Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

USA / Oklahoma / Oklahoma City / Oklahoma City, Oklahoma / West Reno Avenue, 100
 sports venue, arena, concert hall
100 West Reno Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 602-8700
www.chesapeakearena.com/
www.nba.com/thunder/

The Chesapeake Energy Arena is a multipurpose indoor sports/concert arena located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. It was also the home of the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL from 2002-2009 and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (of the AFL) from 2004-2009. It also served as the temporary home of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets of the NBA from 2005-2007.

The 581,000 sq ft (54,000 sq m) arena has an all-seater capacity of 18,000 with 3,380 club seats, seven party suites, and 49 luxury boxes. It hosted the Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007 and 2009. The arena is receiving several upgrades from 2009 until 2012. The arena was named Ford Center from 2002 until 2010 and Oklahoma City Arena from 2010 until 2011.

The arena part of the first Metropolitan Area Projects a one cent sales tax designed to improve Oklahoma City's quality of life. However, plans were made to scale back the arena or eliminate it all togeather when several other projects went over budget. The city's maor at the time, Kirk Humpreys successfully lobbied the citizens to pass a six month extention to the sales tax, ensuring that all the projects would be completed. At a cost of $89,000,000, it was constructed from 1999 to 2002.

When plans to bring the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City emerged, the city was told that the Ford Center was not adequate to be the permenant home of an NBA team. at this time the second installment of the MAPS sales tax (MAPS for K.I.D.S.) was set to expire, and the mayor (this time Mick Cornett) once again successfully lobbied the people to vote on another extention, this time for 15 months. This tax, which has been unofficially referred to as MAPS 2.5 or MAPS for NBA, included arena upgrades and improvements as well as a new practice facility for $121 million.

www.okc.gov/maps/ford_center/index.html
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paycom_Center
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°27'48"N   97°30'54"W

Comments

  • I hope the Supersonics move to OKC. If any state in the nation deserved a pro sports team it would be Oklahoma. We have a big enough city for it, the market here is plenty strong enough to support a team. MOVE THE SUPERSONICS TO OKC PLEASE!!
  • well, OKC might be a fine place for an NBA team but thinking you deserve them more than Seattle is a result of Bennett and your mayor along with that slanted rag of a paper all telling you false information about the situation. Seattle is an amazing basketball city, Just ask Barkley who said it was the toughest place he ever played or Bill Simmons who said we had the best fans in the 2005 playoffs. Or ask Brandon Roy, Martell Webster, Jason Terry, Rodney Stuckey, Nate Robinson, Doug Christie, Aaron Brooks, Spencer Hawes, Jamal Crawford, Luke Ridnour, Detlef Schrempf and john Stockton. Or the 13,000 fans a game that attended DESPITE crooked owner's intent to move and the WORST RECORD in the franchise's 41 year history. Nothing against OKC. But the Supersonics belong in SEATTLE!!!
  • Seattle had its chance, OKC simply wanted it more.
  • OKC didn't want it more. The owner Clay Bennett stole them. I hope they loose every game this year and every year ! OKC Thunder ... WTF, they are so stupid naming the team after the GS Warriors Mascot. lmao
  • If Seattle wanted the Sonics to stay, the city and it's residents should have ponied up and built a new arena.
  • Thats bull, maybe the NBA should force the NETS to build a new stadium / arena or they are going to move the team to Mississippi. The worst stadium in the league and no one goes to the games. Nothing wrong with the Key, it is a pool excuse to move the team to OKC.
  • You will manage
  • Show all comments
This article was last modified 3 years ago