BoK Center stuff I learned

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by breitee

I would still like to know where they expect everyone to park.

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?

[dsjeffries]

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?

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by DScott28604

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?

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.

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by breitee

I would still like to know where they expect everyone to park.

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
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.

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by inteller
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.

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.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by DScott28604

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?

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.

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.

[MDepr2007]

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....

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by inteller
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.

Can we get a tag under his name saying "grumpy smurf?"  Sheesh man.  If you hate everything either move or seek help.
- - -

You have the ignore option.  Use it, otherwise ****.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by MDepr2007

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....

No bait and switch here. Minimum seat width 21.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by inteller
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.

Can we get a tag under his name saying "grumpy smurf?"  Sheesh man.  If you hate everything either move or seek help.
- - -

You have the ignore option.  Use it, otherwise ****.

When exactly does it become time for the moderators to step in on Inteller? Would this not be a good time?

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

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?

Excellent report Griz...

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by TURobY

quote:Originally posted by inteller
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?

Or, of course, it could handle wheelchair/stroller traffic.

smackdown...

[Laramie]

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.

[swake]

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.