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Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: sgrizzle on February 14, 2008, 09:33:19 am Some interesting bits I came away with:
- The arena could seat 19,000+ if we crammed the seats together like OKC. - The arena seats are 3" wider and 6-7" further away from the seat in front of you than OKC. - Our arena is sold out of luxury seats, OKC's is not. - The fact the arena finish will look hazy straight-on but mirrored at an angle. - Multi-colored programmable curtain wall lighting. - 3-sided "vegas style" marquee - The walls inside will be covered with perforated steel panels to mimic the outside surface. - Super-ultra-mega scoreboard (supposed to be nicest in the nation) - A new elevator is being added on the SW corner of the 2nd St parking garage to accomodate pedestrians travelling to the arena. - "Major Construction" will complete mid-june. - Plumbing fixtures will all be low-consumption/"green" (a certain other forum member asked) - Exterior skin of the building will be lighted as well (sorry patric) - The "upper concourse" which is used to get to the cheap seats, has some of the best views in the Arena, and Tulsa. - From roughly every spot in the concourses you can see outside as well as up and down levels. From a lot of locations, you can also see the event floor. - Lots of tiny details have gone in like using different style grout lines whether it's vertical or horizontal to create horizontal line effects throughout the building. -Each window is tested under simulated wind conditions 6,000 times before it's installed. Anyone else get any interesting tidbits? Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 10:23:24 am "- A new elevator is being added on the SW corner of the 2nd St parking garage to accomodate pedestrians travelling to the arena."
You've GOT to be kidding. This town is so ****ing fat and lazy that people can't walk a CITY BLOCK from the SE elevator? Man, people just need to ****ing die if they can't handle a few extra hundred feet. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: TURobY on February 14, 2008, 10:25:55 am quote: Or, of course, it could handle wheelchair/stroller traffic. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: cannon_fodder on February 14, 2008, 10:30:08 am quote: Ha! I wondered what was going on in that ramp. It opened in 2004 and was already under repair? Good to know. - I learned that the chairs in the suite boxes are awesome. The boxes have granite counters, leather chairs, and marble flooring. They really are luxury boxes. - Level 2 will be restricted access for the boxes and have a super secret entrance - The Western end of the arena will be the primary stage end (all boxes face that end) - The ceiling will be draped with acoustic clothe (wonderful detail for a concert venue) - The entrance extends inside elements out (large awning, curtain wall, lighting elements) and outside elements in (the metal flows in, the flooring will be transition, and plenty of outside light). - The design is really split level. Rising a full story (really more like 20 feet) from 1st St. to 3rd. So you actually walk into the top of the bowl on level 2 - with "back of the house" operations under you. - There are 3 public entrances. The grand entrance off of Denver and a secondary entrance off of 3rd (directly across from the Federal Building) as well as a box entrance near the corner of 3rd and Frisco. Along Frisco there will also be loading docks, service, and equipment entry. - The BOk center is big: inside and out (I already kinda new that... but wow). Seriously, I was impressed. I've been to plenty of arenas and I'd stack what I saw (and anticipate) against most of them. It doesn't have the mystique of the Garden nor the scale of of the United Center or Dallas AA center - but certainly it stacks up to the Target Center (Minneapolis), the Excel Energy Center (St. Paul - Stars, Timberwolves), the Bradely Center (Milwaukee Bucks), or even the FedEx Forum (larger by a few thousand but not nearly as cool looking - also built by Flintco FYI). Architecturally it is unique. Inside it should be top notch. The scale is appropriate for Tulsa. I hope it is utilized as well as it is designed and built. Inside Arenas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_indoor_arenas_in_the_United_States HOWEVER - I do have to say that the location is about as bad as any I can think of. Worse than the FORD Center, the Fedex Forum, Excel Energy, the Des Moines Well's Fargo Arena or as I said, any other I can recall. Not because it was poorly located per transit, or parking, or available land. Just the neighborhood sucks as an entertainment. Hopefully the city, the blue dome, Brady, or someone else picks up on the ideal of free and continuous shuttles. Hopefully someone develops some things around the arena. Hopefully development in the East End encircles downtown with development. But for now, the location is not tourist friendly and I fear a come, see and leave atmosphere for most of the suburbanites. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 10:33:25 am quote: oh yes, the current elevator can't do that.[8)] Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: TURobY on February 14, 2008, 10:36:19 am quote: Didn't honestly know there was an elevator. I've never parked in that structure. [:)] Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 10:47:40 am quote: It WAS a top notch structure until they started ****ing with it and adding crap to it that it wasn't designed for. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: sgrizzle on February 14, 2008, 10:56:27 am quote: It already had one elevator, the new one matches the original so far. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: grahambino on February 14, 2008, 11:04:42 am quote: so you saying the seats @ the "Your Hair Smells Terrific Center" are crammed together? Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 11:04:53 am "It already had one elevator, the new one matches the original so far."
