It’s been a neat week for fans of the OKC Thunder, publicly-funded arenas, and pouty billionaires!
As you’ve probably noticed, Mayor David Holt-McSelfie – our beloved civic leader who’s been hard at work desperately riding the Thunder’s coattails of success – unveiled the plans for the new $1-billion arena that will apparently double as an alien spacecraft launching pad.
Here are some renderings of the exterior:
Although I’m sure the CEO of Windex loves it, my thoughts on renderings are about the same as Louis whenever he reviews a $5 side of fresh-from-the-bag fried okra… it’s fine.
I’d describe the style as “generic AI Bladerunner futuristic.”
It's a semi-fitting name. Not only does it look like it was whipped up with Chat Super GPT, but it has lots of industrial-strength glass, lots of natural-looking colors, and – because we don’t like to learn from our previous urbanization mistakes – lots of wasted exterior space on brutalist concrete steps, planters, and plazas, which apparently was intentional:
I know I’m not a fancy architect who’s adamantly opposed to shirt buttons, but has anyone ever been walking around downtown OKC and found themselves saying – "You know what, we really need more concrete and landscaping bushes.”
Like, I know the Thunder want to funnel people and their pocketbooks into the arena as quickly as possible, and making the area around the complex a grand concrete jungle occupied by ferns and street preachers is a great way to do it, but couldn’t we have made a tiny bit of room for more development? Can’t the arena have a tiny bit of… character?
Although I think the exterior of the arena misses the mark, I do kind of dig the building’s innards.
That's not bad! It's different, and I really like the doubled-up concourse, open-air aesthetic, and how it lets the value-minded folks in Loud City gaze upon the corporate gentry heading to suites and lower bowl seats. I also like the wooden interior.
Well, that is before it looks dated in 10–15 years.
The best part, though, appears to be the seating layout. I dig it. Everything looks set at a higher-than-normal incline, which will hopefully create more legroom, better viewing angles, and the potential for funny social media videos of Rumble falling down the stairs.
Overall, on a scale of 1–10, I’d give the new arena a 5.
It could be better, it could be worse, and it kind of looks like every other modern futuristic arena out there, but it’s a massive improvement over the current Paycom Arena and will be a much more enjoyable place to catch a Thunder game, concert, or monster truck rally.
Right now, it appears the biggest mystery is what the arena will be called.
Just days before the renderings were released, the Thunder and Paycom awkwardly announced they’re going their separate ways:
I know arena sponsors come and go – here’s looking at you Enron Field and FTX Arena – but that’s weird. It’s kind of like a married couple publicly announcing they’re going to get divorced when their kid graduates from high school in three years. What was the rush?
Well, The Oklahoman may have that answer.
One curious and possibly unconstitutional caveat of the arena deal is that Thunder ownership – led by Clay Bennett and the OKC Ruling Class – has first dibs on buying the land where the Paycom Center stands. This is so they can demolish the structure and build their version of Arlington’s Texas Live, St. Louis’s Ballpark Village, or Atlanta’s The Battery, and capture more of our almighty Thunder dollar.
If that seems like a sweetheart deal and borderline unethical way to acquire some of the most valuable and coveted real estate in the state, guess what? It is.
In fact, it’s such a unethically sweetheart deal that Paycom CEO Chad Richison – the billionaire outcast of the local ruling class who’s never invited to play in little billionaire games – wants his chance to get a piece of the action.
Via The Oklahoman:
Paycom CEO asks city officials for chance to bid on, 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...
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.
Here's what OKC City Manager Craig told The Okahoman:
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.
“There could be others that are interested in it, but our plan is to move forward with the team,” Freeman said. “We are not going to do any kind of a public process to open that up. We have an agreement specifically that we signed with the team to give them (Bennett’s development group) the opportunity to be able to develop it.”
I’m an unabashed Thunder fan, have paid more than I should for tickets over the years, and – if I’m being honest – want the owners to make as much money as possible so they theoretically won’t be cheap when it comes time to dip into the luxury tax, but I have to admit, I like what old Chad is doing here!
When the Paycom Arena land becomes available, everyone – from the mega wealthy to the mega poor – should have the right to bid on the property, and if they win, do with it what they please. We shouldn't just hand it over to some rich powerful dudes who control our politicians because they own the mayor.
Yes, I know that’s how things usually work around here, but it reeks of cronyism, favoritism, and unchecked insider privilege. If the city wants to raze Paycom and sell the land for development, do it – but let the free market decide who wins. Not good ole boy cronyism.
Although I’ve been critical of the authoritarian, assholey way Chad does business, and how he now runs Paycom through a culture built on fear, control, and retaliation, I must admit, I do like what he’s doing here.
I don’t know if it’s his Beach Boys bouncer mentality, or – like me – he just likes poking the ruling class with a stick, but it’s nice to see a wealthy Oklahoman take on the ruling class, as opposed to coddling up to them so they can join the club.
So from TLO to Chad, keep on spec'ing, bro, and stay after them.
Anyway, I guess I should wrap this up and learn how to invest in Windex stock. If you have any thoughts on the arena design, the white rich men squabble for control of Paycom’s footprint, or anything else, please leave a comment.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
