Team chairman Clay Bennett and other Thunder executives attended Tuesday’s game, in large part to gather information on the Heat’s revolutionary 3,400-square-foot video board that was installed in May outside American Airlines Arena. Giving the arena a Time Square-like presence, the gigantic video board is a major revenue stream for the Heat. The largest digital LED display in the Southeast region of the country, the Heat can promote upcoming events on the board and sell advertising on it that can be seen by cars on the highway.

Read more: NewsOK (http://www.newsok.com/article/3418399#ixzz0XBkSijbd)

And, fabulous win by the Thunder in Miami tonight.

There was one rendering of the new entrance that suggested just this sort of thing (but may have been a giant banner)

There was one rendering of the new entrance that suggested just this sort of thing (but may have been a giant banner)

No, you're right. I believe it was the rendering that's been shown the most recently, too, and so I suspected they were hoping to get a video board.

I agree and DO hope the new Ford Center will have this giant electronic billboard. Oh, just imagine the excitement it will help bring to downtown as all of the lights, pictures, and ads come by as you approach; definitely might help some people stop and get off the freeway (who otherwise might not have).

Also, I hope we get a few smaller ones on other sides of the property. The giant one of course would be the main star attraction - but I hope they don't neglect the "pedestrian" approaches to Ford Center; having this giant and say two or three small pedestrian/streetside electronic billboards would definitely add to making Ford Center world class and one of the premier arenas in the world. .... :)

Yes, this was shown in one of the renovation alternatives and I thought it would be a fantastic idea, as it would be in the main plaza that will face the new downtown boulevard and be adjacent to the proposed Central Park.

Would be a great spot to briing people together for celebrations (New Year's Eve) and to watch sporting events.

Here's one of the renderings, and below shows how that plaza in the SW corner of the property will relate to the boulevard, park, convention center, etc.:

http://www.pc78.com/images/okctalk/fordexterior5.jpg

http://www.pc78.com/images/okctalk/fordboulevard.jpg

Pete Brzycki,

Thanks for reposting it (I think thats the one...LOL)

Does anyone have a pic or link they can post of the one mentioned that they visited for comparison? Thanks in advance!

Looks great but some moron will probably complain that it will be a safety issue distracting drivers from their text messaging.

Does anyone have a pic or link they can post of the one mentioned that they visited for comparison?

Here's some:

http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/A2aMedia---Miami-HEAT-Media.jpg

http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/mediahmesh1.jpg

That road looks about the width of The Boulevard... too wide!

Here's some:

Thanks, seem to recall a similar thing being pitched for the Chambers new headquarter building?

Just thought of something...wonder if the Council has put a ban on new billboards along the new Boulevard like they have along the relocated I-40?

That road looks about the width of The Boulevard... too wide!

Agreed.

Talk about a barrier to people move freely through the area.

That road looks about the width of The Boulevard... too wide!

Yep. I agree.

I don't think it wouldn't be as much of an issue if we didn't already have Reno and Broadway/Gaylord downtown. Just think how much of a divider those things are and I think the original Blvd ideas have it wider.

I think Miami's looks tacked on. If they can incorporate the Ford Center's board like in the rendering above, I think it will look really nice.

IT should be wider - with a canal extension running down the middle of it!

I think the Ford Center Rendering looks better than Miami's, it does look like it was tacked on last minute.

IT should be wider - with a canal extension running down the middle of it!

Problem solved...

IT should be wider - with a canal extension running down the middle of it!

Great. A canal with a view of concrete walls. Exactly why the canal extension is a bad idea.

Great. A canal with a view of concrete walls. Exactly why the canal extension is a bad idea.

Concrete walls only if an architect with a complete lack of imagination or sense of beauty designed it. With that kind of thinking you could say the same thing about the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Not all of it is lined with restaurants and hotels but it's still beautiful.

There's only so much you can put in a median...

Would be a great spot to briing people together for celebrations (New Year's Eve) and to watch sporting events.

Would they really show games to people for free on that thing?

There's only so much you can put in a median...

Tell that to the folks in Dallas and Turtle Creek or the work done in the median in Atlanta (see the pics on one of the MAPS threads). There's a great deal that can be done with enough imagination (and money).

Ran across a pic (think it was posted by Doug) in one of the other threads that showed the new entrance sans the video board (think it was the rendering used in the Thunder season ticket package)??

I'm sure he's considered these, but the video boards at the "other" American Airlines Center in Dallas I think are a great example. There are multiple boards (maybe something we wouldn't have) that surround a huge plaza at the entrance of the arena. There are bands and food and drink vendors that are there often--they had a huge watch party for the OU/TX game. I think it would be really cool to provide that type of a thing--especially during the Big XII tournaments or during the NCAA's where other games could be shown. It might be more fun to go hang out and watch basketball in front of the Ford Center at times rather than go in and watch the whole game played between a 7 seed and a 10 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Anyway, they've got an awesome setup there in their plaza, and I hope the Ford Center can duplicate it. If they do, the video board thing is a success in my book.