Arena annals

The Chesapeake Energy Arena, current home of the Oklahoma City Thunder, has a relatively short but interesting history. The seeds of the arena were first sown with the passage of the MAPS projects in December 1993. Construction commenced on May 11, 1999, with the design of the arena indicative of the minimum NBA and NHL standards of the time. Completed at a cost of only $89.2 million initially, the arena opened as the Ford Center on June 8, 2002 with a basketball seating capacity of 19,163. It hosted Britney Spears, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Paul McCartney and more over its first 12 months, in addition to the OKC Blazers hockey team.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced the New Orleans Hornets from their home and into the welcoming arms of OKC and the arena. For two seasons, Chris Paul, David West and coach Byron Scott led the “New Orleans / Oklahoma City Hornets” to newfound fan support and success on the court, unearthing the “Loud City” phenomenon and a strong demand for pro hoops in OKC at the same time.

In late 2007, relocation of the NBA franchise in Seattle to Oklahoma City became a legitimate possibility. The city council placed a temporary 1-cent sales tax on the ballot to begin at the conclusion of the “MAPS for Kids” program in order to fund upgrades intended to bring the arena up to current NBA standards (as well as construct a team practice facility) should the team indeed relocate. The measure was handily approved by the voters in March 2008, and the team was given the OK to relocate to OKC the next month.

Naming rights for the Oklahoma Ford Dealers expired in 2010, and the arena was known as “Oklahoma City Arena” until the next year, when it became known by its current moniker. Meanwhile, a multi-year renovation schedule had commenced. After the upgrades were complete, the basketball seating capacity stood at 18,203, but additional suites, restaurants, clubs, premium seating, lighting, sound, NBA-specific locker rooms and more were added, in addition to concourse and other public area renovations, as well as a new “front door” for the arena that faces the future Oklahoma City Boulevard alignment to the south.

The future looks bright for Chesapeake Energy Arena outside, inside, and on the court. Thunder Up!