Read into this as you want, but I think this means something is definitely brewing on the NBA front:

NewsOK: Ford Center improvements up for March 4 vote (http://newsok.com/article/3183081/1198174559)

I agree. It seems hard to believe the city would come up with a vote like this when there's only the promise of a team. This suggests they know something we've not been told yet.

Ditto what betts said. Sounds like it may be an early Christmas present ...:Smiley193 :Smiley193 :Smiley193

Surprisingly enough there are a lot of negative comments on this article. Whats up with that OKC?

It looks like a lot of the negative comments are from people who don't live in Oklahoma City. There are clearly some people who feel like those in Seattle, and one can see where it's getting them.

My question is why does it need a separate vote and separate 1-cent sales tax from MAPS 3?

It looks like a lot of the negative comments are from people who don't live in Oklahoma City.

Yeah and one guy even brought up illegal immigrants. :LolLolLol

Personally, I think it's healthy when a community questions taxation, but what's funny is that these people are complaining without seeing any kind of proposal. Some just see all taxation as inherently bad, so you're always going to get some of that reaction. However, if the proposal sucks, I'll complain right along with them and I certainly wouldn't extend a tax without an actual design proposal. No blank checks, please.

According to the Oklahoman article city leaders have been in consultation w/ the NBA regarding the Ford Center.

The NBA has said that a new arena is not currently needed and that the proposed upgrades to the Ford Center would put it on par with top arenas in the league.

The article went on to say that we would be set as far as arenas go for the next decade and half.

Sounds good to me.

My question is why does it need a separate vote and separate 1-cent sales tax from MAPS 3?

So we can have our cake and eat it to. Why slow down the momentum of the city and take away from MAPS with a new arena if we can fund an arena separately and then have more projects left for MAPS 3 instead of pushing some off until MAPS4. I say fund the new arena by raising the hotel/motel tax (which is what Bennett is suggesting in Seattle), ours is only 5 cents or so on the dollar which is about half the nationwide average. Raise it 2 cents and let visitors pay for a world class arena and keep our momentum going without having to wait for a MAPS4. How's that idea Cornett?

So we can have our cake and eat it to. Why slow down the momentum of the city and take away from MAPS with a new arena if we can fund an arena separately and then have more projects left for MAPS 3 instead of pushing some off until MAPS4. I say fund the new arena by raising the hotel/motel tax (which is what Bennett is suggesting in Seattle), ours is only 5 cents or so on the dollar which is about half the nationwide average. Raise it 2 cents and let visitors pay for a world class arena and keep our momentum going without having to wait for a MAPS4. How's that idea Cornett?

great idea .. and i am sure that the city has consulted with clay the entire time .. basicly this gives us until abotu 2025 before we need a new arena that will be what maps5 or so ..

this is a great thing for our city .. and i would think that it will pass with ease ..

The NBA has said that a new arena is not currently needed and that the proposed upgrades to the Ford Center would put it on par with top arenas in the league.

The article went on to say that we would be set as far as arenas go for the next decade and half.

That does sound great. I know that some would like to see a new arena, but I think the Ford Center's best asset is its location, which I feel helps to offset some of its shortcomings when compared to some of the top arenas in the NBA. The article suggested we're talking about $100 million in improvements. This will basically double the money originally spent to build the Ford Center and should buy some impressive improvements while still keeping the total investment below that of many of the newest arenas in the country.

When the Hornets were here, the NBA said that it was a middle of the pack arena. If we can move it into even the bottom of the top tier and keep its location for $100 million more, then I don't think you can ask for a better situation for Oklahoma City.

So we can have our cake and eat it to. Why slow down the momentum of the city and take away from MAPS with a new arena if we can fund an arena separately and then have more projects left for MAPS 3 instead of pushing some off until MAPS4. I say fund the new arena by raising the hotel/motel tax (which is what Bennett is suggesting in Seattle), ours is only 5 cents or so on the dollar which is about half the nationwide average. Raise it 2 cents and let visitors pay for a world class arena and keep our momentum going without having to wait for a MAPS4. How's that idea Cornett?

But the article said it will be a 1-cent sales tax when Maps for Kids is over.

i would guess that the maps3 sales tax would start being collected after this was finished being paid for ...

but i would expect the updgrades to start on the ford center asap .. and i would expect maps 3 projects to start before the tax starts ..

