OKC fairgrounds unveils new arena name
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - On Wednesday, the OKC Fairground's new arena's name was revealed: The OG&E Coliseum.
The ceremony was scheduled for Wednesday morning but was delayed due to the weather. Now, the last roof truss will be placed on Thursday.
“The only thing better than a topping out is, of course, a ribbon cutting,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “We really value this project very much.”
The $126 million facility was the first MAPS 4 project to get under construction, according to Teresa Rose, the MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board Chair. The project is funded through MAPS 3, MAPS 4, hotel tax revenue and other funding sources.
The new coliseum will replace the Jim Norick Arena.
"The Jim Norick arena next year will be 60 years old. It was opened in 1965 and it's time has run,” said Mayor Ron Norick, who’s the current Chairman of the Board for the Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. "I can tell you from where he's (Jim Norick’s) looking at this now, he's proud, proud of what's going on."
Construction started last February. On Wednesday, KFOR got a tour of how construction is going so far.
When all is said and done, the new coliseum will have between 7,000 and 8,500 seats.
The new building will include a lounge, suites and a full service kitchen. It will host all kinds of events, including livestock shows.
"The events that happened in this coliseum are a major economic driver for our community but it's also really a cultural touchstone for our city and the state as a whole,” said Mayor Holt.
The OG&E Coliseum is expected to open by next spring or early summer. Until then, the Jim Norick Arena will continue to host events.