Downtown OKC Prepares For Demolition Ahead Of Construction Of New $900 Million Arena

Major construction is set to change the face of downtown Oklahoma City with the arrival of a nearly $1 billion arena, but not without some inconveniences.

Starting Jan. 1, Prairie Surf Studios will move out of the old Cox Convention Center, and demolition is set to begin in March to make way for the new arena. The building, which has stood between Sheridan and Reno since 1972, will come down over a period of six to nine months.

“That demolition is not going to happen overnight. It’s going to take six to nine months to take that building down,” said David Todd, the program manager for the arena project.

Todd, who is overseeing the construction, recently briefed local business and hotel managers on what to expect in 2025.

“There will be a few short street closures just because of the proximity to the street,” Todd said. “Some planning still needs to be done, especially on the south side. But the north side will be a little difficult.”

A portion of Sheridan Avenue will close temporarily to allow the removal of the sky bridge connecting the convention center to the Wyndham Garden Hotel, Todd added. Noise and dust are expected to be issues during demolition, and he said efforts are underway to manage them.

Parking is also a concern, with the city coordinating with contractors to develop efficient solutions for downtown. “Some of those companies go to facilities a couple blocks away, and they’ll shuttle people in and out. There are several options,” Todd said.

Construction on the new $900 million arena will begin as soon as demolition is complete, with an estimated opening in summer 2028.

Todd said that there will be brief road closures around the site, and sidewalks will be closed during demolition.

The Oklahoma City Council approved contracts with Manica Architecture and TVS late last month to design the new arena. The firms will work on plans during demolition to avoid any construction delays.