But the article said it will be a 1-cent sales tax when Maps for Kids is over.

I agree, and I think the city is stupid for proposing that. Basically they are delaying when MAPS3 will go into effect. Why not raise the hotel/motel tax again say 2 cents (which would be about 7 cents which is well below the national average). For the most part the tax is paid by out of town visitors on hotel rooms. This way it doesn't take away money from MAPS3, and doesn't delay MAPS3 from starting either. A win-win as far as I am concerned.

I agree.

Surprisingly enough there are a lot of negative comments on this article. Whats up with that OKC?
Here's what's up, in my opinion, contained in my own comments just made in the referenced thread's posts ... it shows up as made by "Doug" in the comments at NewsOK: Election to be called for Ford Center upgrade (http://newsok.com/article/3183081/1198174559)


It's pretty amusing reading the negative comments ... for those of you Okies not aware, it has become a common practice for people who use anonymous names AND CITY ids to actually be using fictitious locales ... if you don't believe it, check out the Seattle Times Sonics board sometime where people create usernames and purport to be from Okc or surrounding towns and then post there as though they were from this area. My name has been used in this way but there's really nothing I can do about that. There really are a number of nasties around who think that they can fool people by doing this type of thing. I'd be AMAZED if MANY of those who've posted here so far are not in that category ... they do not WANT Okc to succeed, they want Okc to fail ... and they want to create the illusion that those who actually DO live here are opposed to things such as this which cannot pass voter muster in their own region of the country. What's funny is that they think that voter approval may actually be influenced by their surreptitious anonymous posts here or anywhere else. They obviously haven't worked in Seattle and the tactic will not work here, either. This is an excellent and marvelously timely initiative by our city's leadership and it WILL PASS by a landslide. Those from or sympathetic to the Seattle area don't want it to, but it will. No, it wouldn't in pass in Seattle, but it will here. Just as it should.
Most of you have probably never taken a look at the fictitious posts made in the Seattle paper's Sonics forums ... why should you? That happens and it happens a lot. If you really want some examples, I'll copy and paste some into this thread ... you will not like what you see. It ain't pretty.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I already went over to the Seattle Times forum and poked them in the eye. It was fun.

I caught a bit of the mayor on the sports animal this afternoon. One thing he said that is important to conisder is that this is not a "refurbishing", like getting new carpets and such, but significant improvements that will essentially make it like a new building. That's what he said. Now we'll just have to wait for some specifics.

I think the only conerns about moving it our of MAPS is that it 1) takes a high profile project out of MAPS3 which could hinder its appeal to the masses and 2) means that, for MAPS3 to pass, Oklahoma Citians will be asked to tax themselves twice in a period of 12-16 months.

I think the MAPS 3 tax would be a continuation of this tax (which is a continuation of the MAPS for Kids, which is a continuation of "Let's finish MAPS right, which is a continuation of MAPS). The citizens of OKC voted to taxed themselves back-to-back to finish MAPS right and MAPS for Kids, and they will this time as well. Although, by taking Ford Center upgrades and/or new arena out of MAPS 3, they will have to come up with some really good projects for it.

Here's the most recent and more comprehensive article from the DOK:

Ford Center plan must be OK'd before Sonics voteBy Bryan Dean
Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY voters will decide March 4 whether they want their city to be an NBA town.
The city will ask voters to approve a temporary 1-cent sales tax to pay for improvements at the Ford Center that would put the arena on par with the best NBA venues in the country, Mayor Mick Cornett said Thursday. The vote will come a month before NBA owners decide whether to approve the Seattle SuperSonics' application to relocate to Oklahoma City. Without a yes vote on the tax, the city likely won't get a team, Cornett said.

"No one is forcing us to do this,” Cornett said. "This is a choice. We can choose to be an NBA city, or we can choose not to be. We're not going to get a franchise if we don't pass it.”

Like ‘a brand-new arena'
The city has contracted with the architect who built the Ford Center, The Benham Companies, to study what improvements will be needed to bring the arena to NBA standards.A practice facility, better concession areas, new restaurants and other fan amenities are among the improvements expected to be included in the architect's report. The improvements would be funded by a temporary sales tax to be collected beginning Jan. 1, 2009 — the day after the MAPS for Kids penny sales tax expires. Cornett said the tax would likely last one year to 15 months and pay for about $100 million worth of improvements. The Ford Center cost about $92 million to build.

