So Tulsa's is more in line with what OKC's used to be about 20 years ago, still a functioning, halfway-decent actual fairgrounds?I have seen pictures of Tulsa’s fairgrounds and they look pretty good. Dallas has an awesome fair ground but it is in need of an update.

Trivia time: The road running parallel to the railroad tracks on the south side in photos (right side in the last pic) is the last remaining part of the drag strip, IIRC. Kinda goes west from the area south of the Norick Arena. It was a full quarter mile strip, and was site of the NHRA U.S. Nationals for a few years in the late 1950s. I think they started in Great Bend Kansas, moved to OKC after a couple years, and finally settled in Indianapolis.

Trivia time: The road running parallel to the railroad tracks on the south side in photos (right side in the last pic) is the last remaining part of the drag strip, IIRC. Kinda goes west from the area south of the Norick Arena. It was a full quarter mile strip, and was site of the NHRA U.S. Nationals for a few years in the late 1950s. I think they started in Great Bend Kansas, moved to OKC after a couple years, and finally settled in Indianapolis.When I was a kid in the 60s you could still easily tell it had been a drag strip.

Totally shameful, this one-time fairgrounds turned into a horse facility. Everyone on the fairgrounds board should be fired. It should be the new stockyard city.

State Fair approved for PPP (not a judgement, just an FYI)

16233

The new state fair arena, will it have Ice making equipment installed for hockey? I hope it's not just a horse barn.

The new state fair arena, will it have Ice making equipment installed for hockey? I hope it's not just a horse barn.Don’t take this as gospel but I don’t think there are any plans for the new arena to ever be used for hockey.

Mayor Holt take notice OKC is the largest city in US without a hockey team. We have 3 arenas that could be used for hockey. Robert Funk poor management ran the last team out of town.

Don’t take this as gospel but I don’t think there are any plans for the new arena to ever be used for hockey.

You are correct Bill, there aren't any plans... Just mainly to address horse related events & trade shows (Bennett Event Center) and high school basketball playoffs.

Now it doesn't mean that an ice-making plant can't be installed for future use; just like we did with the State Fair Arena. You will need a concrete foundation base if you want to avoid milky-mud, dirty-ice appearance.

If the Thunder holds the cards for the Chesapeake Energy Arena and the Cox Convention Center Arena's use (OKC Blue G-League occupies); then we need to look at the new coliseum for ice hockey use.

New coliseum although it won't match up to Ft. Worth's Dixie's Arena dollar wise; it will provide a cozy seating for horse show events that attract crowds in the 1,500 range, as well as vital parking for trailers at the old All Sports Stadium site. New coliseum will have chair back seats without the feel of an empty arena; an advantage you have over the Lazy-E Arena's predominantly bench rodeo style seating.


https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7d/44/6f/7d446f6ef46888a7ccad9a2b79243654.jpg
Lazy E Arena, Guthrie, 7,200 permanent seating capacity

https://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-cfa8a07055b32473d9ee09897d3379a1.jpg
State Fair Coliseum, 4,700 fixed seats, 2,600 retractable seats

:lame:

Well, who will take a risk on another Hockey team in this city ? We are past market study.

We had a good CHL team. It folded. We had a very god AHL team. It did not work either.

So, except if you really want Disney on Ice during the State Fair, we have no need for another Ice making facility.

We have no need for another horse barn.

Well, who will take a risk on another Hockey team in this city ? We are past market study.

We had a good CHL team. It folded. We had a very god AHL team. It did not work either.

So, except if you really want Disney on Ice during the State Fair, we have no need for another Ice making facility.

Yeah, and Disney on Ice brings their own ice making equipment to my understanding. So what is currently there is just sitting around probably falling into disrepair.

That said it wouldn't be that hard to install that kind of equipment later if the need arose

Yeah, and Disney on Ice brings their own ice making equipment to my understanding. So what is currently there is just sitting around probably falling into disrepair.

That said it wouldn't be that hard to install that kind of equipment later if the need arose

Thanks for reinforcing this point.

Well, who will take a risk on another Hockey team in this city ? We are past market study.

