Is Oklahoma City in Danger of Losing the Thunder?
The Oklahoma City Thunder wants a new arena and many residents are not happy about it.
During his 2022 State of the City address, Mayor David Holt said that the city needed to do more to keep the Thunder in Oklahoma City for the long term. Voters approved some updates to the Paycom Center, but he says more needs to be done to get conditions up to NBA standards, according to KFOR.
The challenge, according to Holt, is that other cities are working to build new arenas that could attract an NBA franchise.
The Thunder are currently under agreement to remain in Oklahoma City until the 2025-2026 season. Holt said that he is optimistic about the city’s efforts to secure a long-term relationship with the team:
The facts speak plainly that we can never rest on our laurels and must always be proactive. I am extremely optimistic that we can and will secure a long-term relationship with the NBA because we have great partners in the Oklahoma City Thunder. And the time to open that dialogue is now.
While most people agree that having an NBA franchise helps the city overall, there are those who question the need for a new arena.
Mayor Holt responded to the original tweet calling for affordable housing.
We'll monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.