Ford Center renovations update

[Stinger]

The Ford Center is going to look nice after its done, I think its going to look a lot better then the Sprint Center in Kansas City and the BOK Center in Tulsa.

I was at the BOK last weekend. It's already starting to discolor at the seams. I'm afraid it's going to rust soon.

[jbrown84]

We already have the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.

[Richard at Remax]

Not to mention the AT&T Center in San Antonio

[Thunder]

I doubt it will be changed. It should remain the Ford Center. The name has already burned into this building.

[bluedogok]

It will remain the Ford Center as long as the Oklahoma Ford Dealers Association keeps paying what their contract states. Whenever that contract is up, it may change.

[fromdust]

c'mon bdp is joking with the at&t name.
see the more bars?

[sgt. pepper]

maybe it will be renamed to Government Motors center.

[kevinpate]

More so than any other local structure, the new entry would fit well with the current ATT marketing. I rather suspect though that if the name leaves Ford, we'll see an energy company name in its place. Nothing agaisnt them, but I wouldn't want it to be Sandridge, cause who wants their team playing in the sandbox.

[Thunder]

Devon's Thunderdome

[Mr Big]

Any chance we can convince them to put in bigger seats? They are so small and tight together my shoulders are often in the ears of people next me. I find myself having to lean forward on my already crushed knees in order to keep out of my neighbors space. Despite, having season tickets, I skipped many games because I didn't feel like dealing with the impending back pain at the end of the night.

[metro]

We already have the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.

That doesn't mean anything, there is Ford Field in Detroit. Most major sponsors sponsor several arenas/venues across the country. There are two American Airlines Centers (Miami, Dallas). Sponsorship money is sponsorship money.

[metro]

I doubt it will be changed. It should remain the Ford Center. The name has already burned into this building.

Doesn't matter, Ford only purchased NAMING RIGHTS. There is a clause specifically that states if the Ford Center upgrades and gets a major league tenant, the naming rights would go up for bid again. Look for that to happen probably next year when the improvements are finished. Basically they were paying for naming rights on a minor league $89 million arena. They didn't pay the naming rights on a $200 major league arena.

[Pete]

If I'm not mistaken, it's the Thunder that now controls the naming rights and royalties for the arena.

I'm sure they'll be looking for more money once the existing contract expires... They may even be working to buy the Ford dealers out.

[metro]

I don't think they have to wait for expiration. If memory serves right, I believe Pete is right in that the major league tenant gets rights to naming once major league improvements have been made or Ford dealers contract expires. I'm pretty sure the contract is a long one, so they mentioned they'd be putting it up for bid after renovations. They won't have to buy the Ford dealers out as much as it would be letting them out of their naming lease early.

[BDP]

That's right. And if the team does terminate the agreement with the Ford Dealers, the city would still get the money equal to the terms of that agreement and the team would get the net of the new agreement minus the old.

c'mon bdp is joking with the at&t name.

Finally, someone who truly understand me. ; )

Then again, if I was shopping it, I would at least mention it to them.

Thing is, though, it may not actually be a good time to shop a sponsorship right now. I am sure the usual suspects may still have the cash for it, but I'm thinking it would be a lot less competitive market right now, as there probably isn't as much money budgeted towards this stuff this year.

[jbrown84]

That doesn't mean anything, there is Ford Field in Detroit. Most major sponsors sponsor several arenas/venues across the country. There are two American Airlines Centers (Miami, Dallas). Sponsorship money is sponsorship money.

Yeah, but Miami and Dallas are not 3 city blocks from each other...

[HOT ROD]

maybe it will be renamed to Government Motors center.

Vancouver already has Government ...., er uhh ..... General Motors covered. GM Place, aka "the garage."

[Oil Capital]

That's right. And if the team does terminate the agreement with the Ford Dealers, the city would still get the money equal to the terms of that agreement and the team would get the net of the new agreement minus the old.



Finally, someone who truly understand me. ; )

Then again, if I was shopping it, I would at least mention it to them.

Thing is, though, it may not actually be a good time to shop a sponsorship right now. I am sure the usual suspects may still have the cash for it, but I'm thinking it would be a lot less competitive market right now, as there probably isn't as much money budgeted towards this stuff this year.

Yeah, unfortunately, it's a horrible time to be shopping naming rights right now. The new Dallas Cowboys stadium, among other big-league venues are having a very tough time finding naming sponsors.

[metro]

Yeah, but Miami and Dallas are not 3 city blocks from each other...

yeah, and if anything AT&T would LOVE to have 2 branded venues so close. The power of branding! I'm sure they would do it too if the price was right!

[metro]

The Ford Center in for the long haul
Published: April 10, 2009
Modified: April 9, 2009 at 11:20 pm

If the Thunder is still in Oklahoma City in 2025, they will be playing in the Ford Center, according to Tom Anderson, Oklahoma City special projects manager.

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With state-of-the-art arenas being built around the country some fans have voiced concern that the Ford Center could become obsolete despite more than $100 million in renovations. Anderson said the six-year-old building will still rank with newer arenas 15 years from now.

"I can’t predict exactly how many years it will be functional but revenue streams like suites and loge boxes are the kind of things that make or break an arena,” Anderson said. "That’s what we’re adding. This building will be flexible to make incremental changes over time.”

Over the next five months construction crews will add 48 loge seating areas, club dining, restaurants, 11 high-dollar bunker suites and renovate locker rooms and the media center.

"This will put us very high competitively with other NBA arenas,” Anderson said. "As far as the life value of arenas it comes down to amenities and revenue streams. After these additions, structurally we’ll be able to tweak those things over time.”