we'll see once it is completed. Kinda hard to say that a bunch of temporary plywood matches the original so far. What I would love to know is who the watchdog is that is causing welders to come back in and add these useless little metal strips along the stair rails. I'm sure it is the same watchdog who is causing the city to repaint the grating along the bottom after only 4 years. I smell government waste. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: restored2x on February 14, 2008, 11:17:53 am I learned that that is the closest I'll ever get to being in a luxury box.
Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: breitee on February 14, 2008, 11:35:47 am I would still like to know where they expect everyone to park.
Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: Hawkins on February 14, 2008, 11:41:58 am quote: Uhm... let me see. Ooh! I think I've got one. It would be a good place to herd the general population into in the event of martial law? [;)] Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 11:42:41 am quote: Why in the garage they are installing the fatso elevator in of course! I think they should just install a big slide on the 5th floor of the garage so the fatties can park up there and just slide down to the first concession stand on the ground floor of the BoK center, fill up on hot dogs, frito pie and other **** then a conveyor belt can whisk them away to their "wider than Ford Center" fatty seat so they can watch Celine Dion belch out syrupy dreck for $160 a head. For the return trip we can reuse the sky lift from the fairgrounds that bell's no longer uses. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: dsjeffries on February 14, 2008, 12:03:49 pm quote: Where do the 35,000-40,000 people who work downtown park? If they ALL can find a spot and there are still huge, empty parking lots, I'd imagine people going to the BOk Center can find a place. 18,041 (MAX) is a lot less than 40,000. Plus, there is a parking garage across the corner, and a garage one block away. There's plenty of parking. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: sgrizzle on February 14, 2008, 12:10:29 pm quote: There are 6,000 available spots within a ten minute walk. That is not counting future parking garages. Everyone walks to the Ford Center, why is it such a scary idea in Tulsa? Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: dsjeffries on February 14, 2008, 12:11:47 pm One thing the tour guide said is that even though we have fewer seats than the Ford Center (18,041 compared to 19,675), the BOk Center is actually larger.
