return somewhat to normal, so speaking as someone who's worked from the booker side of events, getting the OKC Convention center and area as ready and as nice as possible now will still pay dividends.

how will it be a budget deficit when it is fully paid for? You'd basically only need a few conventions to generate cash for M&O and keep the lights on since there's no debt. Definitely not a white elephant even if conventions change their culture.

Large conventions becoming passe already. This will be a white elephant and even larger budget deficit than it was going to be.

MAPS 3 paid for it. If conventions all stop (won’t) we can just repurpose into new NBA arena after some mods lol.

The convention industry is gonna be devastated for years over this. Not only will not as many people want to attend them, the # of companies who can afford to send employees to them will decrease substantially.

Large conventions becoming passe already. This will be a white elephant and even larger budget deficit than it was going to be.

Damn, yov've been gone for years...........then you showed back up

Just an observation...the moment I saw that name I felt there would be a negative comment.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention042320a.jpg

Man, that Fairfield Inn is tiny...

^^^About to make a similar comment...

First section of the surface lot south of the center is almost complete. Will come in handy because on days like yesterday all the street parking around the park was full and tons of cars were parked in open fields west of Hudson.

The second photo is of the loading dock area.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention050920a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention050920b.jpg

Amazing how everyone of these projects are finishing on time with no real setbacks or cost overruns. Great planning by every contractor.

Safe to say the park is a hit! And I think that, in a year or so when things start to get somewhat back to normal (due to a vaccine or further effective treatments of said virus) the CC will benefit greatly from the park being so popular).

Amazing how everyone of these projects are finishing on time with no real setbacks or cost overruns. Great planning by every contractor.

Agree!

Drafters of MAPS are getting smarter about making sure there's enough budgeted for those projects where they can use the surplus to get the next round of MAPS projects started without having to wait on funds to build up where this becomes a smooth on-going process.

Also some wiggle room to pick up projects that were overlooked or didn't make the cut.

Covid-19 pandemic will derail this process...

Pete, what are they doing to hide the parking lot? Trees, shrubs?

Pete, what are they doing to hide the parking lot? Trees, shrubs?

I believe there will be small trees in those island areas.

Keep in mind that entire lot is being held as a site for future convention center expansion.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/conventionback2.jpg

Convention and Visitors Bureau laid off 1/3rd of their staff today:

https://oklahoman.com/article/5662121/coronavirus-in-oklahoma-okc-picked-for-launch-of-pandemic-intiative

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention051620a.jpg

That is one beautiful building. Love how its turning out. Also that it faces the park, just imagine conventioneers seeing that park and spending breaks or lunch in it. Or just the vibe their view will put off. This and the park (and OMNI) are my favorite MAPS items.

^^^ I so agree and in addition the beautiful new artwork on the parking garage

^^^ I so agree and in addition the beautiful new artwork on the parking garage

Looking forward to seeing it in person in a few weeks. I was in OKC in February and the park didn't impress me much, it was very brown and dead. So hopefully seeing it in better condition will change my opinion. Convention center looks great, I can't wait to stay in the Omni someday. I love resort-style hotels.

They moved everything over to the paved portion of the surface lot, so it looks like they will soon be doing the rest.

The park could really use the extra parking.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention052320a.jpg

Any bets on how long that remains a surface lot? It's not super prime land due to EKG and the R/R viaduct, but I could see it getting repurposed sooner than later.

Any bets on how long that remains a surface lot? It's not super prime land due to EKG and the R/R viaduct, but I could see it getting repurposed sooner than later.

The lot to the south of the new CC? That is specifically for expansion on the new CC, and for that alone.

^

True, but the parcel just south of the parking area will be available for development.

The lot to the south of the new CC? That is specifically for expansion on the new CC, and for that alone.

Oh is it? I didn't know that, or forgot about it - I thought the expansion area was back to the east. makes sense, thanks.

Oh is it? I didn't know that, or forgot about it - I thought the expansion area was back to the east. makes sense, thanks.