By Mike Baldwin

[metro]

http://newsok.com/ford-center-gettin...ad_story_title

Ford Center getting a facelift
Renovations: New scoreboard, other changes coming to arena
BY MIKE BALDWIN
Published: April 10, 2009
Modified: April 10, 2009 at 4:47 am

The Thunder is closing down the Ford Center tonight.

After the final buzzer and after the players leave the court, the only people inside the Ford Center the next five months will be construction crews giving the six-year-old facility a significant facelift.

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The next time anyone watches the Thunder play a preseason game in October, capacity will be reduced by around 550 seats. Major additions will include:

→A new $5.5 million scoreboard with video wings on the top and bottom and high definition-like quality.

→Upgraded floors and wall finishes in Loud City.

→48 new box seating areas in the club area.

→A new locker room the length of the court that will include weight equipment, video equipment and player-friendly amenities.

"A more modern building will improve the fan experience,” said Brian Byrnes, Thunder vice president of ticket sales and services. "Thunder games will be more exciting because the focus is on fan amenities.”

Using nearly half of the $120 million generated from a 1-cent sales tax extension voters approved last year, the Ford Center will feature several major changes. Many of the new additions will generate additional revenue streams for the Thunder.

Construction bids will be accepted in early May and work will start after that. No concerts or sporting events will be held in the Ford Center until renovation concludes in late September.

The most significant addition is 48 loge boxes, four- and six-seat areas on both ends in the club sections.

"Loge seating is the new thing,” said Tim Linville, director of Ford Center marketing and sales. "They’ll have a table in the front and back and wide seats on swivel casters. It feels like a suite. You just don’t have a big walking area with all the furniture. It fills a niche between regular seats and a suite.”

Loge boxes include year-round entertainment. For the same price as an eighth row Thunder courtside level season ticket, loge boxes — at prices of $12,375 per seat (in six-seat boxes) or $14,045 per seat (in four-seats boxes) — include tickets to most major concerts, family shows and all Thunder games.

Because of the loge boxes, Ford Center capacity for NBA games will be reduced to around 18,600 compared to this season’s 19,136-seat configuration. The number of suites will be reduced from 55 to 36.

For the average fan, the most noticeable changes will be the new scoreboard, a new LED ribbon video board around the arena and upgrades entering Loud City.

The Thunder’s current locker room will be converted into a ground level club for specific sections in the lower bowl. The team’s new locker room on the south side will be expansive and grow even larger when the third and final phase is completed in the summer of 2010.

"Our entire organization is excited about the upcoming Ford Center renovations,” said Paul Rivers, Thunder director of basketball administration and technology. "We’ve enjoyed working with the city to create a locker room that best fits the needs of our players, staff, visiting teams and the media.”

Most of the new additions target high-dollar season-ticket holders, whether it’s wider seats in lower courtside sections or more club areas.

"Fans can stand, get a drink or get something to eat while they watch games or a concert,” Linville said. "Arenas keep coming up with new ways for teams to make money and create new ways for people to have a more enjoyable time if they have the money to spend.”

The most lavish addition is 11 bunker suites, many purchased by the Thunder organization’s founding partners. Bunker suites are private areas in the ground-level hallways. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban owns a $3 million bunker suite at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

"They won’t have a view of the floor but it’s a really nice room to meet before games and at halftime,” said Ford Center general manager Gary Desjardins.

Another feature is hydraulic systems being installed on the first few rows on both sides of the court and at both ends. Hydraulics will push seats below the floor, allowing Ford Center officials to easily reconfigure the arena from NBA games to Blazers hockey games and concerts.

This summer’s renovations are the second of three phases. Minor alterations were made before the Thunder’s inaugural season.

The final phase, in the summer of 2010, will use the remaining $54 million to add 300,000 square feet to the building. The biggest items next summer will be a new grand entrance on the southwest corner and even more space added to the Thunder’s locker room.

"After this phase, the Loud City fans will notice changes in addition to the new scoreboard and all the changes made at the club level,” Anderson said. "There’s only so much we accomplish this summer. It won’t be completely finished until the 2010-11 season.”

Ford Center changes

What’s coming for the 2009-10 season
→New $5.5 million scoreboard
→Electronic news gathering connections for TV and ESPN

→New LED video board ring around the arena

→Bunker suites (in the Ford Center hallways)

→Wider seats in lower courtside level sections

→New, much larger Thunder locker room

→48 loges (suite-like areas)

→New finishes on upper level concourse

→Remodeled suites (36 suites total, down from current 55)

→New control room on the top level for TV broadcasts and game presentation

→Renovated lobby

→New media room with cubicles, eliminating dark room

→Wider courtside seats on the first seven rows on each side

→New Thunder team store on the entry level

→Additional clubs for designated season ticket holders

→New NBA officials locker rooms

→IT control room

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[lamontesteve]

Does anyone have renderings of the new practice facility?

[metro]

I don't believe they've been released yet. They are currently at a temporary practice facility.

[warreng88]

Ok, someone make sure I am correct on this: 1) Bunker Suites are basically really nice meeting rooms built into the FC with no view of the court, but a lot of amenities and 2) Loge boxes are smaller suites. Is that about right?

[metro]

That's my understanding of it. Also my understanding is that Loge boxes are on the first level, slightly sunken or "depressed" with less amenities, similar to a baseball dugout.For a good example of both, go to the new Dallas Cowboys stadium website, they had some nice videos of Loge boxes and Bunker Suites. Often, Bunker Suites are in the hallways where the players come out, etc. so they can see the players behind the scenes.