New Downtown Arena

[LocoAko]

They are going to have to get moving. The stated goal is to be open by the end of the decade, so really only 5 years to pull all this together and get the doors open.

I'm 100% sure they have already had discussions about the site and probably have had Populus give them some basic design ideas.

My guess is they are looking at both the Cox site and the lot between the two parks. After getting burned on the convention center and having to start all over at square one, I'm sure there is a preferred site plus a contingency plan.

They are also going to have to start working on financing this whole project with money upfront because it will be open at least 5 years before all the sales tax is collected (2034).

I'm very curious to see the potential designs they come up with, but I really hope we don't end up with a massive super block between the two parks. It is unpleasant to walk between the two now, and I am very eager to see the land developed, but unless there would be a creative design aspect I feel like an arena would disrupt the continuity of the two even more than it is now. Seems better suited for a large (high-rise?) mixed use development instead...

[BoulderSooner]

Potential sites would include:

1. Cox Site (choice 1A demo and lease issues)
2. Strawberry Fields (messy land acquisition and far from existing restaurants and bars and CBD)
3. Rehco (site 1B easy demo .. not far from everything (would likely require a land swap) )
4. Producers Coop (cost and clean up issues)
5. Lower Parkside (not enough space)
6. Somewhere Riverside (to far from CBD)

for my money it is with
cox or REHCO that is it

[Pete]

I'm very curious to see the potential designs they come up with, but I really hope we don't end up with a massive super block between the two parks. It is unpleasant to walk between the two now, and I am very eager to see the land developed, but unless there would be a creative design aspect I feel like an arena would disrupt the continuity of the two even more than it is now. Seems better suited for a large (high-rise?) mixed use development instead...

If it does go on that parcel, you may remember that the preliminary designs for the convention center went to great lengths to preserve the "Harvey Spine". I'm not sure how important that is considering Devon is right in the middle and a good deal of the time you can't pass through the rotunda (on Harvey) anyway.

But I would hope they would find a way to link the two parks that did not involve an enclosed structure, as more often than not they are locked up.

Again, I'm more worried about leaving the Cox Center which would be a great travesty IMO. That place should have been torn down a long time ago and if not now, when?

[BoulderSooner]

Hey Pete,
Is the REHCO site still owned by Bob Howard and Fred Jones? And if so, is that Bob Howard the same Robert Howard II that is one of the owners of Professional Basketball Club, LLC (Thunder owners)? It seems if that was the case, then that would likely make the REHCO site perhaps less complicated to negotiate this time. Or maybe not, just an interesting wrinkle if so.

yes Robert Howard thunder part owner owns that site ... but he is not going to just "give it away"

[BoulderSooner]

If it does go on that parcel, you may remember that the preliminary designs for the convention center went to great lengths to preserve the "Harvey Spine". I'm not sure how important that is considering Devon is right in the middle and a good deal of the time you can't pass through the rotunda (on Harvey) anyway.

But I would hope they would find a way to link the two parks that did not involve an enclosed structure, as more often than not they are locked up.

Again, I'm more worried about leaving the Cox Center which would be a great travesty IMO. That place should have been torn down a long time ago and if not now, when?

yes a land swap is fine with me as long as it includes the demo of COX ASAP >>>>

[OKC_Chipper]

Let's please move past the election; the entire lead-up was ugly and contentious. It's over now, and fortunately it was a very decisive outcome so no need to keep rehashing the campaign and related politics.

Also, there won't be another MAPS for at least 10 years so let's concentrate on the arena itself.

Any posts about the election will be deleted.

We can’t talk about an election that happened yesterday?

[Pete]

Just remembered the Crystal Bridge is part of the Harvey Spine and you can't pass through there, either.

I could see the arena at the west end of the REHCO property, a pedestrian plaza to the east and then commercial development on the far east end of the property to bridge into the likely redevelopment of the Paycom site.

[David]

All of that said, the Prairie Surf site makes the most sense for the City and for the urban fabric, and the giant site offers much more co-development and integrated mixed use opportunity.

This is what I am hoping for, and is what I talked with Mayor Holt when I briefly chatted with him at Boomtown a few weeks ago.

[Teo9969]

There is so much that we still don't know:

Design/scope
Location
Cost of property acquisition
Additional development/amenities
Cost of borrowing funds up front

Do we have any idea what vehicles they are planning to pursue for this? If a bank is involved, I think the city should refrain from engaging any banks that have major personal ties to the Thunder. If this project experiences any degree of difficulty financially then I think the public will lose trust in general, but it will be multiplied exponentially if Thunder Owners are making money 2nd hand from loan interest.

