NEW OKC Thunder $1B Arena to be located next to a skyscraper?

[@brotherjohnwaynecausey]

Looking forward to seeing this new arena in Oklahoma City, Thunder up

[@andre86w]

The area with absolutely nothing in it you kept on zoomin in on around @7:45 will be the site of a new 10,000 seat outdoor stadium designed for our USL Soccer team, the OKC Energy.

[@jonesyokc]

Do you think it might be better to go bigger and try to eventually draw a proper MLS franchise? I know we supposedly have an MLS team but that is minor league. I mean a top level league team.

[@mrink241]

@@jonesyokcI’ve said the same thing because we have a huge soccer community and they’d draw plenty of support.

[@JamesThompson-n8x]

@@jonesyokcNFL

[@dreamcage1801]

With a potential new arena kicking in they can possibly host an all star game in Oklahoma City like in 2023 or something.

[@FLIP205]

2033

[@dreamcage1801]

@@FLIP205 yeah that’s what I meant

[@yupyup6821]

Unfortunately they changed the criteria for hosting an all star game and okc does not meet the requirements for “international flights capacity” 😭

[@dreamcage1801]

@@yupyup6821 meaning?

[@yupyup6821]

@@dreamcage1801 nba won’t let okc host an all star game

[@kurtisokc]

As an OKC resident my preference would be to keep the Paycom Center to host a potential minor league hockey team and design the new arena with a basketball only configuration.

[@-OAK-]

They would just use the new arena for that

[@mr.dschannel8800]

@@-OAK-I don’t know much about NHL much but doesn’t the hockey season coincide with the NBA season. The Bruins and Celtics share an arena but the Bruins also utilize another arena since it’s not particularly there’s.

[@-OAK-]

@@mr.dschannel8800 there are a lot of nba and nhl teams that share a arena, they can change the floors pretty quickly so you can even have games the same day

[@ElSombraRegio7]

@@mr.dschannel8800 It does and you're right. unfortunately, OKC does not have the financial infrastructure to justify keeping an arena as expensive as the Paycom center for a minor-league team. It will be more cost efficient in the long-term to knock it down and then turn it into a potential revenue stream via hotel/casino or something else. Basically, OKC is just investing into becoming a one sport city for the foreseeable future. if all of these renovations are done by 2032, it will, likely take most of the 2030s to recover from the expenses put up front. Then it'll likely be the 2040s by the time OKC can financially TRY to expand to one of the other major sports. Most likely, OKC will try to follow models like San Antonio or Portland who are also one sport cities but are moistly financially competent. OKC will need to another at least a population boom of a million + and tens of billions in yearly revenue from that population boom to truly become a multi-sport ity (NFL, NBA, and MLB/NHL/MLS) I live in Saint Louis now and they tried to expand too quickly. It cost them their NBA team, and just a few years ago, their NFL team. Now they're prioritizing their Cardinals and Blues and new MLS team but its pretty apparent that STL now knots its limitations and won't be trying to expand into those other sports anytime soon.

[@lamppole]

We had a hockey team lol. Don’t matter where they play in Oklahoma. They ain’t stayin

[@rchilde1]

few minor corrections. OKC actually got the NBA in 2005, when the New Orleans Hornets temporarily resided at then Ford Center for 2 years. One year later the OKC Thunder was born. The team actually wants the new arena finished in 2028 so they can start playing there in the 2028-29 Season. The city is looking for demolition early 2025 in order to achieve that, and other details from the Oklahoman news paper do indicate the city is looking to create an arena district with some of the site reserved for expansion of the regional transit hub (across the street). Other than not mentioning the new MLS-Ready stadium to be built south of the Legends Tower site, everything else mentioned was fairly accurate. OKC is on the rise!

[@robertwoods4457]

If this is the new arena, THATS NICE FROM THE OUTSIDE

[@SuperDave30]

Finally it’s about time OKC getting a new arena, they should’ve been had new arena when the Thunder had arrived in OKC back 2008.

[@upshawrealestatewhittingto7764]

Not disagreeing with you but the existing arena was built in 2001. It wouldn’t have made sense financially to build another arena 7 years afterwards

[@SuperDave30]

@@upshawrealestatewhittingto7764 at the time OKC didn’t layout the welcome mat for a NBA team until 2005when New Orleans Hornets relocated temporary due to hurricane Katrina and somehow OKC fans were motivated to having NBA team in their city, at the time when the arena was known as the Ford Center it wasn’t up to NBA standards how most NBA arenas are designed.

