New Downtown Arena

[Tyson]

We will top Chase Center. There are plenty of areas in DT OKC, where land acquisition will not be as expensive as what it cost to build in DT San Francisco. Especially, if we build on City owned property.

OKC will have an opportunity of a lifetime to make a statement to the Association and NBA-NHL market cities who will droll over what I feel will be the 'Taj Mahal' among NBA-NHL arenas.

You're right, I didn't even think about that... we really do have quite the opportunity here.

[SagerMichael]

Since we’re all speculating right now, could a brand new billion dollar arena + entertainment district lure an NHL relocation/expansion franchise?

[Teo9969]

The Convention Center was $293M and would likely cost between $350M and $425M today.

So we'll have roughly 2x - 3x the buying power we had for the Convention Center.

[Teo9969]

Since we’re all speculating right now, could a brand new billion dollar arena + entertainment district lure an NHL relocation/expansion franchise?

Sure, but we don't have the business support necessary for an NHL team. We'd need 3-5 more $1B revenue companies and a slew of $100M+ companies as well. It might also stretch the overall public at $1.4M.

We'd be more likely to lure a 2nd professional franchise with a new arena in 40+ years.

[caaokc]

I wouldn't count on it, at least in the near term. I remember Holt saying in his state of the city that the arena would be built specifically for basketball with the site lines and seats. It could probably be reconfigured for Hockey but it would look funky.

[April in the Plaza]

Since we’re all speculating right now, could a brand new billion dollar arena + entertainment district lure an NHL relocation/expansion franchise?

Probably not. I don’t see the Thunder ownership group being too interested in competing with major league hockey. Plus, it would complicate the revenue sharing situation for concerts and other events (assuming that someone other than the PCB owns the hockey team).

[G.Walker]

I sure hope we could get something like Chase Center in San Francisco. That's a stunning and elegant arena.

Meh, looks too much like the BOK Center in Tulsa. Now if we get something like the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento or the T-Moble arena in Las Vegas, now we talking.

[G.Walker]

With a pricetag close to $1 Billion, our new arena will be one of the best in the league.

[Richard at Remax]

With talk of eliminating the grocery tax, will that have a profound effect on collection amounts?

[jdross1982]

With talk of eliminating the grocery tax, will that have a profound effect on collection amounts?

That will impact the amount for the state, not the City portion.

[Dob Hooligan]

Since we’re all speculating right now, could a brand new billion dollar arena + entertainment district lure an NHL relocation/expansion franchise?

Please forgive me for making your eyes glaze over as I mansplain....

Short version is the NBA and NHL are direct competitors for the sports dollar. Same time of year, same arena, same media, same ancillary dollars.

Supposedly, the first bump in professional basketball interest was from the owners of the NHL "Original 6" (Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs) wanting to book more dates for the arenas they owned after the end of WWII. During that era, the wintertime sporting arena usage was hockey, ice capades, boxing, pro wrestling, maybe some rodeo and whatever else they could hustle up.

Fast forward to the sports crazed "Magic and Larry" era of the 1980s, and we have the NBA eclipsing the NHL in popularity. Where the sports calendar is year-round and televised 24/7. It looks like ESPN really does stand for "Every Shot and Pass in the Nation."

As it becomes more clearly defined and more of a true business, we now deal in overall year-round sports spend for the market.

Typing off the cuff, I would suggest this is why Vancouver failed so miserably with the NBA. An established NHL city that did not have MLB or NFL, and the overall sports dollar that looked so good was crammed into the same time of year.

[Decious]

https://okcfox.com/amp/news/local/ci...-center-paycom

[Laramie]

Meh, looks too much like the BOK Center in Tulsa. Now if we get something like the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento or the T-Moble arena in Las Vegas, now we talking.

You don't want either one . . .

Let's see your State-of-the Art, Top of the line NBA arenas with an NHL split level terrace with a side bar.

THUNDER-UP, O-K-C.

[Tydude]

https://kfor.com/news/local/prairie-...tm_source=T.co

[Bellaboo]

https://okcfox.com/amp/news/local/ci...-center-paycom

That was fast...

[caaokc]

You don't want either one . . .

Let's see your State-of-the Art, Top of the line NBA arenas with an NHL split level terrace with a side bar.

THUNDER-UP, O-K-C.

Golden 1 is legit

[jn1780]

https://kfor.com/news/local/prairie-...tm_source=T.co

This was probably already planned due to the two year noticed requirement and also keeps the door open for a land swap to occur shortly after the lease expires. December 2025 is not enough time for demolition and construction unless the lease is broken early.

That said, these actions are planting the seeds in the general publics mind that the new Arena is going at the Cox side.