We had a good CHL team. It folded. We had a very god AHL team. It did not work either.

So, except if you really want Disney on Ice during the State Fair, we have no need for another Ice making facility.We did have a good CHL team. And I think they were successful enough to have kept going if the CHL hadn’t folded. We did have a good AHL team. But it was hard not to drop over $100 for the game, dinner in Bricktown before the game and a couple drinks at the game. Not something we can do a lot of. I went to probably 90% of the Blazers/Stars games.

Refrigeration tubing must be installed in the floor of the arena for ice hockey, such as in Chesapeake arena and the Cox center. Disney on ice uses a portable ice rink which sits on top of the arena floor. If hockey is to be played in the arena it will need to be installed during construction.

Refrigeration tubing must be installed in the floor of the arena for ice hockey, such as in Chesapeake arena and the Cox center. Disney on ice uses a portable ice rink which sits on top of the arena floor. If hockey is to be played in the arena it will need to be installed during construction.Ice is ice. I’m sure hockey could be done like Disney does ice. Biggest downside would be converting from not ice to ice and back to not ice would be a big pain.

The best thing to happen would be to move OKC Blue basketball team to the new fairgrounds arena and move a hockey team into the Cox (Myraid) arena, because the Cox center already has a state of the art ice making equipment already installed. The OKC Blue are lucky to get 500 fans on a good night.

The best thing to happen would be to move OKC Blue basketball team to the new fairgrounds arena and move a hockey team into the Cox (Myraid) arena, because the Cox center already has a state of the art ice making equipment already installed. The OKC Blue are lucky to get 500 fans on a good night.

+1

https://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/arena022619r.jpg

I'm old enough to remember hockey at Norick Arena and think State Fair Park is the best location for any minor league team.

I am also of the opinion that the minor league hockey landscape has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. I think the 1990s "dollar ticket-dollar beer" model of the Blazers, and the CHL overall, wasn't financially viable anymore. And they were on the way out, regardless of whether the NBA made us a "Big League City" that didn't want the competition.

I think the Funk family made a serious, multi-million dollar commitment to AAA hockey via the Barons of the AHL. They were losing money, but were committed to the long haul. Then the private equity fund owners and mentality came to minor league sports management. It was decided that minor league affiliates should be owned by the parent club and located as closely as could be arraigned. Access to quick player call-ups and team culture became more important than growing the game through live attendance in different markets. Also, the NHL has become more focused on the east and west coast. Moving away from the central United States at the NHL level trickled down to the minor league level and left Oklahoma City no longer attractive. Having the Edmonton Oilers AHL team 1000 miles away no longer made sense.

I think the only way forward for hockey in OKC is at the AA level, like the ECHL. I wasn't very confident about how the money would add up pre-pandemic. And now I fear it could be 5 years or more before the hockey business is secure enough to return to OKC at any level.

I think the only way forward for hockey in OKC is at the AA level, like the ECHL. I wasn't very confident about how the money would add up pre-pandemic. And now I fear it could be 5 years or more before the hockey business is secure enough to return to OKC at any level.

More like five to seven years with the Covid-19 pandemic in sight.


https://www.coxconventioncenter.com/assets/img/Arena-RunAround_1.jpg

My belief in keeping the Cox Center and its Great Arena (13,846 ice hockey capacity), do away with the ugly tarps; dim the upper level lights and use the lower bowl beginning with the lodge seats and below (5,400 ice hockey capacity) unless there are large promotional nights vs. Tulsa or Wichita where ticket sales exceed 5,400.

Ice hockey IMO could be a success if you have rivals like Tulsa and Wichita where you draw fans from the two opposing cities. I remember a Blazers-Ice Oilers game where 6 chartered buses arrived from T-Town; there was a good contention of at least 600 or more where many or their fans arrived on the chartered buses.

And the nights we drove to the 'Kansas Coliseum' the place was always packed near capacity 9,686-seat when Oklahoma City came to town.


https://aviewfrommyseat.com/wallpaper/anonymous-20190303003307.jpg
Tulsa BOK Center, Ice hockey

Now Tulsa BOK Center (17,096) and Wichita Intrust Bank Arena (13,450) are first class arenas where they generally use the lower bowls, ECHL ice hockey is on display.

