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

[tycat947]

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.

I'm sure you can count on this, especially since OU will be involved. I'd bet there will be retractable seating areas to fulfill the multipurpose use they may have.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

LNC's location isn't perfect but it's not bad. The campus is growing south so it's location continues to get better. Now the new construction to I35 will make post game travel way easier. Most of us believe the program will be better with a home court energy and intimidation which starts with students and can be enhanced with that close on top of seating. So the proposal is good for Norman ,yes, but not the the OU mens program. Though it would be a nice place for that year the LNC is rebuilt.

Actually something like this proposal would be huge for the program. Recruiting could really take off. More people from okc and Edmond will attend.

Student attendance might suffer a little but the university already tried bussing students to lnc and nobody used it.


I didn't like offsite at first but if they do it right, kind of like the area around the fiesta bowl, it could be killer


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[SoonerBounce13]

I don't care what they do as long as the seats aren't orange....


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[piehole]

The rendering looks very all purpose to me, not basketball-centric.

That's what I'm thinking too. Too many uses/tenants might spoil the broth. My first thought of the rendering was "airport concourse". Probably can't be helped at least for the retail area.

The one thing you want out of a university court is for it to feel like a home. Did LNC ever really get there? Most of us are pretty hard on it as a venue. LNC was built multi-purpose because that was the trend at the time - hopefully we have learned some lessons there. Wasn't a Led Zeppelin concert the first event that LNC ever hosted?

With Joe C clearly on board this new venue will probably happen. Just hope it doesn't get watered down into into something characterless and sterile. The surrounding commercial area will be pleasant but meh. It's the interior space that really matters. As the core tenant OU should have a list of demands and not budge. Build the inside for OU basketball first and foremost and hope they do their homework on what makes these spaces work for college basketball and stick to it.

 

[kbsooner]

Working in the A/E field, please keep in mind this is a pretty early rendering. Once budget is in place, look for it to change if they do move forward, probably pretty drastically.

 

[velvetj]

I read somewhere there would be a 2600 space parking garage

 

[womenssports]

I do not see this as a good way to spend money for the city of Norman nor for OU. Money needs to be spent by both to improve the quality of life, chance to learn and advance, look to the future........not a stadium with more empty seats that won't pay for itself.

 

[chuckb]

I do not see this as a good way to spend money for the city of Norman nor for OU. Money needs to be spent by both to improve the quality of life, chance to learn and advance, look to the future........not a stadium with more empty seats that won't pay for itself.

Things like this are never a good deal for the city unless the city gets it back from the rents it charges tenants in the development. This is certainly better for the city than the stadiums that are purchased by cities to keep or acquire professional sports teams because there will be businesses there who can be charged rents. It sort of depends on what arrangement is made with the university and the other tenants in the area. If the city maintains ownership and earns money from basketball games, concerts, NCAA tournament games, etc., there's no reason it can't be a good deal for the city.

 

[skyvue]

I would think there are a number of factors to consider from the city's point of view: The merchant's rents, yes, but also taxes paid, jobs created and additional consumer traffic brought in (and money spent), especially in an area not currently generating any municipal income. It also (arguably) makes that area a more desirable area to live.

 

[StatGeek]

at least theyre trying something. that makes me happy.

Amen, brother!

 

[BoulderSooner]

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.

OU I'm sure would get a great lease arrangement with the city

 

[BoulderSooner]

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.

this is simply not true ... lots of beer has been sold at both OU basketball and ou football in the last few years with more and more access a year occurring

and more to come in the future ..

right now it is not in public areas but I would expect it will be for ou baseball and football in the next 5 years and basketball the first day this facility opens

 

[skyvue]

this is simply not true ... lots of beer has been sold at both OU basketball and ou football in the last few years with more and more access a year occurring

and more to come in the future ..

right now it is not in public areas but I would expect it will be for ou baseball and football in the next 5 years and basketball the first day this facility opens

Thanks for the correction, but the public areas are what I was referring to. I don't have a clue what goes on in the luxury suites and I don't imagine I ever will.

But my point stands: I love a nice beer or cocktail as much as anyone, but I like the fact that they're not generally available at collegiate games -- at OU games, anyway.

 

[Northbase]

i love a nice beer or cocktail as much as anyone, but i like the fact that they're not generally available at colleagiate games -- at ou games, anyway.

this

 

[BoulderSooner]

Thanks for the correction, but the public areas are what I was referring to. I don't have a clue what goes on in the luxury suites and I don't imagine I ever will.

But my point stands: I love a nice beer or cocktail as much as anyone, but I like the fact that they're not generally available at colleagiate games -- at OU games, anyway.

not talking about suites ..

both club levels at OU football and the Santee lounge seats have access to beer and can bring it back to their seats ..( just next to those that can't access beer)

basketball brought beer to the pregame in the club before games 4 or 5 years ago and 3 or 4 years ago now allows you to go get a drink at half time ...

 

[CobraKai]

I’ve never sat in a suite before, but I have sat in the santee area, the club seats, and in the new end zone loge boxes. All of them serve beer, although it’s $7.50 a pop, and they only allow you to take two to your seats.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

Originally Posted by tycat947 View Post
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 have read all the way through this thread and several of the proposals, and I have yet to see "TIF" defined. Everyone seems to know this acronym except me...

 

[MichaelM]

I have read all the way through this thread and several of the proposals, and I have yet to see "TIF" defined. Everyone seems to know this acronym except me...

I had to look it up too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_increment_financing

Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects in many countries, including the United States. Similar or related value capture strategies are used around the world. Through the use of TIF, municipalities typically divert future property tax revenue increases from a defined area or district toward an economic development project or public improvement project in the community.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I’ve never sat in a suite before, but I have sat in the santee area, the club seats, and in the new end zone loge boxes. All of them serve beer, although it’s $7.50 a pop, and they only allow you to take two to your seats.

two at a time? or total for the game