New Downtown Arena

[soonerguru]

I get that these basketball-specific arenas are more in line with what we want, but my question is, how does this work for other uses, i.e. concerts? That is part of the package they are selling. By the way, I'm already a supporter of OKC getting a new arena, so not a detractor, just curious.

[Laramie]

I've always liked Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, built in 2017, and feel like something similar would fit in well on the Cox site




Imagine this all in blue/orange

Love this arena's adjustable layout, and the 'blue and orange' imagery--my imagination is there, you knocked this out-of-the park. Thanks for sharing BG918.

[PhiAlpha]

Agree, looking more at the sight lines, closeness to the court and concession options. Also the fact that OKC will have the NBA's first 'basketball specific arena.'

Who said that OKC will have the “NBA’s first basketball specific arena”? We have one of the last two arenas that were built without a pro tenant in any sport…it would be hard to believe that none of the other 27 arenas weren’t built specifically for basketball…especially when several only have NBA tenants.

[Laramie]

Who said that OKC will have the “NBA’s first basketball specific arena”? We have one of the last two arenas that were built without a pro tenant in any sport…it would be hard to believe that none of the other 27 arenas weren’t built specifically for basketball…especially when several only have NBA tenants.

IDK of any NBA arena that can't be used for Ice hockey--despite having only NBA tenants, if you can tell me which ones. . . I need to know.

Mayor Holt said that the new arena would be 'unlike Paycom Center', took that to mean can't be used of NHL regulation hockey.

Little Caesar's in Detroit seems to have the flexibility to appear more 'basketball specific.' Most important of all, this arena will keep the Thunder in OKC for a least for at least the next 20 years.

[gopokes88]

I imagine the blueprint is closer to what the Clippers are doing https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...attle-la-hoops

[BoulderSooner]

Agree, looking more at the sight lines, closeness to the court and concession options. Also the fact that OKC will have the NBA's first 'basketball specific arena.'

lol no okc will not have the first "basketball specific" arena ... ... lots of arenas have been built with basketball first in mind ..


but just like all of those it will not be at the expense of hosting all of the other events that come to a major arena ..

this will still be a multi purpose arena .. period .

[BoulderSooner]

Mayor Holt said that the new arena would be 'unlike Paycom Center', took that to mean can't be used of NHL regulation hockey.

you took it wrong

[SEMIweather]

you took it wrong

Not that it matters because the NHL is not expanding past 32 teams anytime soon and I would bet that Houston, Atlanta, Kansas City, and Quebec City are all ahead of OKC in terms of relocation priority, but it very well might not be a suitable arena for hockey if it's built specifically with basketball sightlines in mind. That's why the Islanders moved out of the Barclays Center almost as soon as they moved in, and also a large part of the reason why the Coyotes are currently playing in ASU's 5,000 seat arena rather than the Footprint Center.

[Urbanized]

Who's to know what opportunities will arise in the next 25 or 30 years, which is what they are obviously planning for, in expectation of perhaps a 25 year lease from the Thunder. What I mean is that stranger things can happen (and have...think of how OKC got the Hornets, which led to getting the Thunder) when it comes to the possibility of OKC getting an NHL team. Who knows what this city OR the NHL will look like in 15-20 years.

Not that I'm particularly anxious to get the NHL (I think the city should have more population and wealth before adding another major league team). But I will bet everything I own that this building will be designed and built with THE ABILITY to host a major league hockey franchise, should the opportunity arise and make sense.

"Basketball-specific," as the mayor clearly intended it, means only that it will be designed first and foremost to maximize the basketball experience for fans and for the team. It won't preclude or compromise other uses.

[BoulderSooner]

Who's to know what opportunities will arise in the next 25 or 30 years, which is what they are obviously planning for, in expectation of perhaps a 25 year lease from the Thunder. What I mean is that stranger things can happen (and have...think of how OKC got the Hornets, which led to getting the Thunder) when it comes to the possibility of OKC getting an NHL team. Who knows what this city OR the NHL will look like in 15-20 years.

Not that I'm particularly anxious to get the NHL (I think the city should have more population and wealth before adding another major league team). But I will bet everything I own that this building will be designed and built with THE ABILITY to host a major league hockey franchise, should the opportunity arise and make sense.

"Basketball-specific," as the mayor clearly intended it, means only that it will be designed first and foremost to maximize the basketball experience for fans and for the team. It won't preclude or compromise other uses.

all of this

[caaokc]

Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse was designed primarily for basketball as well.

[Laramie]

Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse was designed primarily for basketball as well.

My Badd, so true, I missed that one . . . An ice hockey game will never be played there.