[chssooner]

This was probably already planned due to the two year noticed requirement and this keeps the door open for a land swap to occur shortly after December 2025. December 2025 is not enough time for demolition and construction unless the lease is broken early.

I mean, the lease isn't "broken early". It is solely not being renewed in December 2025. So PSM is there until then.

[jn1780]

I mean, the lease isn't "broken early". It is solely not being renewed in December 2025. So PSM is there until then.

Well yeah, that's what I'm saying. December 2025 isn't enough time to demolish and build an Arena on that site. That's why I think they are just keeping the door open to not have to pay the penalty. They know Cox site will be part of the equation 'somehow' even if it isn't the site.

[BoulderSooner]

That was fast...

I mean, the lease isn't "broken early". It is solely not being renewed in December 2025. So PSM is there until then.

I actually talked to pete about this earlier ..

in the Praire lease the city has to give them 2 years notice to end there lease Or PSM gets the sole option to pick up their option years one at a time

meaning that if OKC didn't tell them they were ending the lease before Jan 1 ... OKC would have to pay PSM lost revenue until the end of 2026 if they make them leave early

now they will only owe them lost revenue until the end of 2025 if they make them leave early ..

this is very smart of the city .

[mugofbeer]

You don't want either one . . .

Let's see your State-of-the Art, Top of the line NBA arenas with an NHL split level terrace with a side bar.

THUNDER-UP, O-K-C.

THUNDER Dome!

[kukblue1]

Well yeah, that's what I'm saying. December 2025 isn't enough time to demolish and build an Arena on that site. That's why I think they are just keeping the door open to not have to pay the penalty. They know Cox site will be part of the equation 'somehow' even if it isn't the site.

Should be plenty of time if you start the tear down Spring 2026 until Summer 2027 than 2 years to build the arena. Joe Louis Arena in Detroit Demolition started in early 2019 and was completed by mid-2020.

Reunion Arena officially closed on June 30, 2008 Demolition was officially completed on November 17, 2009, and the site was completely cleared by the end of the year.

I would like the old cox center would be easier to tear down than an arena.

[jn1780]

Should be plenty of time if you start the tear down Spring 2026 until Summer 2027 than 2 years to build the arena. Joe Louis Arena in Detroit Demolition started in early 2019 and was completed by mid-2020.

Reunion Arena officially closed on June 30, 2008 Demolition was officially completed on November 17, 2009, and the site was completely cleared by the end of the year.

I would like the old cox center would be easier to tear down than an arena.

I honestly don't know how long demolition would take. The Cox was both an Arena and convention center that sits in a bathtub with underground parking while you also have at least one other building(the Paycom) tapped directly into its utilities.

[Pete]

I actually talked to pete about this earlier ..

in the Praire lease the city has to give them 2 years notice to end there lease Or PSM gets the sole option to pick up their option years one at a time

meaning that if OKC didn't tell them they were ending the lease before Jan 1 ... OKC would have to pay PSM lost revenue until the end of 2026 if they make them leave early

now they will only owe them lost revenue until the end of 2025 if they make them leave early ..

this is very smart of the city .

Prairie Surf Studios lease will not be extended, ends in 2025

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Days after Oklahoma City voters overwhelmingly approved a new arena, News 4 learned the lease for Prairie Surf Studios, which ends in 2025, will not be extended.

The studios are currently located inside the city-owned Cox Convention Center. The location has been mentioned as a possible spot for the new arena, but the decision on the arena’s location has not been made yet.

CEO of Prairie Surf Studios Rachel Cannon said in a statement that she looks forward to exploring the next chapter of Prairie Surf.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to use this city asset to develop a proof of concept that showcases the film industry’s potential to provide high-paying jobs, business growth, economic development, and excitement for our City and state. While the convention center wasn’t considered a permanent studio home, it exceeded our expectations in supporting high-level production with Tulsa King and now Twisters. We look forward to exploring the next chapter of Prairie Surf Studios. As the City noted, the arena site has not yet been decided on, nor are there any potential sites for us. We look forward to growing this homegrown “Hollywood” alongside the NBA as we build a brighter tomorrow for Oklahoma City and Oklahoma. Together."

The city council is expected to take up the lease issue at its next meeting.

[Pete]

One other thing: I have been told by several people that Prairie Surf has been looking for a new location for almost two years.

I've always thought Cox should and will be the site, however, they have to have a backup plan (REHCO).

Holt also said this in Steve's chat yesterday:

Q: What goes into a site selection?

Holt: Probably lots of things, but the most obvious is ownership/cost. We have a finite budget for this project and we want every dollar that we can secure going into the arena itself. So clearly, land that the city already owns is going to have some natural advantages.