Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Arena)

[DoctorTaco]

AHMM posted these photos of an NBA Locker room for an "undisclosed team" in an "undisclosed city," but I think we all know where this is. Amazing work as always from that shop:
https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/amer...rmance-center/

P.S. as I posted this I assumed it was at Paycom but is it actually at the practice facility? idk

[Bill Robertson]

I was in the arena locker room a few years ago. It may have been redone since then but it didn't look like that then. A lot less white and the wood was a darker color.

[DoctorTaco]

I was in the arena locker room a few years ago. It may have been redone since then but it didn't look like that then. A lot less white and the wood was a darker color.

This remodel was done only a year ago

[caaokc]

AHMM posted these photos of an NBA Locker room for an "undisclosed team" in an "undisclosed city," but I think we all know where this is. Amazing work as always from that shop:
https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projects/amer...rmance-center/

P.S. as I posted this I assumed it was at Paycom but is it actually at the practice facility? idk

I think it’s the practice facility. I don’t think the arena has a weight room and tubs

[Pete]

^

The project is labeled "Professional NBA Arena Locker Room".

[pickles]

I think it’s the practice facility. I don’t think the arena has a weight room and tubs

These things are standard in NBA locker rooms.

[warreng88]

I noticed they were installing sidewalks south of the arena but the concrete dividers were still up between the sidewalks and the arena. Not sure what's going on here.

[HFAA Alum]

Probably getting things ready for the playoffs. It's been a little while since we've hosted a series, not since Utah.

[kukblue1]

I'm glad they are putting a side walk there. Walking across from the Park will be easier and walking to parking in lower bricktown will be easier.

[Pete]

I noticed they were installing sidewalks south of the arena but the concrete dividers were still up between the sidewalks and the arena. Not sure what's going on here.

Where exactly?

There has been a sidewalk along the boulevard for some time, along with the concrete barriers:

[Bowser214]

I saw this also yesterday. So across from the empty lot where the Boulevard Apartments are supposed to be built.

[warreng88]

I saw this also yesterday. So across from the empty lot where the Boulevard Apartments are supposed to be built.

Exactly and it's weird because they aren't straight north/south. I have a meeting at the Skirvin this afternoon, I'll go by and take some pics and post them.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^
The new sidewalks are intended to help attendees more easily access the building from the east. Before now many people felt obliged to trek across the muddy field in order to cut a block or so off of their walk when arriving from the east. This is for the building in general, but obviously they are working to have it done for playoffs.

There will also be surface improvements to the eastern half of that strip specifically for TV broadcast trucks. As I've mentioned before in the arena thread, TV trucks can no longer live on the REHCO lot, owing to the streetcar tracks. Makes it impossible to run cables across the street. This location is a temporary solution until the new building arrives. The deeper the Thunder makes it into the playoffs, the more satellite and other truck will have to be housed.

Regarding the jersey barriers, those are an NBA security requirement. It's possible that those could be replaced in the future by some other barrier devices, but that won't happen this season.

[Richard at Remax]

It looks like there are two. both are diagonal. One starts at the intersection and goes NE. The other starts around where people come across the street from the convention garage and goes NW. Im pretty sure they meet at the same spot but didn't get a great look at it

[Pete]

[HOT ROD]

Love the Paycom banner pic. Remember when the arena was expanded, they used KD's pic there.

Nice to see the TEAM recognized and promoted.

[HOT ROD]

As to the concrete, what's taking them so long? OKC Thunder was going to be in the playoffs, since at least February.

Not sure why wait until April to start preparing the area. ?.

[Laramie]

Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events and gymnastics.

It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 - 600 room) hotel wing or adding nine or 17 stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story/36 story - 325 - 448 foot tall (1,004 - 1,208 room) luxury hotel.

[jedicurt]

Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events.

It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 room) hotel wing or adding nine stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story - 325 foot tall (1,004 room) luxury hotel.

i would love this. i just don't think it's a reality.... sadly enough.

[Laramie]

^ ^ ^
I think it could happen, we (OKC) need to be aggressive in finding creative ways to lure conventions (large gatherings) to our city. If the Dream Hotel becomes reality, you're looking at 300 or more rooms added to the current DT hotel room count. Also, more tourist attractions like a DT Zoo Aquarium.

Although Omni will be the city's designated main convention center hotel, that doesn't restrict building more hotels downtown. It does restrict TIF funding for any new hotels.

[aDark]

Once we (OKC) get the new arena built, wouldn't be so quick to begin talks about demolition. The current Paycom Center could become home for ECHL 'AA' Hockey with accommodations for 15,152 minimum permanent seats. Also
allow Oklahoma City to bid on NCAA hockey events and gymnastics.

It could also be used for a number of overflow events planned in conjunction with the convention center and new arena. The more events we schedule using the flexibility of two arenas, the more hotel occupancy nights will be needed which equates into more hotels or expansion of existing hotels. Imagine the Omni expanding with a 2nd (400 - 600 room) hotel wing or adding nine or 17 stories to the existing 17 stories making it a 25 story/36 story - 325 - 448 foot tall (1,004 - 1,208 room) luxury hotel.

I struggle to understand what OKCTalk's fascination is with hockey. It seems like every other month someone is suggesting we "bring hockey back" or use the Paycom for hockey or starts a new thread re bringing the NHL/Coyotes to town. I know I've seen someone in the thread on the new arena suggest that we are making a misstep in not making building it to be NHL compatible.

Help me understand. Are many in town in love with hockey or is it a select few who are just vocal on this board? Is there actually a large contingency of hockey fans in OKC as some vestige of when we briefly had the Barons? Is it because it's a 4th (5th?) tier sport and would therefore be sustainable in our metro? Is it just one poster named Laramie running 3-6 accounts to frequently re-introduce hockey into threads about development?

I am truly uneducated on how/why hockey would be a good fit for OKC and why it gets brought up so much. It doesn't seem to have a large market share of sports across the US, generally speaking. It doesn't seem to naturally belong in Oklahoma where its hardly played at any level.

[PoliSciGuy]

I'd love to see an AHL team here. Hockey is a great sport to watch live. In one of my old haunts they had a 17-18 year old team that was always a great night to go watch, if only for a bunch of teenagers willing to fight each other after every hit. I don't think NHL makes sense for OKC outside of the fact that we're building a new NBA arena, but a higher level minor league hockey team would be great.

[bison34]

Hey, let's build an arena meant for an NBA team, but let's build it to be NHL-specific, as well.

No arena that has both is NHL-specific. They are basketball-specific, and happen to be able to have a hockey rink in it.

Let's build an NHL-specific arena for a sport that in no way, shape, form or fashion is interested in coming to OKC.

OKCtalk is a funny place.

[caaokc]

If anything I think Tulsa would be more worthy of an NHL team or a step up to AHL. They support The Oilers way better than OKC did with the Barons.

[citywokchinesefood]

Hey, let's build an arena meant for an NBA team, but let's build it to be NHL-specific, as well.

No arena that has both is NHL-specific. They are basketball-specific, and happen to be able to have a hockey rink in it.

Let's build an NHL-specific arena for a sport that in no way, shape, form or fashion is interested in coming to OKC.

OKCtalk is a funny place.

OKC would support an NHL team as long as they were good. As soon as they hit tough times it would go tits up. We are lucky the Thunder rebuilt so well and the people approved the arena or we would not have an NBA team come 2030. The attendance stats and listening to the Boomers and casual fans in the bar pretty much confirm the fair weather fan status of the majority of Oklahomans. For the most part the people that go to the games are really the only ones I trust to have a relatively informed opinion on the team. The average Oklahoman does not know anything about basketball.