Latest news with #PaycomCenter
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A 360-degree skyline view: Arena designs reveal a glass encased downtown jewel
The future home for the Oklahoma City Thunder — a $1 billion arena approved in December 2023 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. Unlike the current Paycom Center, opened in 2002 without an anchor tenant, the new arena is designed to be an NBA venue with upper seating sections to be located closer to the floor action. 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. An elevated main entrance, situated on a grand podium, creates an inspiring sense of arrival and opens up to the main concourse, fostering a welcoming atmosphere. The interior concept prioritizes basketball, with optimized sight lines and a seating design that fosters an energetic, loud and intimate experience. Demolition is underway at the future arena site, which for 50 years was the city's convention center and last home to Prairie Surf Studios. The future arena site, a super-block between E.K. Gaylord Boulevard and Sheridan, Reno and Robinson avenues, is expected to be cleared later this year with construction set to start in 2026. An opening for the new arena is scheduled for the start of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 2028-29 season. Design work is being done by Kansas-based Manica Architecture and Atlanta-based TVS, the same team that drew up plans for San Francisco's Chase Center and Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium. Oklahoma contractor Flintco, which built Oklahoma City's new convention center, Devon Tower and the state Capitol dome, is teamed up on the arena project with Mortenson Construction, a Minneapolis contractor that built two of the country's three newest NBA arenas. This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC new arena design unveiled during State of the City: See the plans Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklahoma City mayor reveals new Thunder arena
A rendering of the exterior of the new Oklahoma City arena. (Photo Courtesy of Manica Architecture) OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City's mayor on Wednesday gave the public a first look at the future Oklahoma City Thunder arena. Speaking to an estimated 1,500 people at the city's convention center, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt unveiled artist renderings of the slightly under $1 billion project, which is expected to be completed in time for the NBA team's 2028-29 season. The arena will be at least 750,000 square feet, Holt said. Although seating has yet to be determined, it will be similar to the Paycom Center with a smaller capacity. The structure will be a 360-degree arena with glass window walls. The design of the arena aims to bring people together with closer seating, Holt said. 'It is a statement piece for our city, and I really think it will be one of the most beautiful arenas of its kind, not just in the United States, but in the world,' Holt said. In his State of the City address, Holt said the square footage of the current arena is too small and lacks the amenities of a modern arena. He believes that the new arena will address those issues. The bulk funding will come from voter-approved sales taxes with the Thunder ownership contributing $50 million. David Manica, the architect, said he did not know when construction would begin. The new arena will be built on the site where the Myriad Convention Center currently stands. Demolition is currently underway on that structure to make room for the new arena. 'I think we've started something that's really special for this place and for this city and for these people,' Manica said. 'There's more to come.' Editor's note: The story was updated at 6:15 p.m. to clarify the funding sources. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Twitter reacts to first look at OKC Thunder's new arena
Nearly two years since it was first voted in, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally had a chance to see what their new home will look like three years before they officially move in. Renderings were finally published at OKC's State of the City address. The NBA champion is set to move to a new downtown OKC arena in 2028. That means only three more seasons will be played at Paycom Center. The $900 million construction cost guarantees the Thunder will stay in OKC through 2053 once it signs a new long-term lease. The Thunder have played at Paycom Center since their relocation from Seattle in 2008. The arena opened in 2002 and is one of the smaller NBA homes. It was formerly known as the Chesapeake Energy Arena before being rebranded as Paycom Center in 2021. After capturing an NBA championship, the Thunder should remain a title contender throughout Paycom Center's final years. When the new OKC arena opens, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren will still be under contract. Thunder fans loved the new renders. Here's how social media reacted to the photos: This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: NBA Twitter reacts to first look at OKC Thunder's new arena
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New $1 billion Oklahoma City arena will open with a new name with end of Paycom deal
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. More: OKC Thunder to get first shot at buying, developing Paycom Center property "With the citizens of Oklahoma City and the Thunder making significant investments in the new arena, Paycom is committed to allowing the team to seek a new long-term naming rights partner for the new arena,' said Jason Bodin, executive vice president of marketing and communications at Paycom. 'We have been a major corporate partner of the Thunder since 2018. We will continue to explore new avenues to support the team and our community as we enter this new chapter of growth." The announcement of the naming rights change coincides with a scheduled unveiling of conceptual designs for the new arena by Mayor David Holt at the July 16 State of the City address. The presentation Wednesday at the convention center is hosted by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and is a sold-out event. More: OKC approves new arena lease: What does it say? How long will the Thunder stay in OKC? Will Syring, vice president of corporate partnerships for the Oklahoma City Thunder, noted in a news release from the team that while Paycom enjoyed brand promotion during the recent playoffs and championship, the agreement started in less-than-ideal circumstances. 'Paycom is a leader not just in Oklahoma but globally, and we are grateful for their decision in 2021 to become the naming rights partner for our current arena,' Syring said. 'Their support, especially during the pandemic, showcased their dedication to our team and the community." 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. Paycom reported in its first quarter earnings call it expects to have revenues topping $2 billion with an adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) of between $843 million and $858 million. The company reports it has zero debt. "We sincerely appreciate Paycom's unwavering support for the Thunder and our entire community,' Syring said. 'We look forward to continuing our relationship as they support the Thunder and Oklahoma City." This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New OKC Thunder NBA arena will have new name as Paycom deal set to end Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Breaking Down The Thunder's Subtle Yet Pivotal Offseason Thus Far