The G-League Oklahoma City Blue and an ECHL Oklahoma City AA franchise could share the Cox's Great Arena with the OKC Blue using the new coliseum when there's a conflict. Most of the fans the Blue attract are players' family members, fans and a few scouts.

https://aviewfrommyseat.com/wallpaper/anonymous-20190303003307.jpg
Tulsa BOK Center, Ice hockey


That number 12 retired number in the rafters next to the Canadian flag in the BOK Center belongs to my grandfather. He started playing with the Oilers in 1929 when they were a major league team in the AHA. His number was retired in 1996. Yes the Oilers have almost a 100 year history.

Bennett Event Center art going in

https://twitter.com/okstatefair/status/1336386441853743105

I keep reading "viagra", no offense to the artist...

Can we get more landscaping and trees in the parking lots?

Can we get more landscaping and trees in the parking lots?
Please!

Can we get more landscaping and trees in the parking lots?

The city sought and received an exemption from their own landscaping ordinance for all those parking lots.

I'm sure those trees and landscaping would just get in the way of all of those horse trailers and the state fair vendors...

Monorail, space needle, grand stands are all gone in the name of building a horse arena. The new arena should be a multi purpose arena for basketball, hockey and other sports, not just another horse barn.

pretty sure everybody here agrees with you

I know the arena will be used for basketball and likely wrestling but don't think there are any current plans for hockey.

It can also be configured for concerts and other events.

All these years I still get sick even thinking about everything that was taken from the fair. I messaged Scott Munz about it years ago who did respond and provided some decent points but still left me in disagreement about the decisions taken by the fair as I feel like they didn’t try hard enough.

I suppose at some point the reality needs to be clear OKC doesn’t have the philanthropic billionaires DFW has and a facility like the one built in Fort Worth isn’t realistic here though I’d much rather something like that be built. As it stands I wonder why the horse show would continue on in OKC even in the new arena rather than go to DFW which is superior to OKC in almost every way.

I wonder how well a MAPS for the fair or a 1/3 penny sales tax specifically for the fair that would have kept everything they tore down would have done at the polls. It would have to remind people if it doesn’t pass then they don’t have a choice and I’d be less upset about the loss as the city voted for it. Yet they didn’t even try anything other than say “it’s too expensive.”

Sorry about the rant but this issue really gets to me. It is a crying shame to think back on some of the structures OKC lost over the last couple decades. Most cities stopped doing that crap, urban renewal.

^

The fair has millions and millions and continues to get tens of millions from MAPS and other public sources.

They've just spent it ways lots of people don't like and if they had more, that wouldn't change.

The entire operation is run on public money but is quite secretive and the shots are called by the rich and powerful people on their board. I have no doubt they mean well, but they are caretakers of city-owned property and facilities and they are not spending their own money.

Why is there no one on the fairground board ever reply to these items. Mayor Holt are you listening? We would like to have an ECHL hockey team in here. The city rented out the Cox center to a movie studio. The Thunder don't want any compotistion for Chesapeake arena and the State fairgrounds new arena will not have ice making equipment in it. I myself would like to see a hockey game between
OKC and the Tulsa Oilers.

^

The fair has millions and millions and continues to get tens of millions from MAPS and other public sources.

They've just spent it ways lots of people don't like and if they had more, that wouldn't change.

The entire operation is run on public money but is quite secretive and the shots are called by the rich and powerful people on their board. I have no doubt they mean well, but they are caretakers of city-owned property and facilities and they are not spending their own money.

I have said this over and over - and usually a crowd will come 'debunk' me.

They destroyed the fair icons in favor of a horse warehouse. I'm all in favor of new buildings and wouldn't be against this so much if SO MUCH wasn't lost from the fair that I (and you all) grew up with. Just makes me sick that OKC got rid of the auto racing grandstand, the monorail, the space needle, and other legendary attractions. I'm not saying we should keep them forever if there's no way to maintain them but that was NOT the case here - they purposefully allowed them to fall into disrepair.

