Construction of MAPS 3’s $288 million Oklahoma City Convention Center is complete after more than a decade of planning. The state-of-the-art facility is debt-free and elevates the OKC’s capacity for hosting meetings and conventions.
“The timing of the Convention Center’s completion is bittersweet,” said MAPS program manager David Todd. “We hoped to celebrate the building with a ribbon-cutting and public tours, but to keep people safe we are waiting until the pandemic subsides in 2021.”
The center will provide a boost to Oklahoma City’s economy and serve as a venue for local events.
“The Convention Center is the largest single MAPS project ever and promises to bring a long-term economic impact worthy of that investment,” said Mayor David Holt.
“It’s the linchpin to what is now the finest meeting destination in the country, at least for a city our size. The synergy is unparalleled between the Convention Center, Scissortail Park, the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel, Chesapeake Energy Arena and the OKC Streetcar that links it all. When we’re past COVID-19, this will draw interest to OKC we’ve never seen before."
The building is east of Scissortail Park between SW 4th and SW 7th streets.
“This venue is a vision realized for the Chamber, as we have been championing its construction for nearly 15 years. This is undoubtedly a game-changer for Oklahoma City as we emerge as a strong convention destination,” said Greater Oklahoma City Chamber President and CEO Roy Williams. “We’re already seeing great interest and convention bookings from meeting planners who are excited that OKC provides the full attendee experience their groups expect.”
The Oklahoma City Convention Center interior design and art reflect Oklahoma City’s culture and history while the soaring glass walls and spacious balconies show off remarkable sunsets and sweeping views of Scissortail Park.
The massive 500,000-square-foot interior includes a 200,730-square-foot exhibit hall on the first floor, which is divisible into four halls. About 45,000 square feet of meeting spaces are on all levels of the building. The rooms can be configured to provide up to 27 meeting spaces.
A 9,700-square-foot junior ballroom is located on the third floor and boasts sweeping views of Scissortail Park. The building’s fourth floor features a 30,000-square-foot ballroom along with pre-function space and a large balcony overlooking Scissortail Park.
The Convention Center is next door to the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel as the 605-room headquarters hotel. A skywalk connects the Convention Center to a multi-story parking garage.
“The Oklahoma City Convention Center is a game-changer for the OKC destination and will attract new customers from the meetings industry,” said ASM Global/OKC Convention Center General Manager Al Rojas. “There are 16 national conventions on the books through 2026 that will contribute significant economic impact to the local economy.”
Visit okcconventioncenter.com.
Virtual Sky
The convention center’s atriums are home to a public art experience called Virtual Sky. The sculptural artwork is an array of anodized titanium rods suspended on aircraft cable alternating with strands of LED lights.
Each individual light is programmed for color, intensity, and duration, emitting light that is then reflected and enhanced by the titanium. The result is a matrix that can display three-dimensional forms moving through space much like clouds.
The artwork was created by Los Angeles-based Narduli Studio and artist and architect Susan Narduli. At $1.5 million, Virtual Sky is one of the most valuable works in the City’s public art collection and was funded as a part of the City’s 1% for Art ordinance. The ordinance requires 1% of the construction budget for public projects to be spent on public art.
