An option is on the table for a new State Fair Park Arena in Oklahoma City, and work on the project is continuing.
Slated for State Fair Park, the new arena would take place of Oklahoma State Fair Arena. While it would be designed to accommodate staples such as National Reining Horse Association Futurity, the venue could host other events, such as rodeos, conferences, concerts, and regional sports tournaments.
Populous has already come up with conceptual renderings for the arena, which is expected to cost $80 million. At this point, some of the details are in place, including a plan to demolish Oklahoma State Fair Arena to create space for the new venue. However, with firms bidding to complete the final design, the project could be subject to some changes. More from NewsOK:
The site plan includes replacing the current arena with a new barn, including an “avenue of champions,” plaza and makeup arena connecting the existing barns complex to the new building.
Under one proposal, demolition of the old building and construction of facilities connecting the barns and the new arena would be timed to be complete by early summer, when the season for the highest-profile national and international equine events begins.
The same proposal includes a timeline estimating about seven months for design and two years for construction of the new building.
Populous and ADG are lead partners in one proposal to win the work of designing and overseeing construction of the new arena. Both firms work on the city’s MAPS 3 projects. Also expressing interest are Gould Evans and Hornbeek Blatt Architects, GSB and Populous, Guernsey, and Populous with a stand-alone proposal.
At this point, it is expected that the new State Fair Arena will span 295,000 square feet and have a capacity that can be adjusted to accommodate more than 11,000 for larger-scale concerts.
Conceptual rendering courtesy of Populous.