The exact cost of the improvements and length of the tax will be announced by Jan. 2, the day the city council is scheduled to vote to set the March 4 election. Cornett said the city, working in consultation with the NBA, has determined a new arena won't be needed in the near future. The renovations would make the Ford Center comparable to the league's best arenas and will prevent the city from needing a new arena for at least 10 to 15 years."For all intents and purposes, it will be a brand-new arena the day it opens,” Cornett said.

Clay Bennett, the Oklahoma City businessman who leads the SuperSonics' ownership group, gave a preliminary endorsement to the move Thursday. "Mayor Cornett and the city have taken a visionary and appropriate step towards becoming an NBA city,” Bennett said. "I applaud their leadership.”

Vote would be timely
City officials considered including Ford Center improvements in a MAPS 3 initiative expected to go to a vote late next year, but Cornett said it can't wait.
The NBA Board of Governors, made up of representatives from each ownership group in the league, is scheduled to vote on the SuperSonics relocation request in April. Cornett said the improvements must be approved before then to convince the league Oklahoma City is committed to hosting an NBA franchise permanently. "We don't feel like a MAPS 3 initiative is ready to go in its entirety,” Cornett said. "The only prudent thing to do was pull the Ford Center improvements out and have it voted upon by itself.” Even if the league approves the relocation request, the team moving isn't a sure thing. The SuperSonics are in a legal battle with the city of Seattle over the terms of its lease, with the city claiming the team must play its games in Seattle until the current lease expires in 2010.

If legal disputes keep the Sonics from moving to Oklahoma City, the Ford Center improvements will be re-worked or delayed, Cornett said. "We're not going to build something we don't need,” Cornett said.

Unlike past ballot initiatives like MAPS for Kids, city officials expect organized and well-funded opposition to the Ford Center proposal. Cornett said the city will rely on the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce to get its message to the voters. Brett Hamm, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said the chamber and the downtown business community will be big supporters of the proposal. "With the Hornets, we saw a total economic impact between $65 and $70 million during their two-year stay,” Hamm said. "Regardless of whether you're an NBA fan or sports fan at all, having our own major league team in Oklahoma City expands business growth, development and opportunity across the city.” Cornett said he knows getting the proposal passed will be a fight, but it's one he believes city leaders can win.

"My perception is that this city has loved the NBA's presence and wants more of it and is willing to invest in itself,” Cornett said.

I think they just need to make OKC 8.375% sales tax permanent. They could call the penny tax a city improvement/service expansion tax. The funds could go to adding/renovating community centers, expanding the transit system, city pools/spray grounds, additional city parks, repaving and replacing main and residential streets, as well as expanding the police fire departments.

In the end, we would have a very safe and user friendly city. The only request I would have is to have an independent citizen board to track every penny and post their records for public inspection.


It would not bother me if the city put at an even 10%. I already round to 10% when I pay for goods and services just as a precaution.

Making it permanent is not a good idea. Once they know they have the money they will start spending it on crazy stuff that has nothing to do why the money was rasied in the first place. I live in Jacksonville, FL we made a 20 year temporary 1 cent tax and they are only building about half of what was promised. Not sure where the rest of the money went. We have a half completed court house that will never get finished because oposition groups led by one of the judges got the project stopped. I look at MAPS like a contruction loan. Build what you said you were going to build or the money stops flowing.

20 years is way too long. You cannot accuratelt predict inflation and construction costs like that. Even MAPs had issues in it's short run and had to be extended.

MAPs 3 won't be hurt by having to wait 1 year either folks. 1 year for making such a drastic change to a facility that has helped spur a CRAPLOAD of stuff is well worth it.

I agree, the city should basically delay MAPS III for a year or two, get Ford Center into the top tier and secure the NBA - then once that deal is signed, go for MAPS III.

I always thought that the arena should NOT be included in MAPS III and I am very glad to see the city has vision to preempt the NBA with a HUGE carrot that will basically make the vote near 100% in favor of relocation to OKC, whereas without the carrot relocation might be 60-40.

I disagree with Cornet that a No vote means No NBA, but I do agree that a YES vote assures OKC a team - be it the Sonics, Hornets, or somebody else - and in the very near future (like within 3 years).

