'What Progress Looks Like:' Renderings of Proposed $1 Billion Norman Entertainment District Released

A coalition of Norman leaders met this morning on the University of Oklahoma's campus to discuss plans for a new $1 billion entertainment district in the city.

City and university leaders say that construction could start as early as 2025 if the project is approved.

“We’re the third largest city in the state, it’s time we start acting like it,” Dan Schemm, Visit Norman President, said.

For this project, everyone has a seat at the table.

“Collaborating, locking arms to develop a project that we can all be proud of and really elevate Norman’s game,” Scott Martin, president and CEO of the Norman Chamber of Commerce, said.

On Wednesday, the leaders behind the proposal hosted a working session for the $1 billion project.

For the first time, images were revealed of what the University North Park entertainment district could look like.

It would feature a new OU basketball arena surrounded by shops, restaurants, hotels, and condominiums.

“We look at the impact this would have and it is stunning what it will do,” OU President Joseph Harroz said.

Norman city leaders say it would create 5000 jobs and 3000 housing options by the time it's finished. According to Harroz, the university would use 24 percent of the new arena's event dates for sporting events and the rest of the capacity would be for community events.

“The synergy of an arena with an entertainment district is absolutely a game changer for our program,” OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione said.

The entertainment district would be built along 24th Avenue Northwest near Rock Creek Road, seven miles from OU's Campus.

As OU enters the SEC, this district could help with the increase in tourism to Norman

“There’s so many things converging right now. This is what progress looks like,” Harroz said.

City leaders echo confidence as the plans are submitted for approval.

"Very confident, not only in being able to get this passed but to get it generally accepted," Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila said.

The Norman planning commission is set to vote on the entertainment district plans on June 13, and if approved the project will go before the city council.

A broad coalition of Norman and Cleveland County leaders shared this clarification after the meeting:

"Today in his comments, developer Danny Lovell cited an approximate arena project cost of $330 million. Of that, $298 million is the arena’s construction and more than $30 million will go toward infrastructure, funded by the TIF.

 Tentative financial modeling has the university funding between 26 and 28 percent of the performance venue’s development, which has an expected total project cost of $298 million. Of that, approximately $25 million will be upfront private capital from the university. Those initial contributions from OU do not include anticipated annual rental fees that are still being determined."