[@SuperDave30]

@@upshawrealestatewhittingto7764 and also back in 2002 when the original Charlotte Hornets team relocate to New Orleans, the current arena the play at Smoothie King Center formerly known as New Orleans Arena that arena small as hell also wasn’t NBA Arena standards that arena was designed for college basketball or other events, back then whoever was their team owner he had jumped the gun same time the should’ve had money and taxpayers to build them standard NBA arena, in 2001 when the Grizzlies left Vancouver relocated to Memphis Tennessee in just 3 years later the city build them new home.

[@choatican]

Plenty of vacant lots and land in downtown OKC....not sure why they should tear down studio space.

[@-OAK-]

I mean it’s not used

[@andre86w]

It was originally a convention center and an arena is inside of it.

[@prestonplatten8580]

The studio is constantly being used to film shows and movies

[@rchilde1]

city owns the land at the "studio" and went into a temporary, sweetheart deal type of agreement with then flegling Prarie Surf Studios. So basically, it served as an incubator while the city pursued Paycom Center for the NBA. Now why would the city abandon land it owns at the heart of downtown, arguably the most valuable land in the state, to develop an arena away from the core action/city in vacant land? Prarie Surf was an incubator, it was always temporary and the city was always going to redevelop that site. Other folks can (and will) develop vacant land throughout the core and Prarie Surf can move elsewhere or build now that they're mature.

[@vicepresidentmikepence889]

Fun Fact: Oklahoma county, and Brown county, Wisconsin, are the only two counties, with an Nfl, nba, nhl, or mlb team that voted for Trump in 2020

[@afridgetoofar1818]

In November I am voting for sexcellence, I am voting for Biden,

[@TreylorTrashFishing]

@@afridgetoofar1818I thought you said you’re voting for excellence

[@afridgetoofar1818]

@@TreylorTrashFishing read it again

[@TreylorTrashFishing]

@@afridgetoofar1818 😂😂 ight my b

[@lyanreehan]

@@afridgetoofar1818bro what

[@reesejabs1895]

I've mentioned it before, and I want to suggest it once more. Why not move the Oakland Athletics to Oklahoma City? I don't think Las Vegas will work for MLB, but OKC probably would.

[@afroabroad]

OKC can’t support a second major league team though.

[@ronald2ei]

Major League Baseball would be great in okc, but our market size works much better for the NBA considering okc would need to build a much more expensive dome/indoor stadium due to our summertime heat which is essentially identical to the DFW area which had to abandon an incredible outdoor baseball field for an indoor venue

[@CouLands]

@@afroabroadokc and Oklahoma in general love sports. Doesn’t matter the city, the whole state will rally around it. Look at the Sooners and even the OSU Cowboys.

[@reesejabs1895]

@@ronald2ei - they may need to consider contacting 2 teams then. The Athletic's and the Ray's.

[@slightslice3120]

@@afroabroadokies will definitely support a MLB team.

[@classicsports5057]

Few things the Paycom Center was originally planned with the original passing of MAPS in the 90s. Originally it was going to be state of the art with boxes for a pro team and stuff like that but that was changed because they didn't get the NHL teams they were going for in the late 90s. But when the Hornets thing happened which led to the Thunder they added some of the luxury boxes and stuff. But it was already below standards for a pro team. Also the arena used to host big concerts and events coming into the city but that hasn't happened the last 5 or so years as much. The tax was passed because it was mostly advertised as an extension of the penny sales tax that brought the arena and the other upgrades to downtown OKC that have happened since the late 90s. In reality it's an additionall tax. The Prairie Surf Studios area that the new arena will be at probably has more space and will be a bigger arena. They haven't announced if they are going to do anything with the Paycom Center yet. It's too early to really announce anything like that

[@ptuller99]

Due to tribal state compacts I think it’s pretty much impossible for there to be a casino built there. That’s why the only casino in the city is a horse betting casino lol. Over half of Oklahoma land is tribal owned.

[@thomashall7484]

exciting time in okc

[@Digtydawgboy66]

Can wait for the future of downtown okc

[@andre86w]

The OKC mayor just commented in a social media that renderings are still "many months away."

[@lilpelusa]

As a Mavs fan. Okc needs a MLB and NFL team. Fuck it add an NHL team as well 😊

[@ChevyLS1454]

As a okie idk how i feel about it alot of us down here are Ranger and Cowboys fans. I don’t think i can personally switch up 😅. A MLS or NHL team would be nice though.

[@rchilde1]

could totally see OKC with an MLS team as its next major franchise. Could also see NFL once the metro population exceeded 2 million. Not sure the other sports would work but great to hear from friends in big d - great series but hopefully the next goes OKC way. lol. Hope you all go all the way this year.