However, looking up stats for the two buildings, the Ford Center came in at 586,000 sf and the BOk Center at 550,000. The 550,000 sf number has been around since the design came out, so I think changes were made or it was an underestimation. Anyone know? Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 12:13:41 pm quote: if you hear any comment that says "bigger and better" than ford center take it with a grain of salt. it is just more posturing and penis envy over OKC and bricktown. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: cannon_fodder on February 14, 2008, 12:25:46 pm quote: Anything with a ~ is a number out of my donkey, but still... there are plenty of places to park. Within one block: 1) Civic Center has 800 public parking spaces 2) Convention Center Parkade has 1200 3) 2nd and Cheyenne has an additional 1400 4) Behind the convention center has a lot with ~200 5) DHS right behind the convention center has ~500 6) Directly East of the Courthouse is a lot for 50 A few blocks: 1) OneOK building has a ramp with 1100 spaces (I assume normally private lots will open up for business to $ome extent) 2) The Petroleum Club Tower has a ramp with ~300 valet spots 3) The Western Hotel has a ramp under it with another ~300 4) The BOA Tower has a large ramp with ~800 5) S small lot and under ground near the Secure Agent building has room for another 100 6) Across from the Mayo there is the Tulsa Auto Hotel (or something like that) for ~100 7) 75 behind the YMCA 8) American Parking at 4th and Boulder has a ramp for ~1000 9) lots at 1st and Boulder hold 200 10) The Williams Center has lots that hold 2500 11) Lots across from the PAC hold nearly 500 12) OSU Medical Center has a ramp (never been in it) that holds at least 500 13) West of the OnOk lot is another parking garage with a few hundred 6 blocks + MORE SURFACE LOTS THAN YOU'D EVER WANT! The TCC and Boston Ave. lots are only 6 - 8 blocks away. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tulsa,+OK,+United+States+of+America&ie=UTF8&ll=36.14971,-95.991293&spn=0.005804,0.010042&t=h&z=17 That's parking within 10 blocks without going over tracks or the highway for nearly 12,000 cars. Fill in the streets and the lots I surely missed for whatever numbers I might be off on. Add small businesses that will charge $10 to park in their lots. Shuttle people from the vast wasteland of the East End or the Blue Dome area or walk the 8 blocks. Throw in casino shuttles, bus riders, bikers, people who live downtown and of course more than one person per car and there is no REAL parking problem downtown as long as you are willing to walk a few blocks or wait for a shuttle. I'll assume people that complain about parking either do not know downtown or have never been to an urban venue before. The ramp for the Ford Center doesn't hold 20,000. Nor does the United Center, Excel Energy Center, the Garden and on and on and on. You FIND parking, then you walk. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: cannon_fodder on February 14, 2008, 12:31:09 pm quote: Can we get a tag under his name saying "grumpy smurf?" Sheesh man. If you hate everything either move or seek help. - - - I heard him say the "seating area" was larger. I assumed he was talking about the actual surface area of the precast seating decks and the boxes. The Ford Center has practice facilities and other areas that add to the total Sq Footage. The BOk Center has a larger arena seating area but larger seats and more room. That was my take anyway. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: sgrizzle on February 14, 2008, 12:31:30 pm quote: The Ford Center has a sports bar, and lots of just open lobby space. The bowl size is equivalent or larger. As stated before, if they use OKC sized seats and rows, we'd have the same number of seats. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: MDepr2007 on February 14, 2008, 02:37:28 pm I heard the same thing about bigger seats at the Reynold's. Low and behold the regular public still got crammed seats with no elbow room. The lower level had the only wide seats....
Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: inteller on February 14, 2008, 02:48:18 pm quote: You have the ignore option. Use it, otherwise ****. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: sgrizzle on February 14, 2008, 03:26:40 pm quote: No bait and switch here. Minimum seat width 21. Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: swake on February 14, 2008, 03:37:04 pm quote: When exactly does it become time for the moderators to step in on Inteller? Would this not be a good time? Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: guido911 on February 14, 2008, 03:45:23 pm quote: Excellent report Griz... Title: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: guido911 on February 14, 2008, 03:46:13 pm quote: smackdown... Title: Re: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: Laramie on December 11, 2021, 09:04:58 pm Impressed with the crowd at the BOK Center hosting the Oklahoma Sooners vs Arkansas Razorback. 12,746 attended this event which was a good boost for Tulsa since many of the fans in attendance were pro Razorback followers.
Exciting game as the Sooners pinned the first lost on the undefeated 9-0, 10th ranked Razorbacks. Title: Re: BoK Center stuff I learned Post by: swake on December 11, 2021, 09:44:11 pm Impressed with the crowd at the BOK Center hosting the Oklahoma Sooners vs Arkansas Razorback. 12,746 attended this event which was a good boost for Tulsa since many of the fans in attendance were pro Razorback followers. Exciting game as the Sooners pinned the first lost on the undefeated 9-0, 10th ranked Razorbacks. Fayetteville is closer to Tulsa than Norman. |