Steve's story.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5352569?embargo=1



A Colorado developer is preparing to build a concert venue in Bricktown with capacity of up to 4,200 that will be named the “Criterion” in tribute to the downtown movie palace that was torn down during the Urban Renewal era of the 1970s.


Matt Maley, an oil and gas and real estate investor from Littleton, Colo., confirmed Friday he has struck a deal with Ronnye Farmer and Philip Randolph to build the two-story venue at the southwest corner of Sheridan and Charlie Christian Avenues
“We’ve gotten to know Oklahoma City and Bricktown pretty well,” Maley said. “It’s exciting. One of the big reasons we like the project is because Bricktown looks like Lower Downtown Denver and we’ve done projects in Denver. Bricktown reminds me of ‘LoDo’ 10 to 15 years ago. So getting involved as the area is still emerging is exciting to us.”

guys, I don't disagree with what you're saying, I was just asking if THIS was what STEVE was talking about - not that I agree.

I would think Steve would know about The Granada, House of Blues and other venues in Dallas and KC.

https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608049777519890061&pid=15.1&P=0 https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608051156200984491&pid=15.1&P=0
Interior of the Criterion & Midwest Theaters - OKC

Lived the days of the old Criterion & Midwest Theaters; they just don't make the cathedral façade and stucco deco theaters like this anymore.

Fast forward, the proposed Criterion Concert Hall will be a nice venue that will give us more options than what's atop of the Farmer's Public Market. The 4,200 seats will allow more capacity flexibility than Civic Center Music Hall or the Bricktown Events Center.

... The 4,200 seats will allow more capacity flexibility than Civic Center Music Hall or the Bricktown Events Center.

Are they really "seats"? Didn't see any seating in the plans, seems like SRO like the Bricktown Events Center and Cain's (usually).

The image in the Oklahoman must be an old one. Shows the entrance on the east end of the building.

The plans submitted to design review show it on the west end, both in the renderings and floor plans.

I really wish the owners would reconsider and use a different name. This project as depicted is not deserving of The Criterion name.

Steve has repeatedly said when the "jealous" project is announced he will let us know that's what he was referring to. He also said he would tell us if the deal fell apart.

It's funny, I have noticed and wondered for a long time why OKC doesn't have s concert venue like this... About this size, about this layout, with a prominent bar back center of the stage... When I travel and go to concerts the places I end up almost always have this layout. I've often wondered if a lack of a venue like this is what keeps so many of the very popular mid-level acts out of the city. Really happy to see that one is finally being built... Can't wait to find out more about who will be promoting it and the type of acts they want to try and attract.

I really wish the owners would reconsider and use a different name. This project as depicted is not deserving of The Criterion name.

Amen. A generic design deserves a generic name

I remember when Alice In Chains toured last year they played two shows in Oklahoma: Brady Theatre and Winstar. Hopefully this venue will redirect some shows from the casinos surrounding OKC into the center of OKC.

It's funny, I have noticed and wondered for a long time why OKC doesn't have s concert venue like this... About this size, about this layout, with a prominent bar back center of the stage... When I travel and go to concerts the places I end up almost always have this layout. I've often wondered if a lack of a venue like this is what keeps so many of the very popular mid-level acts out of the city. Really happy to see that one is finally being built... Can't wait to find out more about who will be promoting it and the type of acts they want to try and attract.

+1

Regardless of some of the negative opinions regarding the use of the name Criterion, this is still great news for OKC and is something that has been needed for a long time.

I would think Steve would know about The Granada, House of Blues and other venues in Dallas and KC.

no need to be a 'smarty' - I don't know about (nor care) any of those places you talk about; it was an honest question.

also, this development broke on OKCTalk before Steve's story, again, hence my honest question.

Pretty sure Steve was already working on this and didn't just rush together a story after Pete tweeted and created this thread.

See Steve's latest post...

I guess if all the highly revered architecture critics on here don't like they should just abandon the project......

The layout reminds me of the renovated Austin Music Hall. Yes, they could add some more detail but unless someone wants to throw about $10 million into the project it is never going to look like one of those old theaters, they just don't build those anymore. You add that kind of money to a project it also tends to stress the business model and could lead to closure. I would rather have a good building with great acoustics than a pretty building that sounds like crap, sound quality is the main goal and this size of room has been one of the major holes in the OKC music scene. A lot of those old theaters have bad acoustics for rock, I saw Dream Theater a few months ago here in Denver at The Paramount Theater (beautiful space) and the sound was horrible, their sound was better other times that I have seen them and when I saw them at The Roxy (old Quicksilvers at NW 10th & MacArthur) in 1994 which was not known for its acoustics.

