Friday, April 19, 2024

Why can't OU Foundation invest in an arena?



Andy Rieger provides some interesting history about OU basketball facilities.

"Here’s a friendly suggestion: Keep building competitive athletic programs that use the arena. That will engage fans, and then build something to accommodate the crowds. Nothing would be more embarrassing to OU than to have the SEC visitors travel here to a new arena and realize they outnumber the Sooner fans. " https://www.normantranscript.com/opinion/local-column-keep-building-championship-programs-then-talk-about-a-new-arena/article_b5fc8352-f9bf-11ee-b559-83889d4ac6a8.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1kFr9oZikalt28v3ebK8RnFbbVBFxEJS505Lw6gv3mhutCJRzX-uN1Mi0_aem_AZcWAkOg6Zu8acZL3W_uNqP-aQzqDruaJMUsobOZJulNsJSLQOBmUhFaB5H5AYDP_MYamIu9h5jwx64eqn-GbFw5

I would add another friendly suggestion to OU Foundation- invest in your own arena/concert venue. Sell naming rights and club memberships. Pay a private company to own/operate it (like UT). Secure a long-term lease with OU. Pay for it with revenues from concerts and events.

The city could use TIF for the basic supporting infrastructure needs... estimated to be around $40 million (?). This would not kill the city, county or school budgets.

Financially support the cost of transportation for the students who don't have transportation to the UNP. Maybe run OU shuttles on game/competition days.

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