University Town Center

[BG918]

that just isn't the trend for new stadiums. Baylors new one is just 7,500. texas, just over 10k. Alabama's proposed new one (if it happens) will be 10k. smaller is where all seems to be going. i'm more okay with an 8k new arena than still playing in LNC for another 15 years. and those are the only two options on the table.

I'm okay with an 8k new arena only if it's built on-campus. I'd rather stay at LNC longer until they have the funds to build it next to the new football operations center at Brooks & Jenkins.

[jedicurt]

I'm okay with an 8k new arena only if it's built on-campus. I'd rather stay at LNC longer until they have the funds to build it next to the new football operations center at Brooks & Jenkins.

that isn't going to happen. it's literally not even an option that has ever been presented. apparently the University doesn't find it as an option. so you can want that all you want, but it's just not going to happen.

[BoulderSooner]

How many seats will be outside of the luxury boxes? Or are all 8k not in luxury boxes?
CM Holman indicated this going to a vote of the people before the council votes on it. If that is the case the stake holders have some work to do.

there is no public vote required for this project ..

[FighttheGoodFight]

If it is just a new TIF district then it is just a council vote.

[Jersey Boss]

there is no public vote required for this project ..

True. However a vote is not prohibited either. CM Holman has already voiced putting this to a vote prior to Council acting.

The prior deal faced public oposition to the extent the idea was shelved. The citizens here are not oppossed to recall actions on hot button issues. Council would be wise to guage public opinion.

[BoulderSooner]

True. However a vote is not prohibited either. CM Holman has already voiced putting this to a vote prior to Council acting.

The prior deal faced public oposition to the extent the idea was shelved. The citizens here are not oppossed to recall actions on hot button issues. Council would be wise to guage public opinion.

good for him .... who cares ... the the majority of the current council has no plans to put this to a public Vote ..

the prior deal didn't have council support before hand ... this deal was made hand in hand with the city and county ... and OU the entire way ..

[Jersey Boss]

good for him .... who cares ... the the majority of the current council has no plans to put this to a public Vote ..

the prior deal didn't have council support before hand ... this deal was made hand in hand with the city and county ... and OU the entire way ..

You have a source as to your knowledge of the CC? I see 3 yes votes as of now. Ball, Heikkiela, and Peacock.
The public sentiment on TIF funding is quite diffetent in Norman compared to OKC. Check out the history on the UNP TIF and public sentiment and the demands to end it.
This will be an issue for the voters in even number wards come Feb

[SEMIweather]

11,092 at the LNC tonight. About as packed as I've ever seen it for a 6:00 p.m. weeknight tip.

[Jersey Boss]

As one of the 11k there all I can say is "imagine that". No restaurants or bars to walk to and an aging facility. A winning program is what fills the seats not an entertainment district.

[SEMIweather]

As one of the 11k there all I can say is "imagine that". No restaurants or bars to walk to and an aging facility. A winning program is what fills the seats not an entertainment district.

Agree wholeheartedly. Also, the student section was jam-packed and loud tonight. That being said, while I accept that I may be fighting a losing battle trying to convince people that it's shortsighted to build a new arena 5 miles northwest of campus, what I can't abide by is the possibility that they're actually going to build a new arena with only an 8k capacity. Anything less than 10k is going to be woefully insufficient. Especially given that the layout of a new arena will be such that crowds of 5k to 7k for non-conference games and/or losing seasons won't look arrestingly empty on TV like they do at the LNC.

[bison34]

Baylor is 10x the basketball program OU is, and they are building a 7k arena. You guys are letting the exceptions try to prove a rule that OU needs 10k+...

[BoulderSooner]

Baylor is 10x the basketball program OU is, and they are building a 7k arena. You guys are letting the exceptions try to prove a rule that OU needs 10k+...

LOLOLOLOLOL NO they are not ..


but OU should build around a 9500-10k seat arena ... (and they would if there were the funded to do so ) .... the arena capacity is directly related to the money available

[_Cramer_]

My wish is for it to be built on campus near Brooks and Jenkins (red square in photo). I would estimate 7,500-8,500 seats. This would require the loss of parking and extra need in order to make up for football and basketball game days. In order to make up for this, I recommend two garages (white boxes) on Brooks and one on Trout. I recommend four stories for both with base level to include retail/commercial space.

With the move to central campus, I don't think you need as many parking spaces because students won't need spaces. I believe an estimate of 3,250 spaces (1,000 and 2,250) between the two garages. Parking can be a part of season ticket packages for football and basketball to increase revenue and pay for the garages. That pre-fab cast concrete is going to be expensive!

Total project cost estimate: $335 mill

Norman Arena and Garages.jpg

Am I off with my estimate? Don't you agree this could happen here? As a Norman native, I hate seeing the proposed move to University Town Center.

[BoulderSooner]

My wish is for it to be built on campus near Brooks and Jenkins (red square in photo). I would estimate 7,500-8,500 seats. This would require the loss of parking and extra need in order to make up for football and basketball game days. In order to make up for this, I recommend two garages (white boxes) on Brooks and one on Trout. I recommend four stories for both with base level to include retail/commercial space.

With the move to central campus, I don't think you need as many parking spaces because students won't need spaces. I believe an estimate of 3,250 spaces (1,000 and 2,250) between the two garages. Parking can be a part of season ticket packages for football and basketball to increase revenue and pay for the garages. That pre-fab cast concrete is going to be expensive!