No problem! I was not sure if you were talking about that one or the one to the north of the park, which does need to be developed, but I am not sure if the owner of the lot wants to sell yet.

^

True, but the parcel just south of the parking area will be available for development.

Not sure what a "perfect" fit would be for that site since the access is strange, but having to build up to overcome the elevation of that bridge approach would be a cool opportunity to have a rooftop deck restaurant overlooking the sky dance bridge and the scissortail park.

imagine this at night with the park and skydance bridge right across the street

https://viewhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/front-1024x684.jpg

No problem! I was not sure if you were talking about that one or the one to the north of the park, which does need to be developed, but I am not sure if the owner of the lot wants to sell yet.

Nope, you had it correct!

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention053020a.jpg

^

True, but the parcel just south of the parking area will be available for development.

I'm a little surprised to read this, I would have figured the city would want to get their hands on it for even more potential Convention Center expansion.

Last year I was down in New Orleans for a conference, and the big convention center down there just stretches on forever. I just checked on Google Maps and it's something on the order of 3,300 feet long from north to south. From 4th down to I-44 is only 1,400 feet with a similar footprint from front to back, and only 1,100 with just the one lot for expansion. It's a big site on an absolute basis, but it pales in comparison with the truly big boys.

Here is the area between the convention center and the Omni.

They are pouring the curbs; the improvements for the 4th Street Experience shouldn't be far behind.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention053020b.jpg

Our new convention center is double the size of the cox convention center built in 1973.

New OKC convention center - Cox convention center (old Myriad)

_____200,000-square-foot exhibit hall - 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (300,000)
_____30,000-sq. ft ballroom - 25,000 sq. ft. ballroom,
_____27 meeting rooms - 21 meeting rooms (48 meeting rooms)
_____20,000-seat arena - 15,000-seat arena (2 arenas)
_____Omni 605 rooms - Sheraton 395 rooms
_____Parking garage 1,100 - Underground parking 947 Total Spaces (2,047)
_____Modern Streetcar system - Rubber wheel vintage trolleys

Again, I don't think you will see the demolition of the Cox center; but some improvement to maintain that additional space and back-up 15,000 seat arena & underground parking.

There's valuable parking and additional backup meeting rooms that makes this facility to valuable of a back-up and dual combo facility to really attract some major tier 2 convention to Oklahoma City--think about it.

I hear one of the parties is relooking for a city/state to hold their convention end of Aug. This brings in over $150,000,000 to economy. They need at least 18k seats.

It appears ours could handle it. Could it be made ready by then? Will we fight for it? Decisions have to be make soon and I hope we are trying, if its ready or could be ready.

I hear one of the parties is relooking for a city/state to hold their convention end of Aug. This brings in over $150,000,000 to economy. They need at least 18k seats.

It appears ours could handle it. Could it be made ready by then? Will we fight for it? Decisions have to be make soon and I hope we are trying, if its ready or could be ready.

No way it's ready! I was a part of the Miami Beach cc expansion and there was so much to do there, I look at the exterior and can only imagine what's left on the inside.
Having the myraid, cheasapeake and the new cc I'm sure they could pull something off

No way . . .

As much as anyone would like for OKC to host the GOP Republican National Convention in August 2020; there's no way OKC would be ready to welcome the GOP to the Sooner State.

Omni Oklahoma City won't be available until early 2021. Our new convention center at the earliest won't be ready until December 2020.

You do not want to attempt to lure a convention that our city is clearly not ready to accommodate. Our largest downtown hotel is the 395 room Sheraton. There will be plenty opportunities for OKC to welcome the National GOP in 2024 or 2028. This will give us an opportunity to tweak the building and make necessary changes. Maybe before 2024/2028 we could look at expansion of the convention center to welcome an event of this magnitude.

Oklahoma City needs 1 or 2 more 400+ room hotels downtown before they can compete for a party convention. Heck, we are light years from hosting an NBA All-star weekend, let alone the GOP or DNC conventions.

