Didn't the Gap MAPs between 3 & 4 also have money for roads, parks, police, sidewalks? Only went for a few years but it did put more money towards it.
Didn't the Gap MAPs between 3 & 4 also have money for roads, parks, police, sidewalks? Only went for a few years but it did put more money towards it.
Building an 8k stadium to start out with room to expand in the future is fine and is the reasonable decision for the OKC Energy. USL teams average about 5.8k in attendance, and the highest attendance overall was Sacramento Republic FC with about 10.6k(https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2023...ip-attendance/) so it makes since why they would stick to building just 8k right now and build later. Would it be nice if a 20-25k stadium is built? Sure, but the only way to get it built is to show up to the matches and show that there is demand for soccer in OKC.
Press release:
***********
City Council approves use of economic development funds to leverage MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium
01/16/2024
Oklahoma City Council today approved using economic development funds to increase the budget for the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium from $41 million to $71 million.
The additional funding is contingent on the multipurpose stadium being located downtown, where an additional $30 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and other economic development funds could pay for a portion of the stadium’s construction costs.
“This outcome addresses three challenges,” Mayor David Holt said. “The MAPS 4 stadium project was always funded below the level this city deserves, the project never had a budget for land acquisition, and the land south of Bricktown needs a catalyst. With adoption of this plan by the Council, we have a more appropriate budget for the stadium, we can secure the donation of land, and we will provide the spark this particular property needs. That we can do all of this without general fund tax dollars is a win-win. I want to thank the Energy FC ownership group for their offer to donate the land for the stadium, and I want to thank the City Manager, Kenny Tsoodle with the Alliance for Economic Development, Councilmen Stone and Stonecipher, everyone who was involved in this for the last two years, the Council and the committees and trusts who approved it. We look forward to the next steps and another exciting development for Oklahoma City.”
Property under contract
OKC Energy FC Ownership is under contract to purchase an area of undeveloped property south of Bricktown and east of the Oklahoma City Convention Center from the Producers Downtown Development, LLC. The ownership group plans to donate 7.2 acres of the area to the City for the stadium, which the City will own.
OKC Energy FC Ownership plans to develop the remaining area into a sports-centered entertainment district.
The land donation is dependent on approval from the MAPS 4 Venues Subcommittee and the MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board, which could take place in early spring.
Stadium details
The stadium design includes a United States Soccer Federation (USSF)-approved pitch, seating for approximately 8,000 guests, locker rooms and suites. The venue is expected to drive the development of a sports-centered entertainment district downtown, a model that has proven to be successful in Louisville, Kentucky, and Indianapolis, Indiana. A similar project is under construction in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
The venue will be the City’s only stadium with a USSF-approved pitch to accommodate professional men’s and women’s soccer. When the area develops, visitors will be able to walk from restaurants, retail and housing to attend events in the new entertainment district.
is there any chance of potentially extending the canal into this area, the same as previously planned.
We talk a lot about TIF here but this seems like a pretty excellent use of it. The stadium should kick start and incentivize development in a barren area within the core with some significant hurdles that have so far prevented development there.
I think this may be what they were referring to
canal022019.jpg (1472×1024) (okctalk.com)
I would LOVE to see the canal system expanded.
7.2 acres donated to city? is that enough room to fit in an arena as well
you probably need at least 10 acres just to fit the basic stadium structure and still leave some room for future expansion/renovation.
by the way, the austin fc stadium "Q2" looks like a likely design type even though it is soccer specific and not multipurpose.
Journal Record article on the stadium
https://journalrecord.com/2024/02/71...nut-hole-site/
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.co...apolis-mls-bid
indianapolis has the political and financial backing to develop a + $1B stadium/mixed use downtown development to secure an MLS team for the city.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Bookmarks