[PhiAlpha]

Really hope it’s cox/prairie surf as it kills multiple birds with one stone and the other options really don’t. I think it’s 20+ years away from being privately redeveloped (or at least development of the entire superblock is) based on all the changes that resulted from Covid and this along with any peripheral developments reactivate that block and solve the problem almost immediately. That said, at this point I’m just happy it’s happening.

[chssooner]

Do we have any idea what vehicles they are planning to pursue for this? If a bank is involved, I think the city should refrain from engaging any banks that have major personal ties to the Thunder. If this project experiences any degree of difficulty financially then I think the public will lose trust in general, but it will be multiplied exponentially if Thunder Owners are making money 2nd hand from loan interest.

I would be willing to bet it will be MidFirst Bank. They may be the only Oklahoma City bank large enough to fund a loan like this. Or BOK. Can't just have any bank front $10's of millions. Only certain banks are even legally allowed to.

And I doubt they would use a Chase or Bank of America for them.

[Pete]

These are the sites we have been discussing:

[Teo9969]

These are the sites we have been discussing:

Between these sites, it should go on the Cox site. For the reasons mentioned above and because it also brings more evening utility to a N/S Commuter Rail line.

[April in the Plaza]

I would be willing to bet it will be MidFirst Bank. They may be the only Oklahoma City bank large enough to fund a loan like this. Or BOK. Can't just have any bank front $10's of millions. Only certain banks are even legally allowed to.

And I doubt they would use a Chase or Bank of America for them.

Haven’t studied the state’s Energy Discrimination Elimination Act that hard, but it would likely prevent the city from using a number of the larger national banks. I’m almost certain Chase is on the list.

[SouthOKC]

Between these sites, it should go on the Cox site. For the reasons mentioned above and because it also brings more evening utility to a N/S Commuter Rail line.

I would love to see the Cox Site selected. I feel like it makes the most sense based on the central location and the opportunity to develop around it's location.

It would be amazing if they're able to building some sort of pedestrian structure above E.K. Gaylord and the Amtrak tracks. Have that touch down and interact with the canal bringing a real connection to bricktown and the CBD.

[Pete]

^

The Cox site would also provide a great bridge into Bricktown, and that's another reason I strongly prefer it.

[Zuplar]

Haven’t studied the state’s Energy Discrimination Elimination Act that hard, but it would likely prevent the city from using a number of the larger national banks. I’m almost certain Chase is on the list.

Yep the big 3 are all on that list: Wells, JPM, BOA

[Zuplar]

^

The Cox site would also provide a great bridge into Bricktown, and that's another reason I strongly prefer it.

Agreed. I feel like it would also make the botanical gardens feel more connected as well. It would be great for a ton of reasons honestly.

[Teo9969]

Why does the EDEA come into play here? Why would it affect the financial affairs of the city?

[cinnamonjock]

The cox site is also across the street from the train station that will (eventually, hopefully) serve commuter rail.

[BoulderSooner]

Haven’t studied the state’s Energy Discrimination Elimination Act that hard, but it would likely prevent the city from using a number of the larger national banks. I’m almost certain Chase is on the list.

i don' think that has any effect on the CITY of OKC

[borchard]

I can see it now. Cut back from a commercial break: "Welcome back to the Oklahoma State Fair and OKC Thunder Basketball." I am sure the other Oklahoma state fair will love this idea.

I wonder if that is what is said for San Antonio Spurs broadcasts?

[Pete]

I've deleted several posts on this thread.

NO MORE ELECTION OR POLITICAL TALK!


I'm going to start handing out temporary bans for those who won't move on.

[jn1780]

I would love to see the Cox Site selected. I feel like it makes the most sense based on the central location and the opportunity to develop around it's location.

It would be amazing if they're able to building some sort of pedestrian structure above E.K. Gaylord and the Amtrak tracks. Have that touch down and interact with the canal bringing a real connection to bricktown and the CBD.

A tunnel underneath the train tracks was proposed awhile back. It just didn't get funded. The recent west end canal renovation was done with that tunnel in mind. Right now the staircase leads to a wall.

If there was an actual destination, this tunnel would get built.

[LakeEffect]

i don' think that has any effect on the CITY of OKC

It does. The law had flow-down impacts as cities are creations of the state.