Oklahoma City needs 1 or 2 more 400+ room hotels downtown before they can compete for a party convention. Heck, we are light years from hosting an NBA All-star weekend, let alone the GOP or DNC conventions.

The NBA All Star weekend requirements are three times that of a GOP Republican National Convention for which they have already asked OKC to submit a bid for the 2024 or 2028 convention for which OKC meets minimum requirements.

Republican National Convention asks Oklahoma City to bid on hosting future event:


MIKE: We have been approached by the RNC to consider bidding to host their annual convention. And we'll probably look at it for 2024 or 2028. But political conventions are not nearly as attractive for cities as they used to be.

https://oklahoman.com/article/5655601/republican-national-convention-asks-oklahoma-city-to-bid-on-hosting-future-event

GOP Republican Convention 2024 & 2028 Bids.

Columbus, OH is in pursuit of either the 2024 DNC or RNC conventions after unsuccessful bids for those conventions in 2016 & 2020. Ohio's capital city has 10,000 more hotel rooms than Milwaukee who will host the DNC in 2020.

IMO, President Trump will have a lot to do with Oklahoma City putting in a bid for the 2024 GOP in which if Trump is re-elected; he'll want to hand pick his Republican successor.

If he loses to challenger Joe Biden in 2020 both the DNC and the RNC will be looking for new cities in 2024 because Biden isn't expected to run in 2024 because of his age.

VP Mike Pence will be 64 in 2024 but if the Republicans lose in 2020; Pence being apart of the losing ticket in 2020 will lose a lot of appeal having been linked to Trump's re-election bid.

Columbus will then have the inside bid on the more lucrative DNC and Oklahoma City will make its first debut to bid on the RNC with a 4 year old well tweaked Omni in a position to be a new destination and re-set for the RNC. It wouldn't be a problem for OKC to schedule more flights in-and-out of WRWA during a 2024 RNC election year b/c of close proximity to a major mega market like Dallas if OKC were to win an RNC bid.

Hosting the RNC would cost the city 10-15% investment in preparation costs but could reap benefits in the $500 - $600 million range.

You can bet city leaders are looking at the recent passage of $115 million of MAPS 4 improvements to get the Chesapeake Energy Arena ready to be in a position to host the RNC and secure longevity for the state's only major league franchise with $104 million targeting the Peake and $9 million for renovation to the Thunder practice facility. Look for the Chesapeake Arena and the SF coliseum to be the early recipients of MAPS 4 initiative funds.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention060320a.jpg

that is looking really good... can't wait to see those all those trees mature.

If the RNC comes here, i'll just pad lock my door and stay home that week....

Would it be the biggest convention the city has ever hosted? No matter how you feel about politics, it would be a HUGE (see what I did there) get for OKC. The only thing I can think of that would compare, as far as media attention, would be the NBA Finals games we hosted. Both international media coverage and a chance to showcase the city.

agreed!

too bad okc isnt ready yet, otherwise this could have been a katrina 2.0 grab for okc. 2024 sounds nice too regardless of party..

Just keep wondering if we'll have to go thru some pain before any gains. Don't know of any U. S. cities under 2 million MSA that were able to bid on a GOP RNC convention and get accepted the first time on their first time bid.

Why OKC didn't build a larger than 605 room convention hotel; it allows for the other city hotels to pick up the slack and benefit from conventions & related trade shows since some attendees won't use the designated convention hotel headquarters.

You can bet having extra convention space with the Cox backup and the Fairgrounds Bennett Events Center will allow OKC flexibility to bid on more conventions & trade shows simultaneously.

Fairgrounds Complex:


Bennett Event Center: 201,000 square feet exhibit space
State Fair Coliseum: 7,000 seat arena
10 hotels, Meridian Hotel Corridor 1,200 rooms

Cox Convention Center & Oklahoma City Convention Center Complex:


300,000-square-foot exhibit hall space.
48 meeting rooms
2 ballrooms: 30,000-sq. ft ballroom - 25,000 sq. ft. ballroom
2 arenas: 20,000 & 15,000
2 covered garage parking areas 2,047 spaces
12 hotels in walking distance 2,900 rooms

Dual combo facility to really attract some major tier 2 conventions to Oklahoma City--think about it.