VOTE YES to make the Ford Center world class. It only extends the current penny a year or so, big deal - yet we'd finally have a facility which nobody in the country could look down upon.

And with a team finally OUR OWN, nobody would ever look down on OKC. I see long standing benefits, Ford Center is OKC's trophy (which businesses/potential residents look to when they claim quality of life/things to do) - we want our trophy to be top-knotch; and only $100M to do so, and only extension of the penny already being paid. ..

This is a no-brainer.

Metro, I think the new arena (10-20 years from now) could be funded with a hotel tax increase, especially since OKC should have 1/3 more hotel rooms and much of them full with events from the rebuilt Ford Center (and the business it brings) by then.

You do have a good idea, but - Right now, I dont think OKC is big enough to rely on a hotel tax increase for such a QUICK shot in the arm.

I like what MAPS has done thus far. I'm not an NBA fan, but having the FORD Center has brought Musical acts through town that might not otherwise have come.

I'd be curious to know the following though:


$X in MAPS money towards FORD Center yields $Y in actual benefit to the community.


vs.


$XX in MAPS money towards (insert project here) yields $YY in actual benefit to the community.



Lord knows we STILL need better edu-ma-cation here.
And there are still areas of this city that need Urban Renewal more so than the Bricktown area.

Has anybody bothered to research this? Or is everyone just willing to roll the dice on getting an NBA franchise here?

One good thing about keeping the taxes temporary, as opposed to permanent, is that it gives the voters the chance to pick and choose what they're willing to tax themselves for and it creates pressure to do the approved projects right if they ever want approval for anything else in the future.

Yeah I don't like the idea of a permanent tax not tied to specific projects.

I also don't think we should postpone MAPS 3. We've waited long enough. Either make the Ford Center improvements part of MAPS 3, or do them simultaneously.

I'm not sure you can say that ugrading the Ford is going to benefit the community in terms of dollars, unless we get an NBA team. And I'm not a huge believer in the straight economic benefit of a professional team to a community. Basketball primarily brings in money from the community, as most people who attend games are local, so it's entertainment money that would otherwise be spent elsewhere. You do, however, have some out of town visitors, and if the team makes the playoffs, you do get out of town visitors who stay in hotels and eat out at restaurants.

But what I think you cannot measure, is the indirect value a professional team brings to a community. You may attract businesses that otherwise would choose other cities, you may retain more college graduates, as it increases the entertainment options, and you get a lot of free advertising for your city on ESPN during the season.

But, after having visited the Ford Center for the All College Tournament last night, I think it doesn't matter if we get an NBA team: the Ford Center is close to being an embarrassment. The concourses are bare bones and ugly, the bathrooms are disgusting, with cracks all over the stained floors and inadequate facilities, and the OU scoreboard makes the one at the Ford look bad. If we want to compete with arenas like the Sprint Center and perhaps even the BOK Center for the Big Twelve championship, it might help if our arena looked less low-budget. I'm a little embarrassed to bring out of town guests there.

Are there published renditions of what Ford Center will look like after renovations? I hope you guys will get to see what you are voting on.

I'm not sure that the public will ever see much from this tax. It's more for things tha the team would use. Locker Room, practice facility....but we will see better merchandise areas, eateries, etc. But as far as the general public experience goes, it will be business pretty much as usual.

Don't let that discourage you though, because this is improtant. This is what we need and is exactlly what the Ford Center was designed for. They planned on this when they built the thing, and now it's time to make good on the deal. Seriously, how many other buildings in town have done so much to help a town?

Are there published renditions of what Ford Center will look like after renovations? I hope you guys will get to see what you are voting on.


Not yet, but there surely will be before the vote.

They're talking about improved bathrooms (SERIOUSLY needed), some flooring other than concrete on the concourses and walls, and a new scoreboard, so those are all things we would experience. I'd like to vote for a new sound system as well. I agree that this is important, and in the same vein as the Civic Center renovation and other quality of life improvements in OKC.

I'm not sure that the public will ever see much from this tax. * * * Seriously, how many other buildings in town have done so much to help a town?
The answer to the 1st answers the 2nd ... in 2 seasons, paid attendance at the Ford Center was one million, three hundred two thousand, two hundred twenty-three ... 1,302,223. Even given "repeaters," that's a lot of the public ... and it evidences why the 2nd sentence is so very true.

Somebody argued that the "increase" generated by a professional team is neglegible considering that most ticket owners are local - the money would have been spent elsewhere.

