New Arena (formerly Prairie Surf)

[Laramie]

The city will own and maintain the new arena, which is expected to be at least 750,000 square feet. The agreement also includes a new parking garage onsite with at least 650 spaces.

Will the city be able to salvage the 950 parking spaces underneath the current PSM (Old Myriad) site. Hope they can reinforce the underground parking and build the arena over the 4 square block site. That would put 1,600 parking spaces on site which also serves the OKC Convention Center and Omni Hotel; they also use the 1,106 new convention center parking garage. Total 2,706 spaces in walking distance not counting the nearby parking for several hotels like the Sheraton.

[HOT ROD]

i would LOVE it if the city could salvage some or all of the underground parking and build a garage or two above with towers on top of that. ...

[Laramie]

that decision has already been made

Nothing definite . . . Listen to this video below ('There no reason to make that decision today . . . '):

The flexibility in scheduling you could have using two arenas, example: The OKC Blue could use the Paycom Center when the new arena isn't available. You will have an extra arena available if an event at the CC needed a large arena without interrupting the NBA. Also, PBR events too large for the new State Fair Coliseum could be staged there.

Same with concerts held during NBA games; those could be staged at Paycom Center. OKC could lure all kinds of
events like the FFA 10,000 attendees who wanted a longer lease with the Paycom Center. Currently using BOK Center in Tulsa--FFA wanted a central location to benefit its members. IMO you could build dates for both arenas over time.

[April in the Plaza]

No it hasn't . . . Listen to this video in the link below ('There no reason to make that decision today . . . '):

It will be knocked down. It’s been decided.

The comment in the video is a public position.

[Bill Robertson]

I got a kick out of one of the comments on KFOR's website. "The new arena will be so much more central to everything". It's right across the freaking street from the old one.

[dankrutka]

I got a kick out of one of the comments on KFOR's website. "The new arena will be so much more central to everything". It's right across the freaking street from the old one.

Well, they’re not totally wrong because there’s one huge barrier isolating Paycom from the rest of downtown: the Cox Convention Center. Tearing that down is going to make a huge difference in how it connects to Bricktown and the CBD.

[Laramie]

Would love to see the new arena up and ready to welcome the team in August of 2028. There's lots of room for the new 650 space parking garage and more.

The Zoo Aquarian could also be apart of the new arena development--adding a tourist attraction DT would be awesome.

[Bill Robertson]

Well, they’re not totally wrong because there’s one huge barrier isolating Paycom from the rest of downtown: the Cox Convention Center. Tearing that down is going to make a huge difference in how it connects to Bricktown and the CBD.

They both connect to Bricktown via going under the railway bridge on Reno. No difference at all. Zero.
Downtown yeah. But I don't see a lot of people leaving games at 10 or 11 at night heading for downtown.

[dankrutka]

They both connect to Bricktown via going under the railway bridge on Reno. No difference at all. Zero.
Downtown yeah. But I don't see a lot of people leaving games at 10 or 11 at night heading for downtown.

I disagree for the reasons I already stated. Currently, the arena has a giant deadzone north of it. That won’t be the case with the new one. It’ll be a big difference in connectivity.

[bison34]

A part of me is already expecting a developer to try to build a parking garage on the current Paycom Center site...

[TheTravellers]

A part of me is already expecting a developer to try to build a parking garage on the current Paycom Center site...

Not a garage, just a surface lot........

[bison34]

Not a garage, just a surface lot........

And our illustrious city council allowing it fully.

[Laramie]

Keep the Paycom Center Arena alive as long as possible, a surface lot is the last thing you want to see replace this arena.

[PhiAlpha]

Keep the Paycom Center Arena alive as long as possible, a surface lot is the last thing you want to see replace this arena.

There will be an RFP redevelop it. That lot won’t sit long.

[bison34]

There will be an RFP redevelop it. That lot won’t sit long.

We did say the same thing about the lots available for development around Scissortail Park, and we have a lot of empty, undeveloped land around it.

Hope you are right, though.

[PhiAlpha]

We did say the same thing about the lots available for development around Scissortail Park, and we have a lot of empty, undeveloped land around it.

Hope you are right, though.

