Oklahoma Arena Plans Will Move Forward as Court Shuts Down Petition

The Sooners will soon have a new home for men’s and women’s basketball and gymnastics.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the gist of the petition against Norman’s planned billion-dollar entertainment district was insufficient.

A Cleveland County District Judge previously gave the same ruling in early 2025, but Oklahomans for Responsible Economic Development, a non-profit group that aims to give the entire community a voice in economic developments, appealed the decision to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

An update on the project on the City of Norman’s website said, "The Entertainment District project will move forward as originally intended.”

The Rock Creek Entertainment District plan was founded in 2023, and the $1.2 billion development was approved a year later before being challenged by Oklahomans for Responsible Economic Development.

Not only will the entertainment district feature a new arena for OU’s basketball and gymnastics teams, it will also feature hotels, restaurants, housing and other businesses. It will be located at the University of Oklahoma’s North Park area.

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Prior to his arrival in Norman, Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny helped represent St. Louis bond issuers in a deal that ultimately led to the construction of the city’s ballpark village.

At his introductory press conference last week, Denny stressed the importance of staying persistent when it comes to facility projects.

“If you know much about Ballpark Village, you know just how long that project took (nearly seven years)," Denny said. "The thing I learned from that is you’ve just got to keep plugging away at it and plugging away at it. Every time it turns and you think the deal might be falling apart or whatever it is, we’ll stay in the fight longer than anyone else. I think that’s what we’ll look to do and we’ll continue to plug away until we get that built.”

The Lloyd Noble Center has been the home to OU basketball and women’s gymnastics since 1975, and it currently holds 10,967 seats.

Averaging 6,154 fans per game, Oklahoma’s men’s basketball program has the SEC’s lowest attendance for the 2025-26 season. The women’s team averages 5,348 spectators per contest, which actually ranks fifth in the conference. OU's women's basketball team is 17-5 and ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25, while the Sooners' men's basketball squad is 11-11.