Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Arena)

[jn1780]

Good question. That sign was awesome. Of course, we didn't get the green glass either...

Yeah, I just don't understand why this sign will be a completely different color and design from all the other signs on the Arena.

[SoonerBoy18]

Ugh! By looking at old renderings from years back, this arena has had HIGH Potential, but today as the new entrance is complete I'm like...........

[dankrutka]

How long will it be before that entrance is really even used? By that point we'll probably be discussing a new arena anyway...

[OKCisOK4me]

Ugh! By looking at old renderings from years back, this arena has had HIGH Potential, but today as the new entrance is complete I'm like...........

Yeah, renderings always look more cool If someone did a daytime rendering of Downtown OKC, I bet it'd be sweet looking, but we all know it looks way better at night.

[betts]

How long will it be before that entrance is really even used? By that point we'll probably be discussing a new arena anyway...

Which might explain why no one pushed too hard for the substation site for the CC, despite it being a more logical location and a less costly building site, requiring no underground loading docks.

[OKCNDN]

How long will it be before that entrance is really even used? By that point we'll probably be discussing a new arena anyway...

A new arena? OKC is still using the old Myriad 40 years later and there is no serious talk about tearing it down.

[Larry OKC]

A new arena? OKC is still using the old Myriad 40 years later and there is no serious talk about tearing it down.

The Thunder owners may want a new Arena when this one becomes cost prohibitive to improve. Remember that the Ford was only 5 years old before Mayor Cornett started talking about replacing it with a new arena. Granted with the improvements, he has said it is like a brand new building and he thinks it should last for 15 years or so. But Stern said the lifespan of an arena is only about 10 years. The Thunder owners have been vague on the issue (meeting their needs for the foreseeable future), with no year-range. But when a new arena is required is largely up to the Team (it is in the lease agreement that they get to decide and the City has to make whatever improvements etc the Team deems necessary, no matter what the cost or the ability to pay for it. All of that said, that doesn't mean that the Peake will be torn down if a new arena is secured (but it might mean the demise of the Cox). That way we could still have 2 arenas side-by-side for things like the Big 12 etc., utilizing the Peake for decades to come (much like the Cox has).

[dankrutka]

A new arena? OKC is still using the old Myriad 40 years later and there is no serious talk about tearing it down.

First, having minor league sports isn't the same as having a major sports team... Second, there is serious talk of tearing down the Myriad. It'll probably be gone within 10 years IMHO.

[jedicurt]

First, having minor league sports isn't the same as having a major sports team... Second, there is serious talk of tearing down the Myriad. It'll probably be gone within 10 years IMHO.

exactly... which is why i just hope something is done at the fairgrounds for a Cox Center sized arena (either improve the one that's there or build new) for the minor league sports, before the Cox Center is demo'd, possibly for a new NBA arena

[OKCisOK4me]

If and when they demo the Cox Convention Center, my hope is that that space will be restored to the original four blocks. If a new arena is built in 20 years, hopefully the cottonseed co-op is gone and they'll build a new arena there.

[BDP]

exactly... which is why i just hope something is done at the fairgrounds for a Cox Center sized arena (either improve the one that's there or build new) for the minor league sports, before the Cox Center is demo'd, possibly for a new NBA arena

The current state fair arena holds 11k. Not sure what it can be configured for, but that should be enough for any minor league team.

[BDP]

If and when they demo the Cox Convention Center, my hope is that that space will be restored to the original four blocks. If a new arena is built in 20 years, hopefully the cottonseed co-op is gone and they'll build a new arena there.

These are good ideas. The cotton seed location could be integrated into bricktown and maybe give lower bricktown another shot (or maybe we could tear down lower bricktown and give Hogan the cottonseed land for his parking lot )? Of course, I believe the boulevard will divide the two, and I don't think we know for sure exactly how much of a barrier that's going to create.

[Dubya61]

The current state fair arena holds 11k. Not sure what it can be configured for, but that should be enough for any minor league team.

The arena itself, though, needs some serious updates. I'll bet the city would get more bang for its buck by demo-ing it and building a better one. I fully agree with JediCurt. I love hockey in OKC, but looking at the Cox/Myriad and thinking of what a waste of good CBD real estate that is, I think it's time to embrace the suck of the Cox/Myriad going away, set up the State Fairgrounds Arena for greater success and move the Barons there. Make sure it can accomodate a good concert, too, and maybe OKC wouldn't be whining so much about missing out on all the concerts that go to the BOk (even though I think that's just perception, not reality).

[OKCisOK4me]

These are good ideas. The cotton seed location could be integrated into bricktown and maybe give lower bricktown another shot (or maybe we could tear down lower bricktown and give Hogan the cottonseed land for his parking lot )? Of course, I believe the boulevard will divide the two, and I don't think we know for sure exactly how much of a barrier that's going to create.