Im not so sure I agree with that. Even if you consider Econ 101, you need a stimulous to have a growing economy. That was the SOLE purpose of MAPS in the first place - public dollars for economic stimulous.

Now, we've seen where that's got us. $390M in public money for a revamped downtown, including a barebones NBA/NHL acceptable STARTER arena to get their attention; this has so far equated to some $2.5B in private dollars!!!

And it was stated that the Hornets provided an economic stimulous of $60M per annum - and trust me, this was lots of dollars from Tulsa, Lawton, Wichita, and even the Dallas area (I'd venture to say 40% of the sales). These people ate at OKC restaurants and stayed at hotels - by the way, this is how they come up with the numbers (hotel/restaurant totals vs. NORMAL without the NBA).

So, there IS economic stimulous and I'd say there is REAL economic growth attributable to a permanent major-league team. Surely, I'd expect the $60M per annum to be even higher with a permanent franchise - especially since it will also include the WNBA, which will target ALL demographics and income levels!!

Somebody also argued, (I think it was Metro), why not increase the hotel/motel tax. Well, we should, but not to improve the ford center. OKC is not large enough nor has the large number of hotel rooms (luxury rooms) to justify having a large tax. If we raised the tax significantly, we will lose our competitive advantage that OKC has over EVERY city!!! Furthermore, it would take FOREVER to get the dollars in place from a hotel tax increase. Think about it,

I'd argue that OKC currently has over 14,000 hotel rooms (basically 2000 more than the circa 1996 total), and of those - only 900 rooms are AAA 4 diamond or higher (Renaissance Hotel 311 rooms + Colcord Hotel 151 rooms + Skirvin Hotel 250 rooms + Marriott Waterford 197! Even so, say we raised it 2 cents like metro said, and assume EVERY HOTEL ROOM WAS BOOKED EVERY NIGHT and the avg rate is $125; that would give us $35000 per day or ONLY $12.8M per annum. Now, we'd have to do that for 10 years in order to get the same money a 1 cent sales tax would generate. ....

[I agree we should raise it, but that (more realistic 70% occupancy) $8M a 2 cent increase in the hotel tax would generate should go toward Will Rogers World Airport and/or tourism purposes.]

Now, back to the 1 cent tax and Ford Center. ...

The idea is, improve the Ford Center to make it comparable to a top 10 building, secure a permanent franchise, and PACK THE DAMN ARENA ALL YEAR LONG with NBA games, WNBA games, concerts, and Conference/National sporting events!!!

Hopefully, and Im sure, this is the goal of the city - and once this happens, we will at LEAST make up that $125M - one year 1 cent tax extension, in less than two years with a team. And the team will be the beacon and shining star for Oklahoma City nationwide, OKC is finally on the map.

.. Can't beat that for a penny (heck, I'll gladly pay it for whoever is complaining when I visit).!!!

Some people argue that pro-sports franchises don't deliver the economic value the report to. That is probably true. I am not sure Memphis is any better off with the NBA than they were before. I know Jacksonville, FL didn't reap all of the rewards they were promised when the Jags came to town.

However, there is the big difference. Places like Memphis and Jacksonville were looking at pro sports as the mechanism to spur development. This isn't the case in OKC. We look at a pro team as the finish line in a race started with the first MAPS vote. We don't need an NBA team to make OKC a great city - we made OKC great by investing in ourselfs and building a nice place to live. An NBA team will help OKC make the next step but OKC has a lot more going for it than the NBA. The Jags are an NFL team in an average city that is really going nowhere and the Grizzlies are an NBA in a still dirty city.

I see OKC more like Nashville. A city that picked itself up, dusted it self off, and got to work. The NBA is just one more piece of the plan - not THE plan.

The answer to the 1st answers the 2nd ... in 2 seasons, paid attendance at the Ford Center was one million, three hundred two thousand, two hundred twenty-three ... 1,302,223. Even given "repeaters," that's a lot of the public ... and it evidences why the 2nd sentence is so very true.

AMEN Doug! Hopefully you didn't think I was discounting the tax...I just meant that a lot of the changes won't be things that the average Joe sees from their seat.

Some people argue that pro-sports franchises don't deliver the economic value the report to. That is probably true. I am not sure Memphis is any better off with the NBA than they were before. I know Jacksonville, FL didn't reap all of the rewards they were promised when the Jags came to town.

