Paycom Center
Paycom Center, formerly known as Ford Center, briefly as Oklahoma City Arena, and Chesapeake Energy Arena, is a multipurpose indoor sports/concert arena in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It is the home of the National Basketball Association's Oklahoma City Thunder. The arena was also home to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets from 2005 to 2007.
"Loud City" "The Thunderdome" | |
Former names | Ford Center (2002-2010) Oklahoma City Arena (2010-2011) Chesapeake Energy Arena (2011–2021) |
---|---|
Location | 100 W Reno Ave Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102 |
Coordinates | 35°27′48.44″N 97°30′53.79″W / 35.4634556°N 97.5149417°W |
Owner | City of Oklahoma City |
Operator | SMG |
Capacity | Basketball: 19,599 Hockey: 18,036 Football: 17,868 Concerts: 20,817 |
Construction | |
Started | 1999 |
Opened | June 8, 2002 |
Construction cost | $89 million |
Architect | Sink Combs Dethlefs The Benham Companies |
Tenants | |
Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA)(2008-Present) New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (NBA) (2005-2007) Oklahoma City Blazers (CHL) (2002-2009) Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (af2) (2004-2009) |
Naming history
changeThe arena was named the Ford Center from 2002 to 2010. The name did not come directly from the Ford Motor Company; it instead came from a contract with Oklahoma Ford Dealers, a group that represents marketing efforts of the state's Ford dealers.[1] After the city and Oklahoma Ford Dealers could not agree on a new naming rights contract, the arena became Oklahoma City Arena from 2010 to 2011.[2]
A new naming rights contract was signed with Chesapeake Energy in 2011, leading to the renaming as Chesapeake Energy Arena.[3] Chesapeake Energy entered into bankruptcy restructuring in 2020, and ended the naming contract the next year.[4] In July 2021, Paycom, an Oklahoma City-based payroll services company, signed a 15-year naming contract, leading to the current name of Paycom Center.[5]
References
change- ↑ Rohde, John (August 26, 2010). "Ford Center Name to Change". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
- ↑ "Ford Center Is Now The Oklahoma City Arena". KOCO. Oklahoma City. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
- ↑ "OKC Arena to be Renamed Chesapeake Energy Arena". Oklahoma City Thunder. July 21, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
- ↑ "Thunder Plans Transition to New Arena Naming Rights Partner". Oklahoma City Thunder. April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ↑ "Thunder, Paycom Announce 15-Year Arena Naming Rights Agreement". OKCThunder.com (Press release). NBA Media Ventures, LLC. July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.