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 13: Jaylin Williams (6) of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates a three ... More pointer by Jalen Williams (8) during the fourth quarter of OKC's 112-105 win over the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) Given that the Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA Finals and were set to carry all 15 of that roster's players under contract into the 2025-26 season, the expectation was that it would be a relatively quiet offseason. That's been the case relative to many other teams, who have been busy making splashy trades and signing pieces in free agency. Still, it's been a quietly productive early part of the offseason for Oklahoma City. In the first 10 days following Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Oklahoma City has actually been quite busy. Sustaining success means never slowing down and continually finding ways to enhance a team's chances of winning in the future. Here's a recap of what the Thunder has accomplished in the first week and a half of the offseason: It started with the 2025 NBA Draft, which brought two new players to Oklahoma City. Thomas Sorber was selected with the No. 15 overall selection, followed by Brooks Barnhizer at No. 44 overall. Sorber will be signed to a standard rookie deal as part of the 15-man roster, while Barnhizer is expected to be on a two-way contract. The 2025 NBA Draft also included a trade for the Thunder, as Oklahoma City flipped the No. 24 pick to the Sacramento Kings. In return, the Thunder received a 2027 San Antonio Spurs first-round pick from the Kings, protected 1-16, via the Kings. That means if the Spurs' pick ends up being 17-30 in that draft, it will convey to the Thunder. If not, then OKC will get a pair of second-round picks in the 2027 NBA Draft instead. It was a productive draft for the Thunder, landing a promising young center, a hard-nosed wing and swapping a first-round pick for one in the future. Again, Barnhizer is expected to sign a two-way deal with the Thunder, meaning he won't take up one of the team's 15 roster spots. But a spot did need to be opened up for Sorber, which means a difficult decision had to be made. As such, Oklahoma City traded Dillon Jones and a second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Colby Jones, who was immediately waived. This was simply a move to open a spot for Sorber. Bigger picture, it took a second-round pick as a sweetener, along with Jones, to make this happen. He was selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft after the Thunder traded five second-round picks to acquire the selection to take Jones. Six second-round picks later, he's now in Washington just a year later, as Sorber's roster spot has been opened. Jones certainly has some untapped upside, but deep championship rosters can become crowded, and this is a byproduct of that. While primary pieces on any roster often get the most attention, depth is extremely important in the modern NBA. This is especially true in the regular season, as injuries occur and star players manage their minutes in preparation for deep playoff runs. That's why Oklahoma City's two free agent moves to kick off free agency were so important. Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell had team options for the 2025-26 season, but the Thunder declined both of those to sign them to brand new contracts. This mitigates the risk of more complex signings a year from now, while also rewarding this pair of rotational pieces with more money over a longer period of time. Mitchell's new deal is worth nearly $9 million over three years, while Williams will get $24 million over that same span. These are the types of moves that often fly under the radar, but both of these players played key roles in the 2024-25 campaign for OKC and will likely continue to do so moving forward. During his phenomenal playoff run, it was evident that Jalen Williams was dealing with a wrist injury. Not only was the tape on his wrist indicative of that, but the way he grabbed at it during certain moments gave reason to believe it was bothering him. That was further quantified on Monday, as Thunder GM Sam Presti announced that Williams suffered a wrist injury toward the end of the regular season that required surgery, but he played through it in the postseason. The Thunder then provided an official update on Tuesday, signaling that Williams underwent a successful procedure to address a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist and that he will be re-evaluated in approximately 12 weeks. As such, Williams will be sidelined for the vast majority of the offseason, if not all of it. He is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season, but a slow start could be expected. It's his shooting wrist, so this will be an interesting storyline to follow in the coming months. In a mutually beneficial deal, franchise superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a record-breaking contract extension with the Thunder on Tuesday morning. He inked a four-year, $285 million super maximum contract extension, making him the highest annual salary for a player in the history of the league on a deal that will have him under contract through the 2030-31 season. This was the first domino to fall in Oklahoma City, ensuring long-term success. It's not often that generational talents land in small markets, but Gilgeous-Alexander's commitment to the Thunder is extremely important. There's no guarantee that more titles are won with him at the helm, but OKC should always have a chance as long as he's with the franchise.
