Oklahoma City Businesses Back New Arena Proposal

We're nearly a month out from a vote on a new arena for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the $900 million price tag remains a hot button issue.

A number of big name businesses and organizations are throwing their weight in to support the proposal.

Chickasaw Nation, Allied Arts, the Bricktown Association, and the YWCA are all among the more than 30 endorsements.

“This is an incredibly important day for Oklahoma City,” Christy Gillenwater, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said. “Securing a long-term lease for the Oklahoma City Thunder and maintaining our status as a big-league city [...] is important to our city’s quality of life and to the trajectory of our economy."

The election is set for December 12th where voters will decide whether to continue the penny sales tax to generate the bulk of money needed to build a new arena. If approved, it would keep the Thunder in Oklahoma City through 2050. The arena would be set to open in time for the 2029 season tip-off.