I remember when Alice In Chains toured last year they played two shows in Oklahoma: Brady Theatre and Winstar. Hopefully this venue will redirect some shows from the casinos surrounding OKC into the center of OKC.

We can hope. But the Wormy Dog does not host an ambitious club calendar.

The image in the Oklahoman must be an old one. Shows the entrance on the east end of the building.

The plans submitted to design review show it on the west end, both in the renderings and floor plans.

When the Design Review Process Works | News OK (http://newsok.com/when-the-design-review-process-works/article/5352862)

Personally, I like the name. It pays homage to the old downtown theatre, and the name has a old feel sound, but with a modern twist! The name is not going to affect anything! This will be great for BT and OKC collectively!

What should it be? Is it just the name not gelling with the design that is bothersome?

IMO, it's what inside that counts on this, as long as there is brick to match the aesthetic. You can't really tell what the inside will be from these renderings, though. I actually went to the Brady for the first time this week and it's a dump. It won't take much effort for this to be nicer and people seem to like the Brady around here, so how bad can it be?

Maybe I'm just too excited of the idea of having a theater venue of this size (basically in the sweet spot for theater tours, which makes up the bulk of larger acts these days) to get too down on it. I'd always welcome more ornate design, but what's a good example of recent concert theater construction in a stand alone building that has impressive design that wasn't publicly funded?

With the BEC renovations and this, no one could complain about venue assets anymore. It'd just be up to finding a competent promoter to work the market.

The Brady a dump!? You poor artless soul.

Thanks for talking me down. Hopefully we will have great promoters to attract a ton of decent acts. It sure beats Diamond Ballroom.

Great points, Pete.

They've made some good improvements to the Diamond but it's just too small to handle the amperage of the acts their booking liker the Gov't Mule show. Too much sound for the room.

I would like to see electronic screens or at least artwork painted onto this building. It might be a little plain jane but that can easily be fixed with minimal effort.

I hope this venue is promoted well and that it can help steal some of the big name shows from Tulsa.

Tulsa sells more tickets, that's why they get the shows.

The Brady a dump!? You poor artless soul.
As a building by itself, it could be considered a dump but with its history and feel it is a great room.


Tulsa sells more tickets, that's why they get the shows.
....and part of that is they have had the rooms that are the sweet spots in current tours and OKC hasn't had them. Back in the age of arena shows coming through all the time OKC outdrew Tulsa but both were good markets.

The Brady is historic yes. but is not well maintained in my opinion and is not very comforatable for seeing a show. a good reno would do it some good.
this theater will be a good size and fit for OKC we don't have anything that fits that demographic and with a new structure hopefully it is well designed in the interior and will be a great place to see shows of that size. A lot of show just don't fit well in the diamond as it was stated too much sound for the room and the ceiling is just a bit low to accomdate any show with any sort of "Set".

Tulsa sells more tickets, that's why they get the shows.

Really? Could it be that Tulsa has two music venues suitable for big-name, mid-tier acts and OKC doesn't have any unless you count the Diamond? It would be interesting to see how much of Tulsa's concert sales are from people who live in OKC. OKC residents have no qualms of driving to Tulsa to see a show.

The Brady a dump!? You poor artless soul.

Yeah, petty much. At least relative to most theaters of its size. I was expecting much more character and charm. It's a fine place to see a show, but let's not make it out to be something it's not.

The Brady a dump!? You poor artless soul.Tulsa has some nice theaters man, but they do not live up to the hype. Mainly the hype that is spread around by people in OKC and Tulsa. Brought a friend in from KC and to put it nicely, he was not impressed. By the Brady District or the Blue Dome district, and the theaters they had. They're ok and better than what is currently in OKC, but I'd be careful about calling people artless souls who have higher standards that what Tulsa offers.

Tulsa sells more tickets, that's why they get the shows.Come back in 10 years and say that. Hell, I'll even say five.

https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608049777519890061&pid=15.1&P=0 https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608051156200984491&pid=15.1&P=0
Interior of the Criterion & Midwest Theaters - OKC

Lived the days of the old Criterion & Midwest Theaters; they just don't make the cathedral façade and stucco deco theaters like this anymore.

Fast forward, the proposed Criterion Concert Hall will be a nice venue that will give us more options than what's atop of the Farmer's Public Market. The 4,200 seats will allow more capacity flexibility than Civic Center Music Hall or the Bricktown Events Center.

Almost makes me sick to think these were torn down. I remember them as a kid but I sure didn't appreciate them as I would today.

Almost makes me sick to think these were torn down. I remember them as a kid but I sure didn't appreciate them as I would today.I don't remember them at all and I'm in disbelief that these beauties were raped and butchered.

