Improvements to Cox Center

[metro]

Improvements continue at Cox Convention Center
Posted: Tuesday, February 07, 2006
By Pamela Grady

pgrady@okcbusiness.com



Improvements are well underway at Cox Business Services Convention Center in preparation for the 2007 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament.



Tom Anderson, special projects manager for the City of Oklahoma City, said the $6.6 million in improvements, which began in August 2004, are on schedule and include a new basketball floor and basketball goals, among the list of projects.



“I think it’s important to do these improvements in time for the Big 12 (tournament) because…we want to put our best foot forward, but these are not going to exclusively benefit the Big 12 event,” Anderson said. “Obviously, there’s going to be a greater public benefit to all of the events that take place at the Cox Center.”



Other improvements include new signage, video kiosks, escalators and elevators, as well as data kiosks for laptop computers, painting, new glass, flooring and carpet replacements throughout the center. New exterior lighting will be installed on the north and south sides of the facility and upgrades to the south side landscaping will match the rest of the building.



Approximately 15 percent of the project cost will go toward renovating locker rooms, meeting rooms and nurses’ stations and new cleaning equipment.



While completion of the improvements project is past the halfway mark, Anderson said the next major task is to replace the carpet and the original 1972 escalators along with adding an additional passenger elevator that runs from the skywalk to the first floor.



Meanwhile, the construction timeline is on track for an early 2007 completion date, Anderson said, and work is being conducted between events.



“It’s not like you can close the building down during events,” Anderson said. “We’re working around events currently going on. There was one event that we had to totally go dark on and that was closing the exhibit halls when we were doing the exhibit hall floors. We like to stay up and operating throughout the upgrades.”

[John]

I think we'd know in time, but say the Hornets do end up staying, we should ship the current Ford Center scoreboard/jumbotron across the street and get one for the Ford Center comparable to Dallas'.

[Luke]

When we get the Hornets or an NBA team to call our own officially, I'll bet that the Ford Center will go under renovation to kick it up a notch as Emeril would say. It's pretty humble now. A new scoreboard, some new paint, carpeting and a little polish will go a long way to make the rockin' Ford Center a beautiful place as well.

[metro]

New exterior lighting will be installed on the north and south sides of the facility and upgrades to the south side landscaping will match the rest of the building.

Long overdue but good to hear