City of Norman exploring building new arena that could house OU basketball

This appears to have the endorsement/backing of Joe Castiglione:

http://www.oudaily.com/sports/oklah...cle_249bb86c-9e1b-11e7-9d74-c77686daabdc.html

The University of Oklahoma has agreed "in principle" to be the multi-purpose arena’s anchor tenant, and Athletic Director Joe Castiglione said the university’s interest level is “very high.”

“The idea of creating an experience and an overall destination in addition to the event itself, leads us to believe it will give us a lot more to offer our fans in terms of an experience,” Castiglione said. “It’s much more than purchasing a ticket, it’s making a determination that they want to take full advantage of the overall experience.”

Castiglione would go on to say the arena would seat somewhere in the range of 10,000 versus the Lloyd Noble Center's current capacity of 11,528.

If the basketball teams were to move to this new arena, the LNC would still be used for university events. Castiglione said in the past they have had scheduling issues due to multiple events attempting to take place at the LNC at the same period of time. The new arena would solve these issues, and would allow for local high school teams to play occasionally at the LNC.

“It’s no secret that the Lloyd Noble Center, while still a great facility and whether this plan goes forward or not, would still be a viable venue for a variety of different events.,” Castiglione said. “It can be complimentary to this new arena.”

One concern for OU in the past has been the low student attendance at games, but Castiglione believes this new arena and the district surrounding it would attract more students to games.

"We think of our event being part of a destination for overall enjoyment and that relates to everything," Castiglione said. "We think in the long run, in what those offerings are create a great dynamic to be even more attractive to students."


Coaches Lon Kruger and Sherri Coale are also looking forward to the possibility of a new home.

"Both are very excited about the opportunity it creates," Castiglione said. "They know the competition they face, they know what prospective student athletes are looking for, know the environment — they're very excited about the possibilities."

While OU believes the venue would be great for hosting home basketball games, they also believe it could host a variety of NCAA tournaments. Castiglione said they would have a good shot at hosting NCAA tournaments for basketball, gymnastics and volleyball.

Norman Mayor Lynne Miller said they hope to have the project approved in the next few months, but for now Castiglione and the university look forward to the future.

“To be perfectly candid, we’re limited at where we are right now,” Castiglione said. “It’s the synergy of everything else going on in that part of the area that creates that dynamic environment that would attract more and more people to come to our games.”
 
To the keep it on campus crowd, off-campus facilities at Nebraska and Louisville have been wildly successful.

Also, is student attendance really something to consider? It's poor now so a marginal decrease wouldn't really matter and shouldn't be a reason to stop something that would be a huge positive for the program overall.
 
If these would be bars and restaurants outside the arena (which I would assume be possible since it wouldn't be university property), that would be HUGE.
 
If this happens, then the long-touted notion that the LNC is too far away from campus is finally blown up once and for all.

I'd be interested to know what they're going to do to improve automobile access -- the two primary roads leading to this area are pretty darned narrow, are they not? (I've not driven that stretch in quite some time, so perhaps I'm wrong.) And would anyone in the OKC area be convinced to come to a game (once the "newness" has worn off) by the two or three miles of driving that'll be saved? Did any fan ever say, "Geez, I'd love to go to an OU basketball game -- if only the arena were on the north end of Norman rather than the south"?
 
Last edited:
Skyvue with traffic it would probably save someone coming from OKC/Edmond about 15 minutes each way (it is more like a 5-6 miles saving each way). So I think it does make some difference to those fans. But more important this is about monetizing the fans/businesses that already buy tickets with the premium prices for suites, club tickets and courtside tickets. If you can make an extra $2,500 on average for 1,000 seats that would be an extra $2.5 million for men's basketball...and maybe you could make an extra $500k for women's.
 
When considering the current situation, it's hard to find something bad about this possibility.
 
If this happens, then the long-touted notion that the LNC is too far away from campus is finally blown up once and for all.

I'd be interested to know what they're going to do to improve automobile access -- the two primary roads leading to this area are pretty darned narrow, are they not? (I've not driven that stretch in quite some time, so perhaps I'm wrong.) And would anyone in the OKC area be convinced to come to a game (once the "newness" has worn off) by the two or three miles of driving that'll be saved? Did any fan ever say, "Geez, I'd love to go to an OU basketball game -- if only the arena were on the north end of Norman rather than the south"?

I used to live in OKC and work near Lloyd Noble. That extra 5 miles is 20 minutes drive time.
 
I used to live in OKC and work near Lloyd Noble. That extra 5 miles is 20 minutes drive time.

I never experienced that coming from OKC to any game I ever attended at LNC, but I'll take you guys' word for it. The only time or place there was any slowdown for me was getting to the interstate after the game, and this new location seems little better in that regard to me.
 
If this happens, then the long-touted notion that the LNC is too far away from campus is finally blown up once and for all.

I'd be interested to know what they're going to do to improve automobile access -- the two primary roads leading to this area are pretty darned narrow, are they not? (I've not driven that stretch in quite some time, so perhaps I'm wrong.) And would anyone in the OKC area be convinced to come to a game (once the "newness" has worn off) by the two or three miles of driving that'll be saved? Did any fan ever say, "Geez, I'd love to go to an OU basketball game -- if only the arena were on the north end of Norman rather than the south"?