Again, you'll never see the current Cox Convention Center demolished.

Oklahoman reporting that Mike Carrier, the long-time head of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, is retiring at the end of September.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention061220a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention061220b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention061220c.jpg

No other way to say it, that area turned out great.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention062120a.jpg

Beautiful pictures Pete...love the angle on the last pic

The other day I was down there when it was relatively dark with the lights on inside...

You could see they have made a lot of progress on the interior and have a completion date set for 9/19/20, although that may have slipped a bit.

You can see they have now closed Robison between I-40 and the boulevard for that improvement project.

The completion date is set for December.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention071220a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention071220b.jpg

A look inside OKC's new convention center (https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=706-A-look-inside-OKC-s-new-convention-center)

Construction on the new $288 million Oklahoma City Convention Center is set to be substantially complete on October 7, 2020.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072220a.jpg


A new addition, the 4th Street Experience, will create a semi-covered pedestrian street between the center and the Omni Hotel. The Omni is scheduled to open in February 2021. 4th Street will finish in April of next year.

At the same time, Robinson Avenue between I-40 and the Oklahoma City Boulevard is currently closed to be completely revamped and will include a roundabout at SW 7th and a signaled, pedestrian walkway between the main entrance to the convention center and Scissortail Park. Robinson will reopen in December.

A new parking garage is under construction directly eat of the Omni and will serve both the convention center and the hotel when complete later this year.


Convention Center renderings


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/conventionlogo1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120f.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072120g.jpg





Convention Center construction photos


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020f.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020g.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020i.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020h.jpg




4th Street Experience


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072220b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/4thstreet072420a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/4thstreet072420b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/4thstreet072420c.jpg



Omni Hotel


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/convention072020k.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omni032819a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omni032819d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omni032819c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omni032819e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omni032819f.jpg




Parking Garage


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omniparking070520a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/omniparking051420a.jpg





Robinson Avenue


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/robinson042020a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/robinson042020b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/robinson042020c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/robinson042020d.jpg

Despite the specter of COVID, I am convinced this construction will usher in a new era in Leisure and Hospitality business in OKC. Given time, it will help to boost image, tourism, conventions and also economic development. A great addition to a changing DT.

No bathtub or jacuzzi tub in hotel, I am not interested, it is a very nice hotel though

No bathtub or jacuzzi tub in hotel, I am not interested, it is a very nice hotel though

i'm sure the suites will

To think that this was the project that many thought would end MAPS. The most expensive of any single project initiative our city has ever put before its voters.

Of the $777 million approved in MAPS 3; the $288 million convention center accounted for 37% of the eight projects funded.

i'm sure the suites will

I hope you are right

No bathtub or jacuzzi tub in hotel, I am not interested, it is a very nice hotel though

When everything is finish Oklahoma City downtown area is going be really nice and comparable to over cities I wish all this could have been done 20 years ago. Now Oklahoma City metro area needs to update the roads and highway system for the growth that will take place in the city I have always said Oklahoma City had the potential to be like Dallas as far as entertainment. Now the City needs to go after big companies that are paying good salaries.

Ugh, so much grey. Personally, i hate this trend and im glad it's starting to go away. I hope we can get in front of that and change the color pallet before the CC goes institutional gray. Too often, places stop at the cold blank gray and fail to add the color pop that can easily stand out. Wanna use that damned logo, do some artwork with it on the walls at least.

The city is planning to rename SW 4th Street between Robinson and EK Gaylord/Shields after Mick Cornett.

This is effectively the 4th Street Experience plus the vehicle portion south of the parking garage and north of the convention center and Fairfield Inn.

Would be Mick Cornett Drive.