Be the first to see a first look at plans for new OKC Thunder arena.
Manica Architecture debuted this video, walking viewers through the future of Oklahoma City Thunder basketball, which was unveiled during this year’s State of the City address.
Provided by MANICA
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and architect David Manica unveiled conceptual designs for the city’s new $1 billion NBA arena, which was approved by voters in December of 2023 and will open in 2028.
The unveiling was part of Holt’s annual State of the City address.
Click the video below to watch the State of the City and read our updates as Holt, the city and the Oklahoma City Thunder unveiled plans for the new arena.
The future home for the Oklahoma City Thunder — a $1 billion arena approved last year by voters — will feature extensive landscaping to blend in with the Myriad Botanical Gardens and a 360-degree glass curtain wall that will offer visitors sweeping panoramic skyline views from all interior concourses.
Conceptual renderings displayed Wednesday by architect David Manica at the 2025 State of the City address were unveiled to a sold-out crowd gathered at the convention center that got its first glimpse of a landmark that will dramatically alter the downtown skyline.
The renderings shown at the July 16 State of the City show the arena’s west-facing main entrance, aligned with the Myriad Gardens, also will include a long-envisioned Thunder Alley that will provide a fan activation zone designed within the arena’s footprint.
– Steve Lackmeyer
Architect David Manica is talking about how he pitched his firm for the project by taking a risky move – not including any potential designs in their presentation to the city. He is talking about how he wanted to start with an open slate, look at the city, learn about the community, without any preconceived ideas on how to proceed.
The crowd is very quiet. Listening to every word.
Manica says this arena will bring the eyes of the world to this city.
– Steve Lackmeyer
Holt: “As you know, we did not attempt to design anything before the vote. We didn’t have the funding to do that, none of us liked the idea of a fake placeholder design, and we wanted this design process to be deliberate and thoughtful. And so as a result, you have never previously seen any actual concept for this project. That changes today.”
– Steve Lackmeyer
Holt mentioned the new OG&E Coliseum at the fairgrounds, a part of MAPS 4. The coliseum and the anticipated new arena are the fifth and sixth large arenas that have been built in the city.
The Innovation Hall, in the Innovation District, is the second anticipated MAPS 4 project. Several other projects have broken ground already, Holt said. Under MAPS 4, more ribbon cuttings are expected and those will also improve quality of life in OKC, Holt said.
Holt also highlighted the new OKANA Resort and the city’s partnership with the Chickasaw Nation and other tribes in Oklahoma, saying he appreciates the partnership.
– Jordan Gerard
Holt talked about homelessness in Oklahoma City, saying a smaller percentage of people are experiencing homelessness than they were in 2007. Unsheltered homelessness is down 24% from 2020 in OKC, Holt said.
He highlighted the Key to Home program, saying they’ve housed nearly 400 people.
Holt appointed a task force in 2019, MAPS4 and the 2017 bond issue and the new 2025 bond is addressing affordable housing.
“We have to stay focused,” Holt said on the topic.
– Jordan Gerard
Holt recognized the eight city council members, City Manager Craig Freeman, who is the third longest serving city manager, and city employees for the work they do. OKC has fewer employees than most cities of its size, Holt said.
Referring back to the Thunder victory parade, Holt highlighted the city departments’ work in organizing the parade.
Holt also acknowledged city staff’s work after the Nov. 3, 2024 tornadoes, which tore through parts of the city.
– Jordan Gerard
David Manica, the lead architect for the new arena which is soon to be shown publicly for the first time, said before today’s luncheon that he’s never designed an arena or stadium that’s been unveiled like this.
Manica said renderings and plans are normally sent to media or maybe shown for the first time at a press conference. Other times, they’re leaked.
But revealed in front of hundreds in person and thousands watching online?
Today is a first for him.
Manica, by the way, has designed sports facilities all over the world, including Houston’s NRG Stadium and San Francisco’s Chase Center as well as New Wembley Stadium in West London and Lusail Stadium in Qatar.
– Jenni Carlson
During his State of the City address, Holt talked about the $2.8 billion bond issue voters will consider on Oct. 14. About 56% of the bond would be allocated to maintaining and upgrading city streets and bridges.