Agreed. I think access will probably be a little bit better but they would probably add some kind of easier access to I35 since there is no exit to Rock Creek Rd. I think they did something like that at Winstar casino north of Red River.

I guess OU will save probably about $100M from renovating LNC but I'm sure there will be some steep rental for the new place. I'm also sure that Joe C coming out and saying OU has agreed in principle to move basketball to this facility is for pressuring city council into approving TIF, as none of this will likely get built without it, as someone above mentioned.
 
I never experienced that coming from OKC to any game I ever attended at LNC, but I'll take you guys' word for it. The only time or place there was any slowdown for me was getting to the interstate after the game, and this new location seems little better in that regard to me.

I live in North Norman 2 minutes from I-35 and it takes all of 20-25 minutes from my house to a parking spot for basketball games. I can see if you already have a 45-to an hour drive from OKC, (depending on game time and rush hour traffic) that the extra 20-25 minutes saved would come in handy.

Now new parking will be needed to accommodate the facility.
 
Rendering looks amazing. But put me in in the on-campus crowd for sure
 
This is awesome! Guys, let's be real, the LNC is dated. This would definitely bring in more of the average fan due to the restaurants and bars. It's time to make OU basketball more of an event like football. Now that Boren is leaving, maybe we can sell some booze at these games. Students don't come anyway so who cares if it is off campus.
 
It's got nothing to do with Boren; there's never been beer or booze sold at OU games and I'm more than ok with that.
 
My opinion is that if we can't get a new one on campus then this is a great plan. Hopefully it will be constructed to be more "basketball-centric" in terms of getting fans right on the court and not having the seats spaced as much as at the LNC.

I agree with some folks above regarding the students in that the students don't turn out regularly for non-conference games or smaller Big 12 games at the LNC so worst case this new one will be more of the same.

Having a chance to make this more of evening event or a Saturday outing (before or after the game - go eat lunch/dinner) will be helpful imo for overall attendance.

The key will be making it easier to get to and from the games (which has been a problem at the LNC). So I hope they come up with a good parking/traffic flow plan.
 
I'm going to add to my previous comment...

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!

:dance005:

If Kruger, who currently recruits WELL against the competition anyway, thinks this will boost recruiting then HS who can argue with him? Seems logical. The game day experience goes to a whole other level does it not? So helpful. I'm sorry but the LNC atmosphere is weak compared to this. If students don't come out because it's too far I'm sure plenty of other fans will be quick to fill it up anyhow; however, I suspect the students will have no issues with it.

I have gone to LNC hosted OU games but will be tempted to go much more often if it means I get to stroll my kids around shops and restaurants either moments before and/or moments after a big game. It's almost laid out similar to what you see in Bricktown with the Harkin's Theater w/shops & restaurants to browse prior to or after the big show. HUGE upgrade!

To think the NCAA wouldn't want to quickly make this a regional venue would be short sighted (not that I've heard anyone argue that) so that in itself proves the Big12 would likely consider hosting the Big12 tourney here from time to time as well. It will be nice to turn the tables on Kansas by being the HOME tourney team more often.

This is the best OU basketball news since Lon Kruger's hire imo. :woot
 
at least theyre trying something. that makes me happy.
 
My opinion is that if we can't get a new one on campus then this is a great plan. Hopefully it will be constructed to be more "basketball-centric" in terms of getting fans right on the court and not having the seats spaced as much as at the LNC.

The rendering looks very all purpose to me, not basketball-centric. But it seems Joe C is already in.

Several comments here seem unaware of what the near completed construction will do for travel to and from LNC.
 
I'm going to add to my previous comment...

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!

:dance005:

If Kruger, who currently recruits WELL against the competition anyway, thinks this will boost recruiting then HS who can argue with him? Seems logical. The game day experience goes to a whole other level does it not? So helpful. I'm sorry but the LNC atmosphere is weak compared to this. If students don't come out because it's too far I'm sure plenty of other fans will be quick to fill it up anyhow; however, I suspect the students will have no issues with it.

I have gone to LNC hosted OU games but will be tempted to go much more often if it means I get to stroll my kids around shops and restaurants either moments before and/or moments after a big game. It's almost laid out similar to what you see in Bricktown with the Harkin's Theater w/shops & restaurants to browse prior to or after the big show. HUGE upgrade!

To think the NCAA wouldn't want to quickly make this a regional venue would be short sighted (not that I've heard anyone argue that) so that in itself proves the Big12 would likely consider hosting the Big12 tourney here from time to time as well. It will be nice to turn the tables on Kansas by being the HOME tourney team more often.

This is the best OU basketball news since Lon Kruger's hire imo. :woot

I'd be shocked if Lon Kruger was still head coach at OU if and when this place opens. Isn't he 63-65 years old! It will probably be 4-5 years before this is completed, if it ever is!
 
The rendering looks very all purpose to me, not basketball-centric. But it seems Joe C is already in.

Several comments here seem unaware of what the near completed construction will do for travel to and from LNC.

I would assume the seat configuration would be more basketball conducive with a rectangle seating pattern and seats right on the floor. That is what I meant.
 
Back
Top