I'm sure they could have applied for MAPS dollars to reconstruct the monorail, rebuild the grandstand, and retrofit the space needle. To me those were what MADE the state fair - the Oklahoma State Fair. Now, it's a shell of its former self (attendance reflects that as well) with hardly ANYBODY desiring to go beyond the fair food and some carnival enthusiasts (and even that's gone downhill significantly imo).

We could/should have kept our icons yet still built the Bennett Center and the new Arena and the fairgrounds would fulfill it's multipurpose-facility event mission while retaining it's status as one of OKC's top attractions. Is it even top 10 today?. ...

I have said this over and over - and usually a crowd will come 'debunk' me.

They destroyed the fair icons in favor of a horse warehouse. I'm all in favor of new buildings and wouldn't be against this so much if SO MUCH wasn't lost from the fair that I (and you all) grew up with. Just makes me sick that OKC got rid of the auto racing grandstand, the monorail, the space needle, and other legendary attractions. I'm not saying we should keep them forever if there's no way to maintain them but that was NOT the case here - they purposefully allowed them to fall into disrepair.

I'm sure they could have applied for MAPS dollars to reconstruct the monorail, rebuild the grandstand, and retrofit the space needle. To me those were what MADE the state fair - the Oklahoma State Fair. Now, it's a shell of its former self (attendance reflects that as well) with hardly ANYBODY desiring to go beyond the fair food and some carnival enthusiasts (and even that's gone downhill significantly imo).

We could/should have kept our icons yet still built the Bennett Center and the new Arena and the fairgrounds would fulfill it's multipurpose-facility event mission while retaining it's status as one of OKC's top attractions. Is it even top 10 today?. ...
My feelings about the icons has changed lately. I've said before that I was involved in electrical work at the time and knew the condition of the Space Needle, Monorail and Grandstands. All three needed major work that would have been extremely expensive. But now I think we, the public, the bill payers, should have had input as to whether we wanted to spend the money to save the icons. And anything can be saved if you spend the money. The race track I've always felt stronger about because I spent almost every Friday night and Fair there from the mid 60s to the last race night either watching, working for the track or driving. And the cities reason for closing it was electrical and ADA problems. While it needed a complete electrical redo we had the ability to do most of the work in house. And the ADA problem was access to the upper level. An external elevator, something similar to the food court elevator at Quail Springs, could have easily been done.
But. As much as I loved the track the last 10 to 15 years of operation the car counts were way down. They changed classes of cars a few times to try and attract more cars. And attendance was way down. For us die hard race fans the death of the track was devastating but to the general public I don't think many really cared.

My feelings about the icons has changed lately. I've said before that I was involved in electrical work at the time and knew the condition of the Space Needle, Monorail and Grandstands. All three needed major work that would have been extremely expensive. But now I think we, the public, the bill payers, should have had input as to whether we wanted to spend the money to save the icons. And anything can be saved if you spend the money. The race track I've always felt stronger about because I spent almost every Friday night and Fair there from the mid 60s to the last race night either watching, working for the track or driving. And the cities reason for closing it was electrical and ADA problems. While it needed a complete electrical redo we had the ability to do most of the work in house. And the ADA problem was access to the upper level. An external elevator, something similar to the food court elevator at Quail Springs, could have easily been done.
But. As much as I loved the track the last 10 to 15 years of operation the car counts were way down. They changed classes of cars a few times to try and attract more cars. And attendance was way down. For us die hard race fans the death of the track was devastating but to the general public I don't think many really cared.

Couldn't agree more and honestly that's what MAPS IS - yet was not made available for our historical icons.

I agree that we probably wouldn't have been able to maintain the icons in their original condition but what about retrofit or even replacement? Seattle's space needle is older than ANY of those icons (as is the Seattle Monorail - both originals) yet they have been retrofitted time and time again, and modernized (esp the Space Needle). We'd NEVER tear it down, even though it is older than F and costs a fortune to maintain.

