New Downtown Arena

[Bowser214]

I'm a big fan of the AA center in Dallas but it was built 21 years ago.
I like April in the Plaza's idea. We have enough Brick structures in Bricktown.

[Laramie]

Fiserv was the arena Mayor Holt and 100 OKC civic leaders toured back in August of 2022. https://www.bizjournals.com/milwauke...fest-grou.html

[Plutonic Panda]

We’ve brought up tons of examples of arenas in the US but any good examples of arenas elsewhere around the world that we could use?

[mugofbeer]

We’ve brought up tons of examples of arenas in the US but any good examples of arenas elsewhere around the world that we could use?

There are dozens of examples if you Google but many are nationally funded so cost isn't as much a factor.

[Laramie]

An arena with the glass facade (pictured above) of THE CITIZEN on the Development & Building site; would look nice if we could build something similar to Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum (with the massive 860,000 square feet of Dallas AA Center would go great on the 4-square block Prairie Surf Media site.

Mayor Holt IMO is focused on the upcoming OKC Public School Bond Election; if successful, we should start to see more on preliminary plans with Thunder ownership for a new NBA arena.

[BoulderSooner]

Mayor Holt IMO is focused on the upcoming OKC Public School Bond Election; if successful, .

why would the OKC mayor be focus on a school bond election .... that is not part of his job at all ..

[Laramie]

why would the OKC mayor be focus on a school bond election .... that is not part of his job at all ..

Mayor David Holt called on voters to rally behind the bond proposal last month during his State of the City address.

“The Oklahoma Constitution doesn’t do school districts in this state any favors. If they so much as want to replace a broken air conditioner, they have to ask the voters. And they need 60% approval,” Holt said.

Supporting the bond issue is “the single most important thing each of us in this community can do for public education this year,” he said.--JR August 10, 2022

[BoulderSooner]

Mayor David Holt called on voters to rally behind the bond proposal last month during his State of the City address.

“The Oklahoma Constitution doesn’t do school districts in this state any favors. If they so much as want to replace a broken air conditioner, they have to ask the voters. And they need 60% approval,” Holt said.

Supporting the bond issue is “the single most important thing each of us in this community can do for public education this year,” he said.--JR August 10, 2022

he said all kinds of things in that state of the city ....

but that issue is in no way his "focus"

[Jersey Boss]

Mayor David Holt called on voters to rally behind the bond proposal last month during his State of the City address.

“The Oklahoma Constitution doesn’t do school districts in this state any favors. If they so much as want to replace a broken air conditioner, they have to ask the voters. And they need 60% approval,” Holt said.

Supporting the bond issue is “the single most important thing each of us in this community can do for public education this year,” he said.--JR August 10, 2022

Good points Laramie. It is a quality of life selling point when attracting new residents.

[dankrutka]

I know OKC's arena wasn't built for the NBA, but it's worth noting that it's the 11th newest NBA arena. It's not old by any means. You can organize by year built on this Wikipedia page.

[chssooner]

I know OKC's arena wasn't built for the NBA, but it's worth noting that it's the 11th newest NBA arena. It's not old by any means. You can organize by year built on this Wikipedia page.

That is fair. And it is true, that it isn't old. But none of the criticisms for building a new arena relate to its age (which I know you are aware of). Just wanted to point that out. Not bashing you, or your post, at all.

[Laramie]

When this arena was built in 2002 at a cost below the $89 million bid, our application to the NHL's 1997 expansion, rejected Ron Norick & Clay Bennett's Oklahoma City bid:

"Norick readily admits his city lacks a television audience, which is why he has pushed the NHL franchise as a statewide team."--Oklahoman, March 2, 1997.

Norick said. “It was a hope more than anything. I knew the only way we could do it was to have the facilities first. And that was a real gamble. There wasn't any league that would consider a city without the facility.”--Oklahoman, June 10, 2012

Oklahoma City & Houston had hoped to join Dallas Stars in the NHL.

[Laramie]

OKC Thunder: Why a new arena is vital for the Thunder and downtown

LINK: https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/20...r-and-downtown

[Laramie]

Impressed with Capital One Arena, Washington D. C.

Broke ground October 18, 1995
Opened December 2, 1997
Construction cost US$260 million - (US $411 million in 2020 dollars

Capacity - 20,356 (NBA Basketball)
Capital One Arena covers 1,020,000 square feet.

Oklahoma City could build something similar between 800,000 - 900,000 square feet on the 4-square block Prairie Surf Media site in the $500 million range since the city already owns the land and the infrastructure; could build an additional 1.000 space parking garage in addition to rebuilding the 950 underground parking below.

.

[amocore]

Why don't we go with a Basketball arena first, which can be use for concerts and shows ?
I mean baseline seats would not be temporary flatten out stands but the concrete frame of the arena. It would get people better views and better experience. That would mean a smaller floor too and no hockey.