Completely different situation and location. This is the lot between all of downtown, the new billion dollar arena and the Omni, the convention center and the park. Not a bunch of lots in a mostly empty part of town next to the park. It will also not be privately own like the RHECO lots before anyone tries to use those as an example.

[bison34]

Completely different situation and location. This is the lot between all of downtown, the new billion dollar arena and the Omni, the convention center and the park. Not a bunch of lots in a mostly empty part of town next to the park. It will also not be privately own like the RHECO lots before anyone tries to use those as an example.

The city will likely have OCURA put it up for bid, which is where I fear the cronyism will come in. On a key lot like this, it truly could be devastating if a Mazaheri gets to "develop" it. Same with his Goodwill lot, amirite.

[The]

The city will likely have OCURA put it up for bid, which is where I fear the cronyism will come in. On a key lot like this, it truly could be devastating if a Mazaheri gets to "develop" it. Same with his Goodwill lot, amirite.

God I hope not…

[warreng88]

Not a garage, just a surface lot........

Hopefully it isn't sold to Fred Mazaheri...

[jn1780]

There's always a risk but its not everyday where the city sells back property. 99.9% of those empty lots/parking lots have always been private property. Its not going up for 'auction'.

[CaptDave]

If Matteson is a real entity that could build actually Boardwalk, why not offer that land to him and cut Hogan out of the picture?? A development of that type seems to make more sense on the west side of the BNSF viaduct. BUT - an absolute metric ton a due diligence would be necessary to verify the funding is really in place.

[jn1780]

If Matteson is a real entity that could build actually Boardwalk, why not offer that land to him and cut Hogan out of the picture?? A development of that type seems to make more sense on the west side of the BNSF viaduct. BUT - an absolute metric ton a due diligence would be necessary to verify the funding is really in place.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Luckily we will know if Matteson is full of it or not before the city makes a decision on the former arena site.

[Laramie]

We all remember the "Make Dallas and Kansas City jealous development' by an Oklahoman writer. It turned out to be a massive housing village IIRC.

Something like the Legends Tower would shock the skyline--it would be a tourist attraction (I-40/I-35 traffic corridor) with an observation deck that would rival many space towers and needles. Tourists would stop in OKC just to tour the tallest tower in the U.S.

Agree, until we see the 'money' there isn't anything to get excited about.

[warreng88]

If Matteson is a real entity that could build actually Boardwalk, why not offer that land to him and cut Hogan out of the picture?? A development of that type seems to make more sense on the west side of the BNSF viaduct. BUT - an absolute metric ton a due diligence would be necessary to verify the funding is really in place.

Personally, Hogan is what bring some sort of reality to the Boardwalk development, not Matteson. As Pete has noted in past posts, there are lot of things he said he did and really he had little or no involvement or he had involvement, then he didn't and the development was completed. Just my two cents.

Back to the subject at hand, if what was said is true and 60,000 sf of the site would be use for mass transit on the east side of the property and a 650 car garage, it will be interesting to see what the layout is like. I feel like the arena should front the Myriad Gardens and then the mass transit to the east, but that would put a 650 space parking garage fronting Reno.

[Cocaine]

We all remember the "Make Dallas and Kansas City jealous development' by an Oklahoman writer. It turned out to be a massive housing village IIRC.

Something like the Legends Tower would shock the skyline--it would be a tourist attraction (I-40/I-35 traffic corridor) with an observation deck that would rival many space towers and needles. Tourists would stop in OKC just to tour the tallest tower in the U.S.

Agree, until we see the 'money' there isn't anything to get excited about.

I wish there was /s on the post. At least in terms of the whole tourist thing. As someone who has been in many cities where the tallest building in the country / region was located. The whole observation deck thing is a bit over rated and people usually do not go there specifically for it. Actually the development surrounding legends tower would probably be a bigger draw of spending money / things to do than people going to the top of the tower.

You may go to the top and look outside and that’s it…. People may even prefer going to Vast in Devon Tower to grab some overpriced food and enjoying a much better view of the skyline. I have no idea if this tower will get built or not. If it does it’ll be nice but it will not be some massive draw that people think it is. Maybe someone driving through might gamble a little, spend a few hours at the first Americans museum and then snap a pick of Legends Tower and go on their way. I agree with you and everyone else about the money part. I’m gonna go town and NOT go to the top of Guangzhou Tower since I’m about to get off work.