OKC should have done the same with it's fair park icons; perhaps the grandstand didn't need to be torn down but it's seats, concourses, and amenities upgraded. perhaps the monorail could have been retrofitted and maybe it's line extended to cover the entire fair park with more stops. perhaps the overhead tram didn't need to be removed, it could easily make $$ now that OKC has a better skyline. and the space needle - we have much better technology where it could have been replaced/upgraded and still provide that outwardly experience beyond just the fair days. ...

That's what I'm talking about. We still could have built the new arena and Bennett Center and even the new barns, but kept what we had and if so - likely would have THE best fair park in the nation. Now, we don't even have the best in the state. ...

Memories

History Of Oklahoma's Space Tower

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4907/44383546630_5dc797ba69.jpg


https://www.news9.com/story/5e34834b527dcf49dad76fcd/history-of-oklahomas-space-tower

right?

What if the space needle were rebuilt (since it was old tech). What if a new space needle was open daily instead of just for the fair? What if the fairgrounds allowed carnivals to set up more than just during September? What if the monorail shown, was retrofitted with current tech (Japan is the leader) and the rails extended with new stations built on other key stops of the fairgrounds - and this being open more than just the fair days?

This is thinking out of the box (IMO) yet retaining your history. We could have done that AND still built what we currently have - and have a HUGE fairground full of amenities and attractions that you can't tell me wouldn't be a stronger money maker than today. This is why I am quite bitter with the State Fair always lining up for MAPS handouts when they should have come to save those icons first - then I'd have no problem with whatever master plan because it would be a true destination and not something that probably would be better purposed in OKC's Western Area - Stockyard's City. ...

right?

What if the space needle were rebuilt (since it was old tech). What if a new space needle was open daily instead of just for the fair? What if the fairgrounds allowed carnivals to set up more than just during September? What if the monorail shown, was retrofitted with current tech (Japan is the leader) and the rails extended with new stations built on other key stops of the fairgrounds - and this being open more than just the fair days?

This is thinking out of the box (IMO) yet retaining your history. We could have done that AND still built what we currently have - and have a HUGE fairground full of amenities and attractions that you can't tell me wouldn't be a stronger money maker than today. This is why I am quite bitter with the State Fair always lining up for MAPS handouts when they should have come to save those icons first - then I'd have no problem with whatever master plan because it would be a true destination and not something that probably would be better purposed in OKC's Western Area - Stockyard's City. ...
The structure of the Space Needle was fine as far as I know. The problem was all the power and electronic controls were underground in a "vault" next to the needle. Whoever designed that should have never had a license or certification as an engineer. Those systems could have been redesigned/moved and the car updated. For a long time I argued that it wasn't worth the money it would cost. I'm still not 100% convinced but we the people should have been involved in the decision by vote. Then if it got voted down we would be to blame instead of some secretive Fair Board. And in the grand scheme of MAPS projects saving all three Fairgrounds icons would have been not so huge compared to many of the other MAPS projects.

The State Fair is just not popular with the general population in the manner it was years ago. My business moved to the State Fair Park area during the last weekend of the 1982 State Fair of Oklahoma. At that time, traffic in the area was legitimately heavy from 11AM to 9PM for 14 of the 17 days it ran. Attendance has declined since the late 1990s IMO. The Fair now runs for 9 or 10 days and the only busy days are both Saturdays and the first Sunday. School Day for OKC Public Schools is the still the busiest weekday.

The Stock Car races were dwindling at much the same rate, except they ran many weeks of the year. In the mid 1980s part of my buildings were rented out by a gent who was a hobbyist car owner/tuner. He had a professional driver who came down from Wichita to drive his alcohol powered, fuel injected sprint car at State Fair Speedway. He was able to support the operating expenses from his winnings. Even though buying the car and trailer were mostly a sunk cost, he still could justify it in his mind. There is almost zero money to be made in hobbyist Stock Car racing today.

I have zero compassion for the people who complained about the noise from the Speedway. Virtually all of them moved in AFTER the Speedway was operating and they should have gotten their discount when they bought their property. Which they did, but they wanted to complain how the noise hurt their property values and Quality of Life.

The Speedway was old, ugly and run down. There is no argument about that from my end....and I kinda gotta admit it is better around here now that it is gone......