Construction cost: US ($183 million) (US $321 million in 2022 dollars - opened in 1999.

We're going to have one 'hell of an arena' at 1 billion dollars.

[BoulderSooner]

My Badd, so true, I missed that one . . . An ice hockey game will never be played there.

Construction cost: US$183 million) (US$321 million in 2022 dollars

We're going to have one 'hell of an arena' at 1 billion dollars.

it was built with the ability to have a FULL sized NHL ice rink ..

[Laramie]

it was built with the ability to have a FULL sized NHL ice rink ..

"As such, unlike most other North American sports arenas, it was designed primarily for basketball. The arena can accommodate an NHL-sized rink, but the ice hockey seating capacity is reduced to 12,300 in an asymmetrical configuration."

Learning something new daily--by the hours.

[chestercheetah]

I just saw this on YouTube. Nothing really new but still kinda interesting to see what people outside OKC are talking about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uezIsYZUxS4

[PhiAlpha]

I just saw this on YouTube. Nothing really new but still kinda interesting to see what people outside OKC are talking about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uezIsYZUxS4

Man something about that dudes voice or accent or something is really annoying lol

[Shortsyeararound]

Man something about that dudes voice or accent or something is really annoying lol

I lasted 2 min and couldn’t take it anymore

[Plutonic Panda]

Man something about that dudes voice or accent or something is really annoying lol

Or what about the kind of people that make YouTube videos and always in their sentence like they’re asking a question? I cannot stand that crap.

[Snowman]

Who said that OKC will have the “NBA’s first basketball specific arena”? We have one of the last two arenas that were built without a pro tenant in any sport…it would be hard to believe that none of the other 27 arenas weren’t built specifically for basketball…especially when several only have NBA tenants.

It would not even be the first in the Thunder/SuperSonics franchise, plus having a max basketball court footprint had issues for Seattle before and after the move

[caaokc]

I've always liked Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, built in 2017, and feel like something similar would fit in well on the Cox site




Imagine this all in blue/orange

I went a few years ago for a Red Wings game. It’s an excellent building, if this one comes close to it I’d be thrilled.

[ABCOKC]

Just a note: OKC is currently the 46th-largest TV market per Nielsen. The smallest market with both an NHL team and an NBA team is #18 Miami. There's a reason most of the cities from #20-50 -- St. Louis, Indianapolis, Charlotte, SLC, Portland, OKC, etc. -- have one but not the other. It takes a huge amount of people to support two simultaneous major league seasons, since you now have 82 home games across the two leagues instead of 41 (not to mention merch sales, etc.).

[chrisTOEpher]

I like the user of brick in the Little Ceasars arena. I agree that continuing that would be a nice fit in OKC with Bricktown so close. That design is a little more timeless and stands up to changes in designs. I mean the Paycom was designed in the early-mid 90s but it's been flexible enough to make changes without looking like Baptist Hospital with style changes that can come over the years.

There are some really cool facilities out there like in Atlanta or even the BOK center. But flexibility is not their strong point. If you need to add on to those organic shapes, it's going to look only like a weird add-on that doesn't seamlessly meld.

I expect to see more boxes/louge, etc in the new arena, upping that higher end ticket experience. And changing how those multiple decks are lined out (size, placement etc)

[SEMIweather]

Just a note: OKC is currently the 46th-largest TV market per Nielsen. The smallest market with both an NHL team and an NBA team is #18 Miami. There's a reason most of the cities from #20-50 -- St. Louis, Indianapolis, Charlotte, SLC, Portland, OKC, etc. -- have one but not the other. It takes a huge amount of people to support two simultaneous major league seasons, since you now have 82 home games across the two leagues instead of 41 (not to mention merch sales, etc.).

This is a really good point, thanks for posting.

[PhiAlpha]

Just a note: OKC is currently the 46th-largest TV market per Nielsen. The smallest market with both an NHL team and an NBA team is #18 Miami. There's a reason most of the cities from #20-50 -- St. Louis, Indianapolis, Charlotte, SLC, Portland, OKC, etc. -- have one but not the other. It takes a huge amount of people to support two simultaneous major league seasons, since you now have 82 home games across the two leagues instead of 41 (not to mention merch sales, etc.).

It’s especially difficult to support two major league teams with overlapping seasons. I think the NBA eliminated us from NHL candidacy for a long time…probably forever but you never know. Tulsa might have a shot but why would you put it there over any number of other larger cities (unless someone bought a team and moved it of course).

[gopokes88]

I don't think we ever get the NHL just like Nashville probably never gets the NBA.

I'd rather have the NBA anyway.