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Downtown OKC Inc. is sponsoring this court while will directly across from Chesapeake Arena.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/court.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/court1.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/court2.jpg

Cool, huh? Jane Jenkins got excited about doing this after seeing online discussions about how downtown doesn't have a court like this

Cool, huh? Jane Jenkins got excited about doing this after seeing online discussions about how downtown doesn't have a court like this

Cool would be an understatement, Steve. =) =) =)

Great idea to urbanize DT OKC, should build two side by side.

Very cool. I am guessing this is only going to be here until construction starts on the CC. I guess at that point it can be moved to the new Central Park.

I am guessing this is only going to be here until construction starts on the CC. I guess at that point it can be moved to the new Central Park.

This is my guess as well.

Great idea to urbanize DT OKC, should build two side by side.

This. Why build just one court? Do a few because people will be hesitant to play there if only 10 can play at a time... Great idea though!

The letter above says four year term depending on future construction (meaning convention center and/or hotel).

This. Why build just one court? Do a few because people will be hesitant to play there if only 10 can play at a time... Great idea though!

Having played more than my fair share of pick-up ball, a single court can support 20 players (4 teams of 5). Now I want to move back to OKC more than ever before. I would be there playing all the time.

Having played more than my fair share of pick-up ball, a single court can support 20 players (4 teams of 5).

I play in pick-up games almost every week and that's how we usually do it unless there isn't a lot of people that show up, which in that case we just make teams accordingly (i.e. 3 teams of 15 [team in waiting plays winner of previous game] or 2 teams of 4, etc).

This will be cool, imagine catching KD, Westbrook, and Harden getting a pick up game with the locals in the off-season Coolest thing about this, it will prob happen.

This will be cool, imagine catching KD, Westbrook, and Harden getting a pick up game with the locals in the off-season Coolest thing about this, it will prob happen.

You'd probably catch them even in the middle of the season. This was also my initial thought since it's by Chesapeake Energy Arena and in the middle of C2S.

What is so great about something like this is that it allows people from varied backgrounds to interact and build friendships. Couple that with the potential for many of these people to live within a few blocks of the court and it can't help but strengthen the downtown community. You could have someone living in the East Bricktown 'affordable' units playing with someone living in the $3.5 million penthouse atop City Place. You can't do that in suburbia.

What is so great about something like this is that it allows people from varied backgrounds to interact and build friendships. Couple that with the potential for many of these people to live within a few blocks of the court and it can't help but strengthen the downtown community. You could have someone living in the East Bricktown 'affordable' units playing with someone living in the $3.5 million penthouse atop City Place. You can't do that in suburbia.

Yea it will be cool to say, me, The Beard, and Royal Ivey against KD, Collison, and you.

You forgot about the Catch22.....I make a good...well nothing to do with basketball.

Good to see something like this come to fruition!

I am not sure KD can handle being the 2nd best player on the court.

You forgot about the Catch22.....I make a good...well nothing to do with basketball.

Good to see something like this come to fruition!

Someone has to be picked last - it might as well be you. If you have a team in-waiting you usually only play to 7 or 10 points so get out there ang give it a shot. Even if you suck, the game won't last long - besides, you might be able to sink a 3 and not even know it.

I am not sure KD can handle being the 2nd best player on the court.

I laughed.

I'll take Serge and Maynor once he's healed from his ACL tear.

What position do you play well, catch22?

The one that gets dunked on?

So you can have Perk on your team. LOL

I'm not that good at taking it to the hole or dribbling, but I have a nice little 15ft jumper!

If I might add something if anyone with the power to do so is reading this. Put in a bike rack and some lockers (bring your own lock). I always hated having to put my wallet, keys, and phone on the ground and having to keep an eye on them. Something like these will do:

http://www.storageessentials.co.uk/shop/wire+mesh+lockers/images/library/P-1650-c.jpg

Once built we should have OKCTALK pick up games on every other Sunday nights.

I'm not trying to brag, G. Walker, but I can do all that about as good as any average person but I'm honestly better at catching a pass in rythem and shooting it for a 'Thunder money ball' or medium-long 2.

Great news. Wayyyyyyy overdue. We need several scattered through Midtown, Downtown, and Uptown.

Great news. Wayyyyyyy overdue. We need several scattered through Midtown, Downtown, and Uptown.

Exactly!, You want to be a big league city you must have public urban b-ball courts. I could give you at least a dozen good locations for outdoor courts. Very little cost in building these basketball courts. Also with the success of the Thunder there are more basketball fans in Okc than ever in our history. Every Okc kid wants to be the next KD, Westbrook, Nick Collison or even Blake Griffin.

