Outdoor Performance Center OPC in Tulsa

Project Concept Development of a new Outdoor Performance Center (“OPC”) in Tulsa. The facility would be built in two phases primarily used for hosting major sporting events, outdoor festivals and concerts.

Market Landscape  The sports tourism industry has grown consistently over the past twenty years. Studies show that the grass roots portion of this market is worth between $8.7 and $9.2 billion annually. Add to this growth the increased popularity in soccer, lacrosse, and additional emerging sports like quidditch, rugby, and ultimate frisbee, the opportunity for economic development expansion through sports tourism is tangible.  There are currently more than 20 opportunities available to use a facility like the OPC each a year for sports groups like the Roughnecks and other OSSAA events.

Feasibility Study  VisitTulsa and the Tulsa Sports Commission engaged the Phoenix based company, Huddle Up Group, LLC to determine the viability of developing a new Outdoor Performance Center in Tulsa. The Consultant found that while there are several solid facilities in the Midwest that are adequate for hosting major national tournaments, a large void exists in maximizing the impact of sports tourism and events for the region.

OPC would serve as an anchor of Downtown  The OPC would serve as an anchor of downtown to supplement the BOK Center, ONEOK Field and the recent retail development in the area.  OPC offers state of the art amenities to host major sports championships, musical acts, festivals and community events. This includes a grass field surface for sporting events, as well as the ability to safely cover the field surface for concerts, festivals, and consumer shows.  OPC would be a COMPLIMENTARY facility to those that already exist in the Tulsa area. The goal of the OPC is to drive new events to the area, to help open dates at existing venues for higher revenue generating activities, and to provide the community with a facility to host major national, regional and local events.

The OPC would be built in two phases :  Phase I – 8,000 permanent seating capacity  Phase II – 18,000+ permanent seating capacity  Depending on site acquisition costs, the construction budget for Phase I of the OPC will likely range from $35 to $45 million.  Expansion of the OPC to Phase II will likely cost an additional $45 to $65 million.

Conservative First Year projections (50%) capture rate for the OPC include:  events, covering event days  Over 121,000 total attendees  $30.7 million in direct visitor spending  Nearly 38,000 hotel room nights  $147,000 in local lodging tax collections  More than $1,200,000 in local sales tax collections  State sales tax collections over $1.375 million  Total tax collections in excess of $2.7 million

Prospective sites: NORDAM, 8 th / Boston, and Fintube.