Sneak Peek Inside MAPS4 State Fair Coliseum Construction

After a few rain delays, construction on the MAPS4 State Fair Coliseum is picking up. On Wednesday, civic leaders got a firsthand look at the progress at the one-of-a-kind venue.

Construction crews say the project is about 70 percent complete with thousands of tons of steel and 1,200 truckloads of concrete and the $126 million project is right on schedule, slated for a June 2025 opening.

The bowl will seat up to 7,000 people with permanent, temporary, and suite seating, roughly 30 percent fewer seats than the current Jim Norick Arena.

City leaders say the facility was designed with equine in mind. The venue will provide world-class space for Horse show judges, participants, and spectators.

“That makes this one in the United States and it’s going to help attract more and more horse shows and livestock shows to our city which spells out more tax revenue for our city,” MAPS Project Manager Jim Sheppard said.

The OKC Fairgrounds generates more economic impact than all other City of Oklahoma City-owned entertainment venues combined, according to the