I would like to see the Thunder organization get behind a campaign to build more urban outdoor b-ball courts.

Good for Jane! I have to say I'm surprised to see this happen after all these years. The lights, fencing, and full court instead of half court all will make this the best outdoor option available by far.

I'm super pumped. I just wish they were building more.

Some time ago they a big three-on-three tournament on a bunch of the downtown streets. Set up a bunch of temporary goals and played a ton of half-court games. The ad below was from 1990.

Whatever happened to this? I remember it was very popular. Really easy way to bring people downtown.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/3on3.jpg

Would also be good for one of these new housing developments (Edge, LEVEL, Bricktown East) to build a court locally as well.

My only concern with this location is 'eyes on the court at night' since it is several blocks from the nearest residences. With it being on an open lot with long sight lines I hope it can keep from becoming a 'hangout location' during the over-night hours.

Some time ago they a big three-on-three tournament on a bunch of the downtown streets. Set up a bunch of temporary goals and played a ton of half-court games. The ad below was from 1990.

Whatever happened to this? I remember it was very popular. Really easy way to bring people downtown.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/3on3.jpg

I remember this. When I was little, my dad played in it a couple of years and we would go watch. At the time I thought it was super cool and couldnt wait to play in it myself. However a few years later it stopped. It was an awesome event though, complete with 3 point and dunk contest.

This is going to be awesome! I hope they put some sort of temp bleachers or seating around the court for us less athletically inclined individuals.

Good for Jane! I have to say I'm surprised to see this happen after all these years. The lights, fencing, and full court instead of half court all will make this the best outdoor option available by far.

This is the only noticeable (and much appreciated) accomplishment that I've noticed since she arrived.

This is the only noticeable (and much appreciated) accomplishment that I've noticed since she arrived.

getting the BID renewed and expanded .. was a huge deal

This is pretty cool, but I'd rather see it go into an area that is more residential. I do not believe that a convention center and its ruined surroundings need a basketball court.

This is pretty cool, but I'd rather see it go into an area that is more residential. I do not believe that a convention center and its ruined surroundings need a basketball court.

Spartan, the basketball court won't have any connection to the convention center. It is temporary and will disappear when the convention center is built. If it's used in the meanwhile what is the problem? It may give an impetus to other similar facilities nearer to residential if it is successful

Spartan, the basketball court won't have any connection to the convention center. It is temporary and will disappear when the convention center is built. If it's used in the meanwhile what is the problem? It may give an impetus to other similar facilities nearer to residential if it is successful

The arena front would make a great background for it if they put one in the north east corner of central park later, slant it to go parallel to the Chesapeake Arena Court and put any seats on the southwest side for view.

getting the BID renewed and expanded .. was a huge deal

Good point. I guess I meant first major public ally visible accomplishment. The BID renewal was a big thing on the b2B side, although I know they wanted to do it several years early.

The arena front would make a great background for it if they put one in the north east corner of central park later, slant it to go parallel to the Chesapeake Arena Court and put any seats on the southwest side for view.

I just don't think that would happen, especially on the boulevard frontage. Either they're looking to drop a lot of money into a park that nobody will use, or they will need more funding for the convention palace and then amenities like this become a reality not just on the south part of the park, but also the north edge.

On the bright side, I think the SkyDance Bridge could be a really cool backdrop for a bball court that in theory, people would use.

I just don't think that would happen, especially on the boulevard frontage. Either they're looking to drop a lot of money into a park that nobody will use, or they will need more funding for the convention palace and then amenities like this become a reality not just on the south part of the park, but also the north edge.

On the bright side, I think the SkyDance Bridge could be a really cool backdrop for a bball court that in theory, people would use.

I don't think it would happen either, just saying it could be a nice location.

I will be at the meeting march 15 to offer my support..What is this going to do to the parking situation? Did REHCO DEV sell this parcel to the city.. I am sooo confused about this..

I will be at the meeting march 15 to offer my support..What is this going to do to the parking situation? Did REHCO DEV sell this parcel to the city.. I am sooo confused about this..

This was a car dealership until a couple years ago, at most we lost a small temporary parking source that is dwarfed by the gains in parking from Project 180.