Yeah, petty much. At least relative to most theaters of its size. I was expecting much more character and charm. It's a fine place to see a show, but let's not make it out to be something it's not.

Exactly. Great bones, great history (well, except for the pesky race riot connection), great sound, sigh lines and shows. But it's a dank, drafty barn if we're going to be honest. Cain's has much better aesthetics and character. Go to a place like the Chicago Theater or Kansas City's Uptown and then try with a straight face to represent the Brady as some sort of palace. It's not. I love it, but mostly only because of the shows it scores.

Yeah, petty much. At least relative to most theaters of its size. I was expecting much more character and charm. It's a fine place to see a show, but let's not make it out to be something it's not.

Beholding with these eyes, the Brady is chock full of charm. Sure no self flushing toilets but come on.

Come back in 10 years and say that. Hell, I'll even say five.

I'd love that, but call me a skeptic until it happens. Half as many folks at the Diamond for Gov't Mule as at a Cains show. Maybe that's the venue or the location of the Diamond, but facts is.

I'd love that, but call me a skeptic until it happens. Half as many folks at the Diamond for Gov't Mule as at a Cains show. Maybe that's the venue or the location of the Diamond, but facts is.

The Diamond is a very low-quality venue in a terrible location. A lot of people in OKC would actually rather drive to Tulsa to see a show at Cains than go to the Diamond. Things will change once there is a real venue in downtown OKC.

My only concern is that I hope it is promoted well and brings in the big shows and doesn't just steal red dirt acts from the casinos.

If the crowd is half the size at the Diamond vs. the Brady, I see that as a point in OKC's favor considering the difference in the two venues.

Brady has the aesthetics of a sale barn at a stockyards. Other than the aforementioned sight lines, acoustics, etc., it has little in common with the ornate palaces that grace a number of U.S. cities. And yet I'd give my eye teeth to have it here in OKC. Great place to see a show, and great shows are there all of the time. But Cain's is the venue long on charm in T-town.

The Diamond is a very low-quality venue in a terrible location. A lot of people in OKC would actually rather drive to Tulsa to see a show at Cains than go to the Diamond. Things will change once there is a real venue in downtown OKC.

My only concern is that I hope it is promoted well and brings in the big shows and doesn't just steal red dirt acts from the casinos.

Yeah I'm the same if it's not a work night, always love an opportunity for a show at Cains.
If the Wormy is promoting the place expect a heavy dose of Red Dirt. Not a hater but it's rather thick around here. By far the best promoter in Central Ok is Innervisions, formerly of the Zoo now DT Airpark.

Brady has the aesthetics of a sale barn at a stockyards. Other than the aforementioned sight lines, acoustics, etc., it has little in common with the ornate palaces that grace a number of U.S. cities. And yet I'd give my eye teeth to have it here in OKC. Great place to see a show, and great shows are there all of the time. But Cain's is the venue long on charm in T-town.

True it's not the Beacon in NYC but it certainly has charm and aesthetics. Take a little time and really look around next time. It's most definatly cool.

If the crowd is half the size at the Diamond vs. the Brady, I see that as a point in OKC's favor considering the difference in the two venues.

The Mule plays at Cains, not Brady.

True it's not the Beacon in NYC but it certainly has charm and aesthetics. Take a little time and really look around next time. It's most definatly cool.

I've seen dozens of shows there and guarantee that I look around and soak in old buildings more than 99% of the people in the room. I know pretty much every public nook and cranny of the place. I'm not dogging it, I'm just saying that it's nowhere in the same class as even the Orpheum Theater in Wichita. There is a reason why there are few interior photos online that aren't stage shots during a show.

And yet, it kills the Orpheum on bookings, so I'll take The Brady. A place doesn't have to be a palace to get great shows.

The Mule plays at Cains, not Brady.

My point still stands.

True it's not the Beacon in NYC but it certainly has charm and aesthetics. Take a little time and really look around next time. It's most defiantly cool.

Sorry, but I think it was just oversold to me. When people said good "aesthetics" and charm, I was thinking more intricate theaters I'm used to like the Wiltern or the Warfield. I was not thinking painted concrete and metal siding as the "details". I was thinking more like the pics of the Criterion and the Midwest theater above. There are quite of few theaters like that around the country which are well maintained and still in use as concert venues. The Brady feels more tired than charming. But again, not a bad place to see a show for all the reasons Urbanized mentioned, just nothing that I saw that I would call aesthetically pleasing or charming, especially relatively to other theaters of similar size and layout.