Total project cost estimate: $335 mill

Norman Arena and Garages.jpg

Am I off with my estimate? Don't you agree this could happen here? As a Norman native, I hate seeing the proposed move to University Town Center.

all of what you proposed would be great .... and IDEAL ..(i would say 10k but that doesn't matter)

BUT that money doesn't exist ... and won't .... a new basketball arena is behind about 500 mil+ in other Athletic Dept construction ..

the choice is the UNP new arena (which OU doesn't have to pay for) or no new arena for another 20 years +

[bison34]

LOLOLOLOLOL NO they are not ..


but OU should build around a 9500-10k seat arena ... (and they would if there were the funded to do so ) .... the arena capacity is directly related to the money available

They have *checks notes* 100% more titles than OU does, has better results, especially in the last 10 years or so. If we want to talk about when these recruits and on-campus students weren't even a glimmer in their parents eyes, then sure, OU might be better. But recency bias says otherwise, which is what this arena needs to be based off. No reason for OU to have an arena near the size of Duke's. OU fills it up maybe 5 times a year (may sell out, but not all attend).

[Colbafone]

LOLOLOLOLOL NO they are not ..


but OU should build around a 9500-10k seat arena ... (and they would if there were the funded to do so ) .... the arena capacity is directly related to the money available

Baylor is UNDENIABLY a better basketball program than OU. Good talk. End of discussion.

[BoulderSooner]

Baylor is UNDENIABLY a better basketball program than OU. Good talk. End of discussion.

maybe if college basketball STARTED in 2010 .. .. and didn't start 100 years ago

[bison34]

maybe if college basketball STARTED in 2010 .. .. and didn't start 100 years ago

The thing is...no one cares about what happened 20 years ago. Hence why young people put Kobe or Lebron over MJ. So yeah, what have you done for me lately. And for OU, it has been exceedingly average. One good year, ending in getting beat by 140 by Villanova.

A smaller arena would be great for OU, and would be more likely to be filled.

[BG918]

My wish is for it to be built on campus near Brooks and Jenkins (red square in photo). I would estimate 7,500-8,500 seats. This would require the loss of parking and extra need in order to make up for football and basketball game days. In order to make up for this, I recommend two garages (white boxes) on Brooks and one on Trout. I recommend four stories for both with base level to include retail/commercial space.

With the move to central campus, I don't think you need as many parking spaces because students won't need spaces. I believe an estimate of 3,250 spaces (1,000 and 2,250) between the two garages. Parking can be a part of season ticket packages for football and basketball to increase revenue and pay for the garages. That pre-fab cast concrete is going to be expensive!

Total project cost estimate: $335 mill

Norman Arena and Garages.jpg

Am I off with my estimate? Don't you agree this could happen here? As a Norman native, I hate seeing the proposed move to University Town Center.

Those that have been around here awhile know how I feel about this

The SE corner of Brooks & Jenkins could also work, especially if planned as part of an extension for the football operations center proposed directly east of the stadium. The footprint would actually be fairly small but would need to incorporate new training and practice facilities (another reason to combine or be adjacent to the FOC). Either site would be 1000% better than UNP. If it means waiting another 20 years to get it built that is what OU needs to do

[FighttheGoodFight]

Again, we all would like the arena to be on campus. The reality is Lloyd Noble in the current state or the UNP new arena. OU isn't going to invest in a new on campus basketball arena anytime soon.

[jedicurt]

Again, we all would like the arena to be on campus. The reality is Lloyd Noble in the current state or the UNP new arena. OU isn't going to invest in a new on campus basketball arena anytime soon.

exactly. i don't know why people keep trying to think there are multiple options. we have two options... new arena in UNP or no new arena for 20 more years. those are the only two options unless you happen to be sitting on a few hundred million that you are willing to donate for a different proposal.

[SEMIweather]

Some of us are fine with waiting for 20 years…especially if the new arena is going to be underbuilt by 2,000 seats. If it’s going to be built so far away from campus, the least the stakeholders can do is actually build it properly rather than cheaping out. But that would be par for the course with OU basketball…it’s the same thought process that has led to the LNC having pretty much zero updates since it opened in 1975.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Some of us are fine with waiting for 20 years…especially if the new arena is going to be underbuilt by 2,000 seats. If it’s going to be built so far away from campus, the least the stakeholders can do is actually build it properly rather than cheaping out. But that would be par for the course with OU basketball…it’s the same thought process that has led to the LNC having pretty much zero updates since it opened in 1975.

Very well might happen. If the people of Norman tell their council member to vote no then it won't happen. The Mayor sure wants it to happen so I guess we see how it goes. Not sure when the final vote is going to happen.

[jedicurt]

Some of us are fine with waiting for 20 years…especially if the new arena is going to be underbuilt by 2,000 seats. If it’s going to be built so far away from campus, the least the stakeholders can do is actually build it properly rather than cheaping out. But that would be par for the course with OU basketball…it’s the same thought process that has led to the LNC having pretty much zero updates since it opened in 1975.

okay. and some of us aren't... that arena is literally falling apart and probably won't make it another 20 years. i don't want to become the laughing stock of D1 basketball because we are playing in a place that is falling apart just because some people think the arena size needs to be set for the numbers that are only met like 6 time a year.

[BoulderSooner]

Some of us are fine with waiting for 20 years…especially if the new arena is going to be underbuilt by 2,000 seats. If it’s going to be built so far away from campus, the least the stakeholders can do is actually build it properly rather than cheaping out. But that would be par for the course with OU basketball…it’s the same thought process that has led to the LNC having pretty much zero updates since it opened in 1975.

again where would that money come from ... right now we are 20 year from when a massive renovation of the LNC was first discussed .. it was going to be 75 mil back then ... now we are up to 200 mil ...

there is no promise of money for an on campus arena being here in 20 years .. OU would rather the UNP arena be 9500+ seats .. but the current proposed seating is directly tied to how much money is available ..