[@lilpelusa]

@@ChevyLS1454 I didn’t think about that. But it’s been hard being a Cowboys fan in the last 20 years lol. Well I do wish for Oklahoma to become better. I’m tired of those Californians invading Texas. I keep telling them Oklahoma is better 😂

[@jmcelhaney1982]

@lilpelusa OKC won't ever have an MLB or NFL team, too many other MLB & MFL teams in close proximity of OKC and majority of MLB fans in OKC are Cardinals or Rangers fans, and majority of OKC NGL fans are Cowboys fans, A lot of Chiefs fans, Broncos fans.....NBA was thr perfect fit for OKC as there's only like 3-4 NBA teams within an 8hr drive to OKC and is more affordable to go to unlike MLB and NFL

[@stephentritten]

The (then) Ford Center was built to be an NHL arena. We got lucky and landed the Hornets temporarily because we had somewhere for them to play and the rest is history.

[@TylerMcLaughlin-yb8hj]

It be cool if they turn the original arena into the museum for the thunder and Oklahoma history in general

[@TylerMcLaughlin-yb8hj]

By the way I am from Oklahoma from Tulsa area

[@jonesyokc]

What about the idea of the Paycom Center being repurposed as an NHL arena? The 18,203 capacity would put it pretty middle of the road in terms of attendance. Maybe give it a bit of a makeover to drawn an NHL team. I think going to a hockey game would be refreshing in a hot area like Oklahoma.

[@sophiasokolowski1982]

Well thats gonna be interesting considering the okc area is hit with F5 tornados, what feels like every 20 or so years.

[@Christian-OkcThunder]

Funny thing i wish our skyline looked like that drawing lol but soon our skyline going to look 🔥🔥🔥

[@eddiehagler6127]

I will be sad to lose the cox convention center. You also did not mention the myriad gardens next to the cox convention center

[@jmcelhaney1982]

gonna correct u on a couple things.....1) the Paycom Center was built to lure in a AAA affiliated NHL team, not an NBA team...2) Oklahoma law only allows casinos on Indian land and the current site Paycom sits in is not Indian land, so can't and won't be a casino built there...the Legends tower and the other 3 towers have nothing ti donwith the new arena, and they are supposed to break ground on the 3 smaller towers in Summer 2024 (last I have seen/heard)

[@kwoo62]

The rendering on this video is a nice arena but OKC has to ADD a Atrium to the arena either diagonal from it or were the Paycom arena is located at but you have to have a atrium...FACTS

[@J-Hue]

Their current arena isn't even 15 years old, is it?

[@ivandragomiloff2356]

Bidenomics and Bidenflation really making these arenas and stadiums go up in costs 😂

[@charleswillams9501]

Keep paycom for concerts, why it was build in the first place. They have to turn down concerts because of thunder

[@kcmaldonado3948]

And the point?

[@mattyg4186]

It’s Oklahoma they need. $1 billion arena ?

[@EvilNoodlz]

You should visit before you trash talk it. We have 1.4 Million people living in our metro area. It's not 17 people just living in tipis in a grass field lmao.

[@mattyg4186]

@@EvilNoodlz wasn’t my point you can spend a couple hundred mil and renovate that arena

[@-OAK-]

@@mattyg4186they need to make a whole new arena, it’s not to standard to renovate

[@vasiliosthomas4883]

@@mattyg4186 if they only renovate, chances are, the owners will dip set. far too many options rising, seattle,san diego, las vegas.....they either get what they see fit in regards to finances,branding,valuations or just move. shame, but this is the reality of sports in the states.

[@Dweller415]

@@EvilNoodlzit’s the smallest market in the NBA so naturally some of this stuff sounds nonsensical.

[@nevermindthesky]

Say whatever you will. I have been to the current arena. It is big. Making bigger might cram in more people but it is still going to be watching little ants run around on an index card... I end up watching the big screens anyways so why not just watch at home... then I don't have to sit in the toddler chair on a 45 incline. I cannot imagine a bigger "better" arena will be any different. I say, renovate Paycom Center.

[@TimFrith24]

On May 15, 2025, Professional Basketball Club, headed by Clay Bennett, will sell the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Vancouver-based ownership group headed by Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini through Canucks Sports & Entertainment and Dallas Stars owner Tom Garglardi for $4.28 billion, including a relocation fee of $75 million to relocate the Thunder to Vancouver, if the OKC voters unanimously reject a proposed OKC arena adjacent to Paycom Center, so after 17 years in OKC, the Thunder will relocate to Vancouver to become the Vancouver Totems and play at Rogers Arena in the 2025-26 NBA season.

[@soldati2004_gun]

Hopefully it doesnt get hit by a tornado!