I think we should start a Mystery Arena thread, lol.

[OKCNDN]

First, having minor league sports isn't the same as having a major sports team... Second, there is serious talk of tearing down the Myriad. It'll probably be gone within 10 years IMHO.

hehe...gone within ten years. Yeah that's real serious talk there.

(sadly, for OKC, that really is a serious timeframe)

[Larry OKC]

hehe...gone within ten years. Yeah that's real serious talk there.

(sadly, for OKC, that really is a serious timeframe)

They won't even consider tearing down the Cox until the new Convention Center is up and running (current timeline has it opening in late 2018) and it was further out from that under the original MAPS 3 plan of the Mayor. Depending on how the new C.C. works out, they may need to keep the Cox around for a few years until they can get the C.C. Phase 2 expansion done. 10 years sounds about right.

[OKCisOK4me]

What's the latest on collections for the various projects? Up 2.8% on average or are they higher than that? Just making sure that MAPS IV won't be Phase II oriented...

[Larry OKC]

The tax is not being collected for individual projects but is pooled and dispersed towards the various phases of the projects as it comes in. But everything I have read on it says the tax is exceeding the $100 million/yr avg. That is very good news this early in the tax as the $100M/yr is the average over the 7.75 year collection span. Would think that it would generally be higher towards the end of the time than the beginning. The same problem we always have is cost projections sorely missed the mark on Sidewalks, Trails and Senior Centers. Land cost alone is currently blowing the budget for the Transit Hub location. It is fairly widely held that the land cost for the Convention Center is going to be problematic too (in addition to construction/material costs etc).

[warreng88]

I am curious if the reason for moving the convention center up to the beginning of the timeline instead of the end is because of 1) the cost of construction now is lower than if could be in the future when the economy gets better and 2) it is one of the few projects that actually makes money directly for the city (state fairgrounds improvements being the other). That way, towards the end of the tax collection there might be more money coming in due to these projects be completed and bringing in more tax dollars.

[betts]

I think it's waaaaay too soon to say the land cost for the hub location is "blowing the budget". I suspect the real value of the Santa Fe station is closer to what the city offered than what the Brewers asked.

[Bellaboo]

Why would you even say that? Are you just being dramatic or is there something you know that the judge, courts, Brewers, and the City doesn't know?

Because he's just 'blowing', he doesn't really know...LOL

[Larry OKC]

I think it's waaaaay too soon to say the land cost for the hub location is "blowing the budget". I suspect the real value of the Santa Fe station is closer to what the city offered than what the Brewers asked.

Why would you even say that? Are you just being dramatic or is there something you know that the judge, courts, Brewers, and the City doesn't know?

Sorry if it wasn't clear, but I did say currently it is a budget buster. It is yet to be settled. Just as the price for the Convention Center hasn't happened yet. But I think even Betts is of the opinion that the land cost for it is going to exceed their budget too. Presuming they meet somewhere in the middle of what the City wants to pay and what they are asking, you are still at the $10 million mark without making any of the improvements needed. Right??? Now if it comes in at the City's price, you may be ok (but the projections for the eventual completed Hub has already exceeded $128 million....not the $10 million earmarked)

[Larry OKC]

I am curious if the reason for moving the convention center up to the beginning of the timeline instead of the end is because of 1) the cost of construction now is lower than if could be in the future when the economy gets better and 2) it is one of the few projects that actually makes money directly for the city (state fairgrounds improvements being the other). That way, towards the end of the tax collection there might be more money coming in due to these projects be completed and bringing in more tax dollars.

That was part of the rationale. As the most expensive project in MAPS 3 (and more than all of the original MAPS projects combined), they didn't want to run out of money at the end (similar situation with the Arena if I recall correctly and we ended up with the 6 month MAPS extension, "FInish MAPS Right"). While the COnvention Center is revenue producing, even with the advanced timeline, it isn't scheduled to be completed until AFTER the end of the MAPS 3 tax collection. So, not one penny of increased revenue for projects at the end (only the inflationary amounts built into the timeline, the same inflationary amount that would have gone to the C.C. if it had been built last).

[UnFrSaKn]

Arenas: The Experience Elsewhere - Broad vision led to a series of projects in Oklahoma City

[Larry OKC]

Arenas: The Experience Elsewhere - Broad vision led to a series of projects in Oklahoma City

I know I read about a possible NFL stadium at some point in the distant past, but did it ever get to the point of reaching the ballot box as this article mentions? A quick Google search only brings up the above article???

A year before he took office, civic leaders tried to persuade voters to approve funding for a domed football stadium at the city's State Fair Park to possibly attract an NFL team. Veteran civic booster Lee Allan Smith, who helped coordinate the 1986 domed stadium campaign, said the failed effort...