Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Arena)

[Pete]

PSM could be bought out early.

They are effectively paying zero rent.

[OKC B-Man]

Regarding the construction timeline I don’t think folks grasp the amount of utility line and other relocations that will be required simply to clear the Myriad/Prairie Surf site before a new building can come out of the ground. For instance, Paycom gets its heating and cooling through the Prairie Surf basement parking garage. It will be a lengthy process. Paycom needs to continue to have HVAC during what will likely be a couple of years of arena construction. And they can’t start until PSM vacates. Demo and relocations by themselves will likely take a year.

That's pretty crazy. I had no idea the Myriad supplied the heating/cooling for the Paycom. I bet that saved a substantial amount of $$ back when Paycom was built, but I'd be surprised if those savings come anywhere close to covering what it will cost to separate the two in order to allow Paycom to continue operating while Myriad is torn down. That will be a massive undertaking on its own. Assuming the Paycom heating/cooling system is hydronic, keeping those systems going will require bringing in temporary chillers, cooling towers, boilers, pumps, etc.. All that equipment draws a substantial amount of power, which makes me wonder if the current electrical service to Paycom could handle that much additional load. Not to mention where they would be able to place that equipment temporarily. The list goes on and on... I'd be curious to hear the details on what all they will have to do to make that work.

[Pete]

I can almost guarantee you all this has long been decided and they have been working on these bigger issues for a while.

You can't actually start demo until Prairie Surf is out, but that could happen before their lease ends in Jan 2026 (and I TOLD you leasing to them was a bad idea!!) and they can certainly do all the engineering and planning in the meantime, then hit things hard.

[BoulderSooner]

That's pretty crazy. I had no idea the Myriad supplied the heating/cooling for the Paycom.

IIRC it is not "from" the Myriad" but it transits through the basement parking garage ..

[gopokes88]

The Goodwill property is far more complex and I've explained it in great detail and have even written articles about it.

Abridged version: Mazaheri sued the City over property they took from him via eminent domain that was in the middle of what is now Scissortail Park. For damages, he asked to gain control of the Goodwill property at an agreed-upon price and the City made him sign a contract that included fines for not hitting certain milestones. He's already missed a couple and is certain to miss more and the City Council will soon decide how to proceed including whether the fines will be enforced. The City was more or less forced into this situation and now is dealing with a very litigious lawyer and his entire law firm and of course Mazaheri is going to make the case that the pandemic is the primary reason for the delays. If they tried to levy fines, you can bet it would cost them a lot of money in legal fees because Mazaheri would likely fight them in court.

Even though the City Council may need to vote, they rely almost exclusively on the City Attorney office, and they handled the eminent domain, negotiated the settlement with Mazaheri, wrote the contracts regarding Goodwill, and then pretty much tell the Council what should be done. If there are issues, the focus should be on Kenny Jordan and his staff.

I will also say I completely reject this broad characterization that local developers don't deliver (either by changed scope or delays) and the City is somehow inept on this front. This is in no way unique to OKC and I've made this point over and over again.


I understand the frustration, but before people vent they need to educate themselves via the ample information that has been provided.

You get 1 shot with development, its ok if it's thought through and very meticulous

[Dob Hooligan]

IIRC it is not "from" the Myriad" but it transits through the basement parking garage ..

I agree. I think the (used to be Trigen) heater/chiller system that is based at EK Gaylord & Sheridan is the source of the hot and cold water pipes that operate many buildings and towers downtown. Guessing they "Teed" off of the Myriad system when they built Paycom? now I wonder if that is what heats and cools the Convention Center and Omni?

[HOT ROD]

I think Omni and the CC have their own HVAC, Omni definitely has units on the roof. ...

I also think BOK has its own HVAC too, covered by the false top floors.

[Swake]

I can almost guarantee you all this has long been decided and they have been working on these bigger issues for a while.

You can't actually start demo until Prairie Surf is out, but that could happen before their lease ends in Jan 2026 (and I TOLD you leasing to them was a bad idea!!) and they can certainly do all the engineering and planning in the meantime, then hit things hard.

If Prairie Surf isn't really paying much/anything and the city can't easily and quickly cancel the lease if needed someone at the city should be fired.

[Pete]

If Prairie Surf isn't really paying much/anything and the city can't easily and quickly cancel the lease if needed someone at the city should be fired.

I said at the time this deal was done it was a bad idea.

I suspect the City will end up paying *them* to leave.

[catcherinthewry]

I said at the time this deal was done it was a bad idea.

I suspect the City will end up paying *them* to leave.

PS should be a good corporate citizen and show their appreciation for all OKC has done for them by vacating their lease early if asked to do so. Not doing so would be a bad look for them.

[Ginkasa]

PS should be a good corporate citizen and show their appreciation for all OKC has done for them by vacating their lease early if asked to do so. Not doing so would be a bad look for them.

Pretty sure they've already hit the "bad look" benchmark with the Tulsa King debacle.

[chssooner]

PS should be a good corporate citizen and show their appreciation for all OKC has done for them by vacating their lease early if asked to do so. Not doing so would be a bad look for them.

Why would they if they don't have a place to go? You don't give up cheap rent for nothing.

[caaokc]

Pretty sure they've already hit the "bad look" benchmark with the Tulsa King debacle.

But they told us it was a good thing! lol

[Just the facts]

Tulsa King is its own debacle.

[Pete]

Tulsa King is its own debacle.

One of the highest-rated streaming series and was renewed within weeks of launching the first season, something that is almost unheard of.

The show is a huge success by any measure.

[OkieinGeorgia]

Tulsa King is its own debacle.

I'm starting to wonder if there is ANYTHING you actually like. lol. You are quite the prolific hater.

[Lafferty Daniel]

I'm starting to wonder if there is ANYTHING you actually like. lol. You are quite the prolific hater.

He enjoys yelling at kids to get off his lawn and also enjoys shaking his fist angrily at clouds in the sky.

[PoliSciGuy]

The show was a success for sure, but the Oklahoma City production team was anything but. There's a reason season 2 won't be shot here in OKC: https://thelostogle.com/2023/02/22/t...tched-oklahoma

[Just the facts]

I'm not the one hating on Oklahoma or PSM. Tulsa King has internal problems that having nothing to do with PSM and Season 2 might never be made. Paramount+ is losing dollars.

[Pete]

I'm not the one hating on Oklahoma or PSM. Tulsa King has internal problems that having nothing to do with PSM and Season 2 might never be made. Paramount+ is losing dollars.

So they are going to stop production on their most lucrative new show?

ALL television production is halted right now due to the writer's strike.


95% of what you post has no basis in reality.

[Ginkasa]

(to clarify the debacle I was referring to was us losing season 2)

[Just the facts]

So they are going to stop production on their most lucrative new show?

ALL television production is halted right now due to the writer's strike.


95% of what you post has no basis in reality.

Production is stopped, and it was stopped long before the Writer's Strike.

[Pete]

Production is stopped, and it was stopped long before the Writer's Strike.

It was on hiatus!!! EVERY single series since the dawn of time goes on hiatus between seasons.

Good grief. I don't like to get personal with people but I simply can't believe half the things you post.

[Just the facts]

I guess we will know for sure once the writer's strike is over.

[TheTravellers]

It was on hiatus!!! EVERY single series since the dawn of time goes on hiatus between seasons.

Good grief. I don't like to get personal with people but I simply can't believe half the things you post.

TBF, the showrunner stepped down due to creative differences and I don't think they've found a new one yet.