BOK Center

The BOK Center (or Bank of Oklahoma Center) is a multi-purpose arena that seats 19,199 people. It is also a primary indoor venue for events and sports in Tulsa. The facility is designed to host arena football, hockey and basketball as well as concerts. It was constructed with $178 million of public money and $18 million privately funded upgrades. The ground was broken on August 31, 2005, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony took places on August 30, 2008. [8]

The BOK Center was designed by Cesar Pigli, who is also the architect of Petronas Towers, Malaysia. It is the centerpiece project of Tulsa County’s Vision 2025 long-term development initiative. Matrix Architects Engineers Planners, Inc is the local firm that serves as the engineer and architect of record. SMG manages and operates the arena. The name is named after the Bank of Oklahoma which bought the naming rights for $11million. [10] The Tulsa Oilers, a member of the ECHL, are the only permanent tenants at the moment. Histories

The arena opened with a public open house on August 30, 2008.

Bill LaFortune, a former mayor of Tulsa, made a campaign promise to hold a conference on municipal planning within months of his election. The conference was able to develop a third plan for downtown arenas, in addition to dozens of other projects throughout Tulsa County. It also included a renovation of Tulsa Convention Center, which cost $42 million. Vision 2025, which was a tax initiative that raised sales taxes by six-tenths to a penny over thirteen years, was approved in September 2003 by voters. Pelli’s design was published in September 2004. Construction began in August 2005. [21]