The Monorail was a toy from the mid 1960s and it was not built to be long lasting or high quality and functional. It was always a circular ride. I rode in the mid 1990s with my sons (who were under age 12). It was hot, bumpy and had yellowed plastic windows in many cars. My sons did not get the Disneyland feeling and never asked to ride it again.

I miss the Space Needle when it was lit up at night, as a land mark and the sound it put off when high winds were in the area. The first few times hearing it people thought it was a sign of the Apocalypse. Then we kinda took comfort in it. It also had become grungy and bumpy toward the end of it's working life and the fear of getting stuck at the top (or even worse, falling to our death from some kinda broken cable) was pretty strong.

I don't really miss the old Fairgrounds, and the trains, jets and other stuff sitting around.

The State Fair is just not popular with the general population in the manner it was years ago. My business moved to the State Fair Park area during the last weekend of the 1982 State Fair of Oklahoma. At that time, traffic in the area was legitimately heavy from 11AM to 9PM for 14 of the 17 days it ran. Attendance has declined since the late 1990s IMO. The Fair now runs for 9 or 10 days and the only busy days are both Saturdays and the first Sunday. School Day for OKC Public Schools is the still the busiest weekday.

The Stock Car races were dwindling at much the same rate, except they ran many weeks of the year. In the mid 1980s part of my buildings were rented out by a gent who was a hobbyist car owner/tuner. He had a professional driver who came down from Wichita to drive his alcohol powered, fuel injected sprint car at State Fair Speedway. He was able to support the operating expenses from his winnings. Even though buying the car and trailer were mostly a sunk cost, he still could justify it in his mind. There is almost zero money to be made in hobbyist Stock Car racing today.

I have zero compassion for the people who complained about the noise from the Speedway. Virtually all of them moved in AFTER the Speedway was operating and they should have gotten their discount when they bought their property. Which they did, but they wanted to complain how the noise hurt their property values and Quality of Life.

The Speedway was old, ugly and run down. There is no argument about that from my end....and I kinda gotta admit it is better around here now that it is gone......

The Monorail was a toy from the mid 1960s and it was not built to be long lasting or high quality and functional. It was always a circular ride. I rode in the mid 1990s with my sons (who were under age 12). It was hot, bumpy and had yellowed plastic windows in many cars. My sons did not get the Disneyland feeling and never asked to ride it again.

I miss the Space Needle when it was lit up at night, as a land mark and the sound it put off when high winds were in the area. The first few times hearing it people thought it was a sign of the Apocalypse. Then we kinda took comfort in it. It also had become grungy and bumpy toward the end of it's working life and the fear of getting stuck at the top (or even worse, falling to our death from some kinda broken cable) was pretty strong.

I don't really miss the old Fairgrounds, and the trains, jets and other stuff sitting around.Your points are my reasons for not being 100% convinced.
BTW. Was the driver from Wichita Mike Peters by chance? If so he couldn't have done better. Mike was an AMAZING driver. I learned almost everything I know about driving dirt track from watching or talking to Mike. But on a one on one ten lap race on the old FG half mile he might lap me twice! And he was personable, not bad looking, etc. which helped with fan following.

It's about time that someone from the fairgrounds board or mayor Holt's office respond to this forum. Let's move the new arena to the stockyards so they will be near the horses. The fairgrounds should be for the benefit of the citizens of Oklahoma, not just the horse business.

It's about time that someone from the fairgrounds board or mayor Holt's office respond to this forum. Let's move the new arena to the stockyards so they will be near the horses. The fairgrounds should be for the benefit of the citizens of Oklahoma, not just the horse business.

This would be a great idea except for the fact that PARKING would be the biggest obstacle if you were to move the new arena from the Fairgrounds.

I visited the Stockyards area off Exchange Avenue in December 2019 just to pick up an item and there are very few areas to park.

Your points are my reasons for not being 100% convinced.
BTW. Was the driver from Wichita Mike Peters by chance? If so he couldn't have done better. Mike was an AMAZING driver. I learned almost everything I know about driving dirt track from watching or talking to Mike. But on a one on one ten lap race on the old FG half mile he might lap me twice! And he was personable, not bad looking, etc. which helped with fan following.