However, there is the big difference. Places like Memphis and Jacksonville were looking at pro sports as the mechanism to spur development. This isn't the case in OKC. We look at a pro team as the finish line in a race started with the first MAPS vote. We don't need an NBA team to make OKC a great city - we made OKC great by investing in ourselfs and building a nice place to live. An NBA team will help OKC make the next step but OKC has a lot more going for it than the NBA. The Jags are an NFL team in an average city that is really going nowhere and the Grizzlies are an NBA in a still dirty city.

I see OKC more like Nashville. A city that picked itself up, dusted it self off, and got to work. The NBA is just one more piece of the plan - not THE plan.

great points .. i 100% agree

OKC has to invest in itself before anyone else will.

Which do you guys think will create more jobs? That 75 million dollar "economic development" bond? Or the Ford Center improvements which will result in an NBA franchise?

Ford center improvements. That 75 mil will "disappear".

Some more details:

NewsOK: Proposed Ford Center tax expected to last 15 months (http://newsok.com/article/3186306/1198874819)

Highlights:


Tax would last 15 months
121 Million Dollars Raised
Upgrades to concourse
Skyboxes and roof gardens added
New iconic entrance on the Southwest side towards new boulevard


Basically, I see this as "finishing" the job. So many out of town guests have commented to me that the arena is adequate, but looks like it wasn't finished. The good news is that the bulk of the money will be spent on things that all visitors will enjoy, while also upgrading the facilities for the organizations that are using it.

The only question I have is the wisdom of taking the main entrance off Reno. Is that boulevard a sure thing/done deal? And, while I'm thinking of it, even if it is a done deal, do we want to steer traffic away from the north side due to the nature of the pedestrian flow from the CBD and bricktown? I think it could be a good thing, but the south side will have to catch up to the north side. Maybe this is a way to do it, but I also like the idea of a plaza that incorporates the convention center as well. Now, if we got a convention hotel on the south side on the boulevard, I think it would be a coup.

Once the boulevard is complete along with the convention center and hotel across the boulevard, that entrance will make sense. It might be a good plan to hang on to the money for that part of the project for a couple years, since right now it would face a giant bridge.

I agree that would make sense, but what are the chances right now that it will actually happen? I'm not saying that it won't happen, but until any of that is actually set to be built, then there is some risk is putting the money in the south side. Maybe delaying that phase would be a good move, but it would also mean that the Ford Center would be under constant renovation and construction for the next few years.

Also, I'd be interested to know what people think of Cornett's contention that getting the NBA is contingent on passing these improvements.

I think they could completely hold off on the new entrance, without leaving a big hole in the side of the building or anything.


Oh, and roof gardens???

I think they could completely hold off on the new entrance, without leaving a big hole in the side of the building or anything.

No I just meant that we'd have all the construction from the internal renovations, followed by the outside renovations, instead of doing as much of it at once.



Oh, and roof gardens???

The article describes them like balconies where you can go up and have a drink outside while looking at the city. I think they sound pretty cool, actually, but I'm not sure if they'd be exclusive for VIP, Club, and/or suites guests or if they'd be open for general admission.

Where are they going to put those? So is this going to be a complete facelift?

It sounds very cool. I'm all for improving the Ford, even without an NBA team, although we wouldn't necessarily need skyboxes or roof gardens. I'd love to see better bathrooms, nicer flooring and the Ice House finished out and upgraded. People I know who sit in club level tell me the sound system is not in place there, and the scoreboard could stand an upgrade. After seeing the ones at OU and Texas A&M, it's kind of embarrassing that the Ford Center's is so much worse. It sounds like most of the improvements would enhance the visitor's experience rather than being strictly designed as a money maker for the owners (which seems to be many people's objection). Personally, after the owners spent so much money for a team, will have to pay a $30 million dollar relocation fee, not to mention all the court costs, all to bring us a team to enjoy, I'm not opposed to them making some money.

If at the very least, the renovations make the inside something like American Airlines Center, then Im all for it. Our arena is way behind other arenas nearby.

So is this going to be a complete facelift?

It sounds like it. I think we're supposed to see some more formal plans this week.