Holt joked the Thunder and the city are still climbing, though he acknowledged the city is geographically bereft of elevation. He said team and city are now standing together at the peak of the mountain.
“The state of the city is assured,” Holt said.
– Jordan Gerard
Holt is taking a victory lap for the Thunder, bookending the 1992 announcement from Norick that Oklahoma City had aspirations of being a big-league city with the The Economist’s story on the city winning a title.
“We did it Oklahoma City,” he said. “We did it.”
Applause followed.
“And if Jaylin Williams were here he might say, ‘We bleepin’ did it,'” Holt joked. “Happy Jaylin Williams Day to all who celebrate by the way.”
– Jenni Carlson
Former Mayor Ron Norick gets a thunderous applause when called out by Mayor David Holt. Holt noted it was under Norick that the vision of becoming a “big league city” got its start.
Holt showed a copy of The Oklahoman with a story published in 1992. As someone who has authored several books about OKC history, I can say without any doubt that without Norick, we do not have MAPS. Without Norick, we have no arena. We are a very different city. And this crowd clearly knows that.
– Steve Lackmeyer
Mayor David Holt takes the stage, walking out to the song “All I Do is Win” by DJ Khalid.
“All our Thunder did was win and as a result we are the champions,” Holt said, recognizing Clay Bennett.
– Jordan Gerard
Teresa Rose, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber chair, talked about what a future OKC might look like. She mentioned the Boardwalk at Bricktown and the proposed Legends Tower, which at 1,907 feet high, would be the nation’s tallest skyscraper if built.
We’ve been hearing about all this now for a couple of years without any visible signs of progress beyond the release of the designs. This project, at least the Legends Tower, has quite a few skeptics wondering if this – or any of the project – will really get built.
Will the Boardwalk at Bricktown be under construction when the new arena opens in 2028? Based on delays we’ve seen, I’ll reserve judgement until I see it underway.
– Steve Lackmeyer
The convention center is pretty busy today with a Native American trade show taking up the entire first floor. We are in the fourth floor ballroom.
– Steve Lackmeyer
The event has started. It’s starting with a sponsorship video from Express Employment Professionals. Robert Funk Sr., co-founder of the company, passed away yesterday. He was no ordinary man.
Read our story on Bob Funk here.
– Steve Lackmeyer
This year’s State of the City is not the largest crowd in its history. But if that’s so, it’s got to be the second largest. The chamber reports today’s attendance is 1,475.
This is a who’s who crowd with prominent CEO’s, elected officials, contractors, architects, developers and few lucky people just lucky enough to get a seat before this event sold out weeks ago.
– Steve Lackmeyer
Paycom asks for chance to develop current arena property
Less than two days before announcing an early end to its arena naming rights, Paycom’s CEO Chad Richison emailed Oklahoma City Council members asking them to consider giving him a chance to bid on buying and developing the current arena property.
The July 11 emails obtained by The Oklahoman were sent just two days before the Thunder and Paycom announced the company’s 15-year naming rights agreement would expire early with the opening of the new arena in 2028.
Contractual language between the city and Loud City Development (led by team owner Clay Bennett), approved last month by the city council, prohibits the city from soliciting bids but it can receive offers. Bennett’s group is given the option of matching any bid and getting first right to acquire and develop the land.
City Manager Craig Freeman told The Oklahoman his office had not responded to Richison’s inquiry as of Tuesday, July 15.
Freeman said the city isn’t entertaining or considering anything related to the current arena site until they get to that point in the process — sometime after the new arena is finished and the Thunder is moved in. But the preferential rights agreement does not stop others like Richison from submitting bids.
– Steve Lackmeyer
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Oklahoma City’s new NBA arena will open with a new name
Oklahoma City’s future $1 billion arena will open with a new name following an agreement between Paycom and owners of the Thunder to end a naming rights contract that started in 2021 and was to last 15 years.
Paycom, headquartered in Oklahoma City, employed 7,306 people as of Dec. 31, 2024, with a client base topping 37,500, and is one of the city’s leading employers.
Paycom Center is scheduled to remain the name of the current building until it closes, which would include three more Thunder seasons.
The upcoming name change is unlike the previous one, in which Chesapeake Energy was going through financial turbulence and bankruptcy when it ended its naming rights agreement.
– Steve Lackmeyer