Oklahoma City’s vision for the future became a little more real on Wednesday.
For the first time, the public got a glimpse of what the new downtown arena — future home of the NBA champion Thunder — is expected to look like. Mayor David Holt revealed the renderings during his annual State of the City address, joined by architect David Manica, who walked the crowd through the early conceptual design for the $900 million venue.
Sitting just south of the skyline, across the street from Paycom Center, the new arena’s most defining feature is its striking glass facade — a full wraparound curtain wall that opens the space up visually to the city around it.
“The city becomes a backdrop for every experience in the arena,” Manica said.
And the glass isn’t just for aesthetics. It’s built with Oklahoma’s climate in mind — insulated, laminated, and layered with low-e film to cut UV exposure and minimize color fading. It’s also bird-safe, thanks to frit protection that helps migratory flocks steer clear.
Inside, you’ll find what Manica referred to as the arena’s “vessel” — a wooden structure cradling the seating bowl, adding warmth and depth to the interior. The renderings reveal a natural, inviting feel throughout, with wide concourses pressed to the outer edge of the building, offering panoramic views of downtown.
“It’s transparent, authentic,” Manica said. “The upper concourse shares the same space as the main concourse, so everyone is in the same space together.”
As for specifics like capacity or suite count, those details are still being refined. Manica confirmed there’s a working number, but it’s expected to evolve as the design continues to take shape into early next year.
Built by a Mortenson/Flintco joint venture, the new arena will sit elevated above ground with a walkable exterior loop for pedestrians. A loading dock will be tucked into the northeast corner, while the event floor itself will be dropped one level underground — maximizing both space and flow.
“It’s a really great site,” Manica said. “Well situated in downtown, lots of elbow room, plenty of room to locate the building on the site and make sure we still had access, circulation, and public gardens.”
With the arena scheduled to open in 2028, Oklahoma City’s next chapter is already under construction — and from the early look of it, the city’s ready to elevate in every sense of the word.