Yes, it was Mike Peters. He would come down about 3 O'clock on Friday afternoons in his late model Monte Carlo SS, talk to Buzz McDonald & the Shazam crew, load up the trailer and off they went to the Speedway.

I wasn't serious about building the arena at the stock yards. I was trying to say it needs to be multi purpose for all, not just a building for horse shows. I have nothing against horse shows but it needs to be multi purpose for basketball, ice hockey, concerts, etc. For all people to use and enjoy. It will be paid for with public funds, raised by MAPS sales tax.

I wasn't serious about building the arena at the stock yards. I was trying to say it needs to be multi purpose for all, not just a building for horse shows. I have nothing against horse shows but it needs to be multi purpose for basketball, ice hockey, concerts, etc. For all people to use and enjoy. It will be paid for with public funds, raised by MAPS sales tax.

Again, if you want something Multipurpose why not combine the funding for the MAPS 4 Stadium & Coliseum to build a mini-dome that could be used as a coliseum and an indoor soccer stadium capable of seating 30,000 that could be sectioned off for events needing less than 5,000. You could attract more events that would increase hotel tax revenues--attract more events and increase revenues for funding and upkeep:

Multipurpose Stadium ($37 million)
Fairgrounds Coliseum ($63 million)

The coliseum would be the new home of major national, state and local events and will continue to attract visitors from around the world who boost the local economy with their spending. MAPS 4 allocates $63 million to the project, to be supplemented by at least $25 million from hotel tax revenues already earmarked for fairgrounds improvements, as well as other resources.

You would have $100 million base to build the multipurpose mini-dome and attract more events like a potential major league soccer franchise (MLS) and/or XFL football franchise with the city upgrading the infrastructure and parking at the 435 acre Fair Park complex.

Such a facility would be booked year round...

Events like the IFR (International Finals Rode) and the horse shows currently held at SFA could be hosted by OKC instead of the Lazy-E in Guthrie. The new coliseum needs to be built as soon as possible.

An event like the IFR would be a better long-term fit in OKC as opposed to a venue like the Lazy E.

It's unfortunate the city doesn't have the corporate resources or the facility to make a seriously large bid for the National Finals Rodeo. It was held at the new <gag> Globe Life Park (new Rangers baseball stadium) this year due to covid restrictions in Vegas and it seems the NFR is up for rebid. I read Ft. Worth is going to make a bid to get in their new Taj Mahal livestock event arena.

This would be a great idea except for the fact that PARKING would be the biggest obstacle if you were to move the new arena from the Fairgrounds.

I visited the Stockyards area off Exchange Avenue in December 2019 just to pick up an item and there are very few areas to park.

How does Ft Worth deal with this? Isn't their horse show area near/in their Stockyards (which is much more touristy than OKCs)?

Probably too late to really change anything but could be good for prospective on how OKC could have implemented a real horse show showcase in our Stockyards while keeping the fairgrounds historical and multi-purpose. ...

It's unfortunate the city doesn't have the corporate resources or the facility to make a seriously large bid for the National Finals Rodeo. It was held at the new <gag> Globe Life Park (new Rangers baseball stadium) this year due to covid restrictions in Vegas and it seems the NFR is up for rebid. I read Ft. Worth is going to make a bid to get in their new Taj Mahal livestock event arena.

Funny that OKC used to have the NFR at the fairgrounds. ... Not sure who thought removing everything would make OKC more attractive as a destination ....

How does Ft Worth deal with this? Isn't their horse show area near/in their Stockyards (which is much more touristy than OKCs)?

Probably too late to really change anything but could be good for prospective on how OKC could have implemented a real horse show showcase in our Stockyards while keeping the fairgrounds historical and multi-purpose. ...

dickys arena If that is what you are talking about is 1. not in the stockyards 2. is not really a horse show arena it is ft worths version of the Peake and 3. the ft worth stock yards has tons of parking because it is not a functional stockyard it is just for tourists and the new arena also has tons and tons of parking .

