Ford Center Upgrades
I took a tour of the Ford Center this morning with SMG General Manager Gary Desjardins and Director of Marketing and Sales Tim Linville, getting a look at nearly every area in which improvements are going to be made to the building. John Estus, a writer on the news side at The Oklahoman, and Dave Morris and Angi Bruss from NewsOK.com were also on the tour. John and I will have continuing coverage in the paper in the coming days on the project, while the NewsOK team will provide video of the tour for viewers and commentary from Desjardins.
Even though I was at the Ford Center at least three times a week while covering the Hornets over the past two years, I had never seen some areas of the arena. I got into a routine for the most part going from entrance, to press room, to courtside seat, to locker rooms, back to press room before finally heading for the exit.
Walking throughout each of the arena’s levels and seeing the current state of the building as opposed to what’s planned if the March 4 vote passes, you can really see how much different the Ford Center will look and feel. Hopefully, when the video tour is on NewsOK viewers will be able to visualize some of the proposed changes first-hand.
The Ford Center is set for a massive expansion on both the north and south sides of the building. If the vote passes and the upgrades are made, the arena’s current main entrance on Reno Ave. will be enlarged and have a bigger, more inviting lobby. But it will also become a secondary entrance. The grand entrance will be located on the southwest side of the building where the York Icehouse entrance is currently located.
Once you’re in the building, better lighting and new floors and walls will be added throughout the 100 and 300 levels to add a shine to both concourses. New carpet is scheduled to be installed on the 200 level. Several concession stands on the 100 level will be relocated. Bathrooms throughout the building will be renovated. “Bunker suites” will be added on the event level (underground) and 100 level. VIP clubs will also be added on the event level. The suites on the 200 level will be upgraded. A total of five “roof gardens” areas will be added on the 200 and 300 concourse levels, allowing fans to go outside and look at skyline views. A play zone will be added on the 300 level for children. A practice court with overhead views will be included. And there’s talk about decorating the arena’s concrete on the walls and steps to make it look much better than it is now.
The Ford Center will stay open through the majority of the renovations, according to Desjardins. But during the more massive renovations the venue might have to shut down for certain periods. It’s difficult to visualize a lot of these changes just reading about them here or in the paper. But I came away from this morning’s tour amazed at how much different the building would be three years from now.
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Comments
Lot of hogwash. I attended over a dozen games at the Ford Center during 2006 and all I heard was how pleased NBA players were at the facility. They said it compared favorable with other NBA arenas and they were happy to play there. Why such a short time later to we suddenly “need all these improvements” to the same facility?
I’ll tell you why – it is for OKC taxpayers to underwrite the project and not team owners like Clay Bennett. Sure it looks good to David Stern and the NBA Board of Governors that a community blindly approved a huge measure like this – call it “MAPS for Millionnaires” because it seems to demonstrate a cry for having our own NBA team. In reality, it just shows how blindly we will follow “leaders” like Mick Cornett. Well, they’ve gone to the MAPS well once too often – Bricktown is a gold mine for select few and I yearn for the days when I could go downtown and not have to pay $5.00 for the privilege.
Have we not learned ANYTHING by mistakes of the past – like the ill-timed and ill-fated “Bass Pro” incentives that backfired? This town is run incompetently and must be the laughingstock of the midwest. We lose the Cowboy Hall of Fame, we lose GM, and now we’re talking about having our citizens underwrite part of the relocation “package” to lure the worst team in the entire NBA here. Are we that starved for “major league entertainment” that we’ll do anything to attain it? I say vote “NO” on March 4.
“Nice post. A lot of details” WHAT??? This is just more of the generic list of improvements we have been hearing from the Mayor and the Chamber for a while now. Where are the DETAILS? What about these upgrades are going to cost a freakin’ $120 MILLION? The Mayor has said we won’t build anything we don’t need and if we don’t get a team, improvements would be cut back or delayed. If we don’t get a team, then there is no need for the expensive add-ons to the Ford (all the team specific items, the locker rooms, team offices, NBA TV studio etc, etc) Yet the ONLY part of this that wont be deleted from the list is the stand-alone, off-site, exclusive use, NBA practice facility. Roughly $20 to $24 million (where the tax gets shortened from 15 months to 12 months). Once you take out the NBA/team specific items, you are left with even a shorter list of improvements…but yet a $100 million price tag. Sure looks like we are going to have $10,000 toilet seats in the improved bathrooms!
“Lot of hogwash. I attended over a dozen games at the Ford Center during 2006 and all I heard was how pleased NBA players were at the facility. They said it compared favorable with other NBA arenas and they were happy to play there.”
They were happy to play there because of the packed house not the arena itself
Even so…What do you expect them to say…”Ford center is a horrible arena”?
“Where are the DETAILS? What about these upgrades are going to cost a freakin’ $120 MILLION?”
Yes you have finally figured him out…Cornett’s main goal in life is to rip off the citizen’s of OKC…He should be able to provide what every bucket of paint, and piece of tile will cost us
The upgrades are all detailed as well as the specific tax extension amount and period…No conspiracy here
dont worry, we will have a show for ol’ mic when he comes to court in june. and, it is nice to see other cities citizens realizing that this ownership group wants alot for nothing out of thier own pockets. why could’nt it be the aubrey/bennett center/practice facility?? they can easily afford $20 mil. shoot, we are going to cost them that in attorney fees up here in S-town. bottom line is, mic and his boys are in a game they dont have the playoff experience in. we do, and, we are 4-0 against other cities that have tried to take something from us, or, change our way of life due to thier greediness!! do you okies know, he vacations up here in Seattle?? he spends his money with us!HA! what a croc! and a hypocrite!! love, a 30 year sonic fan p.s. still a fan spending hard earned money on a team that the ownership group has made a laughinstock of the nba!!
[...] as those of us here in Oklahoma City spending $125 million to spruce up our $90-million sports arena must admit, it’s a never-ending process, as Lileks already realizes: Not only are we five [...]
Nice post. A lot of details. Why not more like these mayberry.