City hires Benham Group to make Ford Center upgrade recommendations

[betts]

By Bryan Dean
Staff Writer
If Oklahoma City is going to get its own NBA team, the Ford Center is going to need some work. A new practice area, better food and drink options and improved bathrooms are a few of the options an architect will look at over the next few months. The city council voted Tuesday to pay The Benham Companies $250,000 to study which improvements will be needed to make the Ford Center capable of hosting a permanent NBA franchise.

"Benham was the architect that did the Ford Center and probably has superior knowledge to anyone else as far as going in to that facility and making those improvements,” City Manager Jim Couch said. "That, combined with the time frame is why we went that direction.” The study won't just be about the NBA. Benham will also make recommendations to make the Ford Center a better concert venue and a better host to the Oklahoma City Blazers hockey team.

But the biggest needs are likely the things an NBA franchise would want, said Tom Anderson, Oklahoma City's special projects manager. "We learned a lot about the building from having the Hornets here for two years,” Anderson said. "There were some real obvious things we needed like an adjacent practice facility. "We've got to work towards the future.”

Some of the other needs:

•Sit-down restaurants or clubs in the lower and upper levels of the arena where spectators could eat or drink and watch the game.

•Bigger locker rooms

•A bigger area for the team store

•Improved bathrooms

•General visual upgrades to the floors, walls and ceilings.

Anderson said most of the improvements would be geared toward making the Ford Center a better place to watch a game. "We are going to want to make things more fan-friendly,” Anderson said. "We made a lot of improvements to get by while the Hornets were here.”

Couch said the study should be complete by February.

In other business, the council hired a consultant to look at whether the city needs to build a new amphitheater to host outdoor concerts and events. The city will pay Convention, Sports & Leisure International Inc. $72,400 to consider the idea. Anderson said several private developers have approached the city with the idea of building a new amphitheater capable of hosting large concerts. The study will determine whether there is enough demand to justify a new amphitheater and will determine possible sites and a general design for such a venue.

[Pete]

Glad to see city leaders trying to get out in front of this.

Why couldn't the Myriad be used as a practice facility, at least in the short term? I'm sure the main arena is barely used these days. Might be expensive to operate though.

[CrimsonOberon]

I like the sound of an amphitheater near downtown. Right along the river with a view of the skyline would be sweet, in my own personal opinion. I would certainly be in the group that would love to see this happen.

As far as the improvements to the Ford Center, I agree with you Malibu. It's nice to see the city going forward with this right now. Even if we don't eventually get the Sonics, which we most likely will, it can't hurt to improve our city's main event center.

[Kerry]

Does anyone still think the Sonics are not coming to OKC?

[Easy180]

City hires Benham Group to make Sonics....I mean Ford Center upgrade recommendations

LOVE the idea of a larger outdoor concert venue

[CuatrodeMayo]

[BDP]

Here, here for ampitheater! That would be awesome and would provide another venue to get great summer tours that we miss out on.

But one question: if we have multiple private developers wanting to do this, do we really need to figure out if we need it? I think we should just pick where we want it, tell them that's where they have to build it and have them compete on quality of proposal. We can have OCURA choose the plan... just kidding.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I love outdoor amphitheaters. Red Rocks in Colorado had some AMAZING shows.

[bombermwc]

Personally, I'd rather see it closer to the core. I would place it near the river up on the NE corner near OKC Rocks. Forget apartments or whatever....I want it within walking distance like everything else....not on the OTHER side of the river.

[john60]

I think it's time for some new video boards and scoreboards in the Ford Center. That seems like step one to me. NBA team or not.

[metro]

I think it's time for some new video boards and scoreboards in the Ford Center. That seems like step one to me. NBA team or not.

John, I'm pretty sure they just installed brand new ones about 6 months ago.

[Blairman]

They did just upgrade the screens at the FC. THe rest of the building needs major upgrading the concourses and restrooms on the first and thrid floors are an embarrassment.

Dont know why Flintco was allowed to build it so cheaply, when they where told it would cost more than 20 million than their bid. ???

Was their a time frame for t he report ???

[FritterGirl]

Personally, I'd rather see it closer to the core. I would place it near the river up on the NE corner near OKC Rocks. Forget apartments or whatever....I want it within walking distance like everything else....not on the OTHER side of the river.

Bomber,

The whole point of "Core to Shore" is to have multiple attractions that help close the gap between the downtown "Core" area and the river, hence the project's name. If all of the major attractions were closer to the core, then what would be the point of neighborhood development there? The idea is that the entire area becomes part of a larger, diverse community with entertainment options on both sides of the river.

As for the amphitheatre itself, I don't think what is in mind at this point is a "Smirnoff (Starplex)" type amphitheatre in Dallas. It's too early to tell, but early talk suggests it would be something that would fit into the natural environment more, but give great downtown views of any shows that are playing there.

[BDP]

I don't think what is in mind at this point is a "Smirnoff (Starplex)" type amphitheatre in Dallas.

In scope or design? I'd like to see something similar is size, but maybe more in line with its surrounding.

[john60]

John, I'm pretty sure they just installed brand new ones about 6 months ago.

To me, it just looked like they put in new, small boards in the "end zones" of the arena. They are horrible, as are the center boards, even if they are new. Whatever, they all are horrible, IMO.

AA in Dallas has some amazing ones, and actually the new boards at the LNC are excellent as well (high-def capable). Ford Center's are clearly not on that level, be they six months old or five years old.

[Luke]

Imagine the view if that were the location of the amphitheater.