If OKC pulls it off, it will be a great move: take half the money and build a bare bones arena, prove viability and generate revenue for 5 years, and then spend the other half later to make it competitive in perks and amenities and when it's all said and done, we still won't have spent as much as most cities have in the last 10-15 years.

excellent points BDP and betts.

Some of the naysayers are forgetting that Bennett and Co did spend $350M of THEIR money and will be spending much more to get OKC a team. ...

And, like what was also said, almost all of these improvements/retrofit is for the visitor experience and not for profit making. ..

I can't wait to see/hear the improvement report. I hope the city does a very nice job informing that the extension will 'complete' what MAPS started, not fill the pockets of Bennett - although I do agree it doesn't hurt to support those who got you a team., ...

After all, if it wasn't for Clay Bennett - OKC would have never gotten the Hornets!!

Absolutely right.

Something for my fellow conspiracy theorists -- when was the last time one of these big name city father types put real money where their mouth is. Not Hogan, not anyone else comes to mind. Bennett took a HUGE risk here for Oklahoma City.

We need to show him and anyone else who would invest their own money into the city that the people of OKC will get behind whatever is going on.

I think it should also be considered that these improvements are in no way exclusive to NBA games and benefit everyone using the facility. These improvements will raise the profile of any and every event that takes place in the Ford Center in the future. This includes hockey games, exhibition games, concerts, college tournaments, and convention related events. These facilities could be used for receptions, meetings, parties, etc. Think how cool it would be to have a party on a roof garden 40 feet about street level downtown.

No, these are not just NBA improvements. We can argue the economic impact of an NBA team, but the simple economic impact of having a top tier arena should be considered on its own merit as well. These improvements, as they have been touted so far, will make it so that no large event, save for stadium scale events, would have reason to ignore Oklahoma City because of facilities.

Here is a list of everything the $100-$125 million that we'll be voting on March 4th will go towards and Also, what do you guys think about the new entrance? Do you think they could have done better?

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j182/Watson410/NewFordCenter.jpg
A look at what the Ford Center might look like after renovations.

Upgrading the Ford Center
Expected changes to the Ford Center if proposal is approved by voters on March 4
A new practice and training facility in an undetermined off-site location.

An expanded southwest grand entry.

New and expanded locker rooms.

New VIP clubs.

New player parking with secure access to the event level.

Larger team stores and added kiosks and merchandizing throughout the building.

Upgraded finishes on floors, walls and ceilings throughout the 100 and 300 concourse levels.

Updated interior design to the suites.

Loge-style seats in the club level.

A new restaurant on the southwest side of the building.

A fan zone and play area in the 300 level.

Two roof gardens areas where fans can mingle and see the skyline.

*List is not comprehensive.
By Darnell Mayberry

Rendering = boring. Here's a tip: take a peek up the turnpike.

Typical Benham.

Do you think they could have done better?

I like it, but if all the money were going to the concourse, then maybe I'd say they could have done better. But as 1 superficial part of a 100 million dollar renovation that includes many real comfort and amenity improvements, I like it just fine. What's kind of cool about it is that, when it is all said and done, we'll have a mostly brick arena, but also have an entrance on par with many of the more modern styled arenas.

I think it would take a huge amount of money to give it an award winning outer face lift and, really, I don't think that money would be well spent. This way we get a grand entrance, a top tier arena, and a very good, imo, management of public money towards the the facility.

Anyone have a larger picture or rendering?

Here's a larger pic:
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/CuatrodeMayo/FordCenterRenov.jpg

Lol...The Blazers are going to have a PIMP arena for their league. :D

Here's some perspective:

USATODAY.com - NBA arenas: Fantastic or not? (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2005-04-12-arenas-cover_x.htm)

NBA Arena List from Wiki:

Template:NBA Arenas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:NBA_Arenas)

I hope they make the power point presentation available to the public.

Here's some more images and proposed floorplans.

The rooftop gardens would offer great skyline vistas:

http://images32.fotki.com/v1063/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordrendering-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1081/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordnow-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1081/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordnow-vi.jp

http://images34.fotki.com/v1080/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordnew-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1076/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordnew2-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1082/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordsuite-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1075/photos/1/1131078/5453796/fordconcourse-vi.jpg

Nice additions. Come on Oklahoma City let's not get to the goal line and fumble the ball. We are ready to take the next step in our Cities development. In my opinion, this will spur additonal development downtown and continue the progress made over the past 10-15 years