[@-OAK-]

It will be built to survive them and it will be one of the safest places to be during one

[@afridgetoofar1818]

I’m not sure Oklahoma even gets tornadoes.

[@josephglasscock8064]

Downtown never gets hit most tornados occur outside the city.

[@-OAK-]

@@afridgetoofar1818 I mean it gets some of the most in the country and is home to the biggest and strongest tornados ever recorded, but they don’t go near downtown okc

[@afridgetoofar1818]

@@-OAK- I know, I was kidding lol

[@GregoryRobinson-sh3hq]

Theirs nothing wrong with their current venue just another team riding the wave

[@-OAK-]

They voted for it a year ago, they aren’t riding the wave, they need a new arena or the team will have to move tf you talking about

[@dreamcage1801]

@@-OAK- their arena is not really old though

[@-OAK-]

@@dreamcage1801 why keep it when there’s a even better one right next to it tho, that doesn’t make sense to keep it if they are getting a new one

[@rchilde1]

it wasn't built for the NBA. that's the issue. And why would OKC at the time, they didn't have a team nor a promise of one. Things fell into OKC's lap, so it all worked out. But Paycom was never a final solution nor was Cox a final studio for Prarie Surf. Things are coming into play as intended, all basically started as incubators that now will be realized as full intent infrastructure.

[@WilkoSuave]

Have you been to the Arena?

[@Johnone1]

They should move their G-League team to Tulsa

[@jcsports57]

They should build the arena 2025 and open in 2027 or 2028 for real 🤔

[@tobynokla]

The problem with content creators who have never been to areas they are talking about, they are effing clueless. Until you *have* been to our city and seen with your own little eyes that the area you are talking about is so very far from dilapidated, run down, and whatever else you can spin. Keep it zipped.

[@Dweller415]

Oh stop. They’re not building the largest skyscraper in the U.S. in Oklahoma City. There’s an office glut coast to coast and there sure as hell not a market for high rise condominiums overlooking the Oklahoma prairie.

[@rchilde1]

Legends Tower wont be office.

[@Dweller415]

@@rchilde1Legends tower won’t be higher than 20 stories. There is no market for high rise / skyscraper condo towers above 25 stories. Is there a history of high rise condos in OKC?

[@Sampsel2]

OKC is one of the top 20 fastest-growing large cities in the US. From 2010-2020 it gained 100,000 people. There's definitely enough market for the Legends Tower, it'll bring in massive tourism too. Source: Me, the person that actually lives in OK

[@jwells3315]

​@Sampsel2 tourism? To see What? Cows? Empty fields?

[@Sampsel2]

@@jwells3315 as the person that actually LIVES in Oklahoma and has explored it, yes, tourism.

[@AMERICANSTA_3k]

Should just move to Austin or Kansas City.

[@charleswillams9501]

They suck

[@DSweet-bb5mt]

Not going to happen

[@iactiv6274]

As an OKC resident, this is such a complete waste of almost $1 billion. 🤦🏼‍♂️ The current arena is fine!!!

[@andre86w]

Did you vote? 71% of your neighbors that did disagree with you.

[@iactiv6274]

@@andre86wYes I voted against it.

[@mykaelmarshall8204]

@@andre86wme and everyone I know voted for it.

[@andre86w]

@@mykaelmarshall8204 Same here. We love our Thunder and our city. The same people who voted no for this are probably some of the same people who voted no when the first MAPS projects were voted on in the early 90s.

[@kurtisokc]

I voted in favor of funding the new arena but I agree that the trend of teams demanding ever more opulent and extravagant venues is getting out of hand. I don’t think it can be sustained much longer.

[@420smokez9]

How about go back to Seattle

[@josephhansard7469]

Ownership gave Seattle a whole year to save their team but community decided not to do what was needed, thus moved to OKC. Ownership was from Oklahoma and knew the apathy of Seattle towards keeping the team would prevail. So now ownership has a team they bought for $350MM worth almost $2B.

[@rchilde1]

How about face to swift hand.

[@DannyGoldingTV]

Thunder need to move back to Seattle and become the Sonics again!

[@mykaelmarshall8204]

NEVERRRRR

[@rchilde1]

Oh! here come the Seattle trolls, from under the grey skies of the elitist liberals who ruined a city (and franchise), still crying about losing after 15+ YEARS like the team just moved, yesterday!!!

[@DannyGoldingTV]

@rchilde1 I'm not a Seattle troll. I'm originally from the Bay Area so I am a Warriors fan and a Niner fan that says "Fuck the Seahawks!" LOL

[@frmjewduhh]

@@DannyGoldingTV They'll get an expansion franchise in the next 5-10 years

[@DSweet-bb5mt]

L😂😂😂😂oL