I love this idea...but I agree put in another one. One thing I would like to add is put in some soccer goals for some futsal. For those of us who are more inclined to use our feet

I just don't think that would happen, especially on the boulevard frontage. Either they're looking to drop a lot of money into a park that nobody will use, or they will need more funding for the convention palace and then amenities like this become a reality not just on the south part of the park, but also the north edge.

On the bright side, I think the SkyDance Bridge could be a really cool backdrop for a bball court that in theory, people would use.

Totally agree! They should be in neighborhoods! There are so many empty lots the city owns that could be converted to a basketball court or depending on the neighborhood a tennis court.

This was a car dealership until a couple years ago, at most we lost a small temporary parking source that is dwarfed by the gains in parking from Project 180.

I know I read that parking was supposed to be greatly enhanced with Project 180 but with the recent cutbacks in it, is this still the case?

This was a car dealership until a couple years ago, at most we lost a small temporary parking source that is dwarfed by the gains in parking from Project 180.

Project 180 LOL More parking LOL Wow now thats funny

Project 180 LOL More parking LOL Wow now thats funny

Not if you know the facts, because it's true, and with you being a downtown business owner, I'm surprised by your lack of knowledge. Project 180 has added numerous curb side parking spots, and that's a fact.

Maybe a completed Project 180 will provide more parking space but that could still be years away. I think that is what Reno and Walker was getting at.

Maybe a completed Project 180 will provide more parking space but that could still be years away. I think that is what Reno and Walker was getting at.

Several spaces have already been added around the Myriad Gardens (just to name a few). But why let facts get in the way.

Several spaces have already been added around the Myriad Gardens (just to name a few). But why let facts get in the way.

...and how many spaces are not available right now due to on-going construction? Is it more or less than what has been added?

Some time ago they a big three-on-three tournament on a bunch of the downtown streets. Set up a bunch of temporary goals and played a ton of half-court games. The ad below was from 1990.

Whatever happened to this? I remember it was very popular. Really easy way to bring people downtown.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/3on3.jpg

This was a great event. Only problem for me was one of my guys played ball at TU, so we got moved into a higher category and got smoked. Would love to see it come back to OKC, especially with the Thunder in town.

Steve is featuring that 3-on-3 event today on his blog. I posted this general thought there...

How about embedding basketball goal sleeves in many of the downtown streets? Lots of schools do this in their parking lots so they can host huge hoops summer camps. They merely store the goals and drop them into place when needed, then quickly take them down again.

As a part of the Better Block initiative that is just starting in OKC, they have had a lot of success in periodically taking back the streets for fun and recreation. We have all those new beautiful downtown streets that go almost unused on weekends and evenings... Why not close off streets and rotate basketball goals around the area? And of course, it would make it super easy to set up for something like 3-on-3 events.

We could do the same with street hockey goals and other sports. Just chalk off the court lines and wash them off later.


But basketball is the most urban of all games and you just know lots of young people would be drawn to the central city if they had the skyline as the backdrop for their game.

How about embedding basketball goal sleeves in many of the downtown streets? Lots of schools do this in their parking lots so they can host huge hoops summer camps. They merely store the goals and drop them into place when needed, then quickly take them down again.

How weird - I just did this at my home 2 months ago. It is a good idea but would require an organization to pull it off every year.

BLDC-2012-02255 --400 W RENO AVE. (http://okc.gov/Access/Cap/CapDetail.aspx?Module=Permits&TabName=Permits&capID1=12BRE&capID2=00000&capID3=02255&agencyCode=OKC&IsToShowInspection=)

Building permit accepted and on file with the city. Awaiting approval.

How weird - I just did this at my home 2 months ago. It is a good idea but would require an organization to pull it off every year.

it's easier and more mobile to just use portable goals.

it's easier and more mobile to just use portable goals.

We had a portable goal but every time I wanted to move it I had to empty the water out, move it, and refill with water. I tried moving it once without taking the water out and broke the wheels off. The big base was also unsightly and killed a big square of grass next to the driveway. Plus, the current system is anchored in about 150 lbs of buried concrete - it isn't going to tip over on a dunk.

We had a portable goal but every time I wanted to move it I had to empty the water out, move it, and refill with water. I tried moving it once without taking the water out and broke the wheels off. The big base was also unsightly and killed a big square of grass next to the driveway. Plus, the current system is anchored in about 150 lbs of buried concrete - it isn't going to tip over on a dunk.

Looks like they have started putting the courts in!!!!!That was FAST !!!!!!!!!!

Pics?

Here you go! This Reno looking south courtesy BoulderSooner:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/downtownhoops.jpg