I was expecting more like this:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4101/4922462721_201796e9d4_z.jpg

or this:

http://www.thewiltern.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/image.jpg

not this:

http://rbeuc.freesuperhost.com/photos/architecture/brady-theater-renovation_208.jpg

So, maybe it was just my fault for assuming too much.

The renderings look to me like a "ballroom" ala Cain's or (hopefully a less garbage-y version of) the Diamond Ballroom. So I'm assuming no seating or marble gargoyles on the side like a broadway theatre. I'll be happy with a solid concert venue with 2014 A/V system and modern amenities. We really don't have any of that here, especially in the mid-range size.

I will say though, the outside is fairly ugly for a new build. You would think they could do something better than a brick box.

I will say though, the outside is fairly ugly for a new build. You would think they could do something better than a brick box.

I am going to repeat this again. I think this would look great as is with a nice mural painted on the sides.

The renderings look to me like a "ballroom" ala Cain's or (hopefully a less garbage-y version of) the Diamond Ballroom. So I'm assuming no seating or marble gargoyles on the side like a broadway theatre. I'll be happy with a solid concert venue with 2014 A/V system and modern amenities. We really don't have any of that here, especially in the mid-range size.

Well, plus a mezzanine level. I guess it's not clear at this point how much will be fixed seating and how much will be standing room only, if any.

Yeah, I don't expect anything ornate. I'd be happy with (or expect, actually) a nice clean modern interior with a set up tailored for live music. I think we've already town all of our chances to have a broadway theater type venue, so just getting a solid asset of this size is most important part right now.

I am going to repeat this again. I think this would look great as is with a nice mural painted on the sides.Point is, why does a new structure have to be meat and potatoes utilitarian? Why not a a stylish artful design? The brick thing has been done.

Point is, why does a new structure have to be meat and potatoes utilitarian? Why not a a stylish artful design? The brick thing has been done.

Money.

Bricktown.

Point is, why does a new structure have to be meat and potatoes utilitarian? Why not a a stylish artful design? The brick thing has been done.

This structure fits well with the existing building stock in Bricktown. Development in OKC in recent history has leaned far more towards functionality than aesthetics. With the OG&E tower and some of the more recent residential projects there are signs this could be beginning to change, but it is the way it is. In my opinion this is above bare functionality however and could easily be given character with a mural. The ornate, art-deco theatres of yesteryear aren't being built anymore and it definitely couldn't be done for the price tag the investors in this theater are wanting to spend.

Hey if it gets us more shows and has good acoustics, bring on the meat and potatoes.

I thought that I read somewhere that the owners of the Wormy Dog has procured a property in this same ares to MOVE the Wormy Dog to?
Did they decide to do this instead?

I thought that I read somewhere that the owners of the Wormy Dog has procured a property in this same ares to MOVE the Wormy Dog to?
Did they decide to do this instead?

It had been previously reported that they would be developing both the parcels they bought and that they would be moving the WD to a big, better spot within that development.

no need to be a 'smarty' - I don't know about (nor care) any of those places you talk about; it was an honest question.

Not being a "smarty" I just believe that Steve would know about those theatres and what Dallas and KC have to offer before making a claim that we would get something that would make them jealous.

I thought that I read somewhere that the owners of the Wormy Dog has procured a property in this same ares to MOVE the Wormy Dog to?
Did they decide to do this instead?

I'm sure they will still book red dirt acts here, but the new name for the theater makes me think they're keeping the current location as the wormy dog. It's a very good brand for the niche and I can't see them getting rid of it altogether.

Bigger and better: Construction set to start on largest event space in OKC | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/10/13/bigger-and-better-construction-set-to-start-on-biggest-event-space-in-okc-real-estate/)

Bigger and better: Construction set to start on largest event space in OKC | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/10/13/bigger-and-better-construction-set-to-start-on-biggest-event-space-in-okc-real-estate/)

Plupan, I can't read the entire article but it appears that is about the new event space at the fairgrounds.

Plupan, I can't read the entire article but it appears that is about the new event space at the fairgrounds.

I can read it and it is only about the Fairgrounds event space.

Hey bchris, how do you feel about them adding a mural to the design? That could be really cool.

:)

I'm curious how this is going to effect the Coca Cola Events Center (or Chevy or whaever it calls itself these days). We were just seeing a push to renovate that place, and then with this coming in, it would spank the old place.


BDP, I think you are still giving it too much credit. From what I understood, it's more like a big empty FLAT room...forget chairs and stuff. But that does give it the ability to host large reception type events. Anyone know if there's a kitchen involved? Could be a good place for a large company banquet....

Hey bchris, how do you feel about them adding a mural to the design? That could be really cool.

:)

Yeah, adding a mural would be awesome. They should really consider it.