Inside The Thunder

Pivotal Vote for New OKC Thunder Arena Takes Place Tuesday

If you're an Oklahoma City resident, be sure to get out and vote on Tuesday, Dec. 12 in an important election that could decide the future of professional basketball in the Modern Frontier.
Randall Sweet|
Pivotal Vote for New OKC Thunder Arena Takes Place Tuesday
Pivotal Vote for New OKC Thunder Arena Takes Place Tuesday

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Oklahoma City Thunder

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, Oklahoma City will hold a special election to decide if the city will publicly fund a new arena for the Thunder.

The proposed plan would continue a one-cent sales tax that OKC has had in place since the 1990s. The tax would continue for 72 months after the conclusion of MAPS 4 but would not be an increase from the current sales tax in Oklahoma City. 

MAPS stands for Metropolitan Area Projects and has been a successful catalyst in improving multiple aspects of the Modern Frontier since the 90s.

The total cost of a new stadium would be at least $900 million.

If the vote passes on Tuesday, $70 million in funding would come from MAPS 4 with $50 million coming from Thunder ownership. More importantly, however, Clay Bennett and company have agreed to stay in OKC until at least 2050 if the new arena is built. 

This is extremely important for Oklahoma City, as the Thunder are a huge economic boost to OKC and give the Modern Frontier "Big League City" status. A "Big League City" is a metropolitan area that is home to an NBA, NFL or MLB franchise. 

Oklahoma City is one of the smallest markets on the list of "Big League Cities", and therefore would struggle to land another professional sports team if the Thunder were to relocate.

"The thing about having a major league professional sports team in American life is that it commands respect, that people realize that’s a city that must have enough people, enough corporate presence, enough general wherewithal to host one of the world’s greatest brands," Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said.

While it is not certain that the team would find a new home if a new arena is not built, Bennett and company would be able to find a lucrative stadium deal in a bigger market if the vote does not pass on Tuesday.

Currently, the Thunder have only been negotiating with OKC, but if the special election fails, the team would be able to negotiate with other cities as well.

In addition to a modern NBA stadium, a new arena in Oklahoma City would be used for concerts and other entertainment ventures. Tuesday's vote would make the arena publicly owned, meaning the city's economy would profit off of Thunder games and other events.

According to Holt, the Thunder brings in more than $600 million in revenue for the city every year. Additionally, the city's GDP has grown by 62% since the team moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.

This election is important for the economic future of the Modern Frontier and the future of the OKC Thunder organization. 

Polls are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday. To find the nearest polling location, use the Oklahoma Voter Portal.

If you are a registered voter, be sure to bring a valid ID. Any voter in line at the polling location by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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