Funny that OKC used to have the NFR at the fairgrounds. ... Not sure who thought removing everything would make OKC more attractive as a destination ....I'm pretty sure OKC got outbid for the NFR. It was about $$$$$. Not about being more or less attractive.

The National Finals Rodeo, the year's premier event to many Oklahomans, will be moving to Las Vegas in 1985 after a 20-year run in Oklahoma City.

The board of directors of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, after meeting for almost 11 straight hours, announced just before midnight, Oklahoma time, that Las Vegas had been awarded a five-year contract to host the National Finals.

"Chief among the reasons for moving the finals was the ability of Las Vegas to fully guarantee the purse for five years," a PRCA spokesman said in a prepared statement.

"The contract includes prize money of $1.79 million next year. The board also thought that the Las Vegas offer gave pro rodeo the chance to receive the national media attention it deserves."--Dean Bailey, The Oklahoman, Published: Thursday, December 13, 1984 12:00 AM

dickys arena If that is what you are talking about is 1. not in the stockyards 2. is not really a horse show arena it is ft worths version of the Peake and 3. the ft worth stock yards has tons of parking because it is not a functional stockyard it is just for tourists and the new arena also has tons and tons of parking .

Dickey's Arena was built to be a multi-purpose arena, one of which was especially for the Forth Woth stock show rodeo.

I'm pretty sure OKC got outbid for the NFR. It was about $$$$$. Not about being more or less attractive.

It was outbid because Vegas wanted a major event between T-giving and Christmas. OKC couldn't compete against casino money. Look up the Dickey's Arena and Ft. Worth. It's trying to live up to, and attract Dallas-type events and has a lot of money behind it.

Edit: This year will mark the 32nd anniversary of the NFR in Las Vegas. The prize money for the participants this year will be $10 million.

Thought Steve had a pretty good article about the degradation of the fairgrounds into nothing but horse shows today https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/11/07/okc-fairgrounds-landmarks-largely-absent-makeover-nears-its-end/5917537001/

Serious discussion question: Is the decrease in popularity of the SF BECAUSE of tearing down all the icons, etc... Or were the icons NOT upgraded and torn down BECAUSE of the decrease in popularity? What do people think?

Serious discussion question: Is the decrease in popularity of the SF BECAUSE of tearing down all the icons, etc... Or were the icons NOT upgraded and torn down BECAUSE of the decrease in popularity? What do people think?

I think the SF had a vision in mind and they executed it perfectly in the name of popularity. They wanted to be what they have become and that is a venue for equine events, that's just my opinion though.

I think the SF had a vision in mind and they executed it perfectly in the name of popularity. They wanted to be what they have become and that is a venue for equine events, that's just my opinion though.
I think you're pretty much spot on. The FG is exactly what the people in charge wanted it to become a number of years ago.

Serious discussion question: Is the decrease in popularity of the SF BECAUSE of tearing down all the icons, etc... Or were the icons NOT upgraded and torn down BECAUSE of the decrease in popularity? What do people think?

Probably a combination of both.

If we had a situation where there was an amusement park operating year round during good weather seasons where they incorporated the Space Tower and Monorail, you would have seen a more vibrant State Fair of Oklahoma. The speedway was too noisy to keep on site. You could hear the stock cars within a 10-12 mile radius.

If Frontier City were to relocate to the Fairgrounds (IMO) they could reap the benefits. This would justify building a new 500' Space Tower and Monorail operating 9 months a year.

IMO, there's still time to do something to make upgrades and have an annual 10 day September Fair (Autumn) and smaller 5 day Fair in April (Spring) with something like an April Fools theme. The Fairgrounds IMO is underutilized for the amount of acreage OKC has available.

OKC wants to keep those Equine events & shows in our community; the economic impact is too great to let them go elsewhere. Guthrie's Lazy E took one of those events. The new 4,500 (hair back) seat coliseum provides just enough room to not feel the emptiness of a 14,000 seat FW Dickies Arena or an 8,500 seat OKC Fairgrounds Arena.

As for the return of Ice Hockey to Oklahoma City, let's see what's on the horizon.