[Pete]

BTW, I know Prairie Surf has been looking to relocate to the Strawberry Fields area so that tells me they know their days are numbered at the old Cox Center.

I would be shocked if a new arena went anywhere else.

[Bill Robertson]

Why don't we go with a Basketball arena first, which can be use for concerts and shows ?
I mean baseline seats would not be temporary flatten out stands but the concrete frame of the arena. It would get people better views and better experience. That would mean a smaller floor too and no hockey.

I can see that. Hockey need not be considered. I'm a huge hockey fan but OKC is an eternity away from getting an NHL team and any of the minor leagues couldn't justify being in a new NBA level arena.

[Bill Robertson]

BTW, I know Prairie Surf has been looking to relocate to the Strawberry Fields area so that tells me they know their days are numbered at the old Cox Center.

I would be shocked if a new arena went anywhere else.

Agreed 100%. It just makes way too much sense.,But then that could be it's downfall.

[josefromtulsa]

Whatever gets built i hope they do a good job at designing it as a part of the urban fabric and not just an empty building 95% of the time.

[caaokc]

A mix between Little Caesars Arena (Detroit) and Banker’s Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) would be amazing.

[Laramie]

A mix between Little Caesars Arena (Detroit) and Banker’s Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) would be amazing.

Good combination of two arenas:

Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Construction cost: US $862.9 million ($988 million in 2021 dollars)
NBA seating capacity: 20,332
885,000 sq ft

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Construction cost: US $183 million ($298 million in 2021 dollars)
NBA seating capacity: 17,923
750,000 sq ft

Construction cost: $988 million + $298 million / 2 = $643 million + 30% inflation rate = $663 million
NBA seating capacity 20,332 + 17,923 /2 = 19,128
885,000 sq ft + 750.000 sq ft = 818.000 sq ft

Match found: American Airlines Center 19,200 Dallas Mavericks
Construction cost: US $420 million (US$643 million in 2021
840,000 sq ft

Dallas' American Airlines Center (Arena) fits the pattern for construction cost and capacity that should fit Oklahoma City
goal in building a new arena beyond our current Paycom Center.

Expect a new arena to cost $550 million - $600 if built on the 4 square block Old Cox CC/Prairie Surf Media site.
Underground parking could be totally reconstructed with new arena built on top.

How would a new arena be financed . . . Extension of MAPS 4 or Bonds or combination of both.

[Laramie]

.

NBA revenue statistics (2001-2022)

The revenue of the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise reached 274 million U.S. dollars in the 2021/22 season. This represented an improvement in revenue generation of about 50 percent over the previous season, when the estimated revenue of the National Basketball Association franchise amounted to 183 million U.S. dollars.

Revenue of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2001/02 to 2021/22 (in million U.S. dollars)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...er-since-2006/



.

[Laramie]

Thunder GM Sam Presti comments on new potential arena and concerns of it being publicly funded

“Now, part of it is because of how we started 15 years ago when we arrived. That starting point, like from scratch, from nothing, from no logo — this was nonexistent — you build relationships, and I think that you also recognize that the mutual value of those relationships. So that’s the greatest thing when I hear Mayor Holt speak. . .

. . . “The thing I love about Mayor Holt is he’s maintained that aspiration to strive for having first class things in Oklahoma City. I think that’s great.”

Link to story: https://okcthunderwire.usatoday.com/...blicly-funded/

[Bellaboo]

To elaborate, yes the Thunder players contribute with payroll taxes from the players. And as the graph shows above its considerable.

What people may not know - Each player from every team that is playing the Thunder pays Oklahoma state income tax for the games played in Oklahoma. Not only the players, but the opposing team coaches and ownership pay also.

Let's say if LeBron is making $500,000.00 per game (it's close to this amount), he will pay to the Oklahoma Tax Commission over $25,000.00, just for one nights work.

That's a hell of a deal for OKC.

[Jersey Boss]

To elaborate, yes the Thunder players contribute with payroll taxes from the players. And as the graph shows above its considerable.

What people may not know - Each player from every team that is playing the Thunder pays Oklahoma state income tax for the games played in Oklahoma. Not only the players, but the opposing team coaches and ownership pay also.

Let's say if LeBron is making $500,000.00 per game (it's close to this amount), he will pay to the Oklahoma Tax Commission over $25,000.00, just for one nights work.

That's a hell of a deal for OKC.

Of course that is with the understanding that the tax bill is what is payed. People in that income bracket are quite adept at reducing their taxes lower than what a 50k a year wage earner pays. What does OKC realize from those players making it a hell of a deal? I thought cities only realize sales tax revenue.
If the State of Oklahoma is realizing all this income tax revenue than the State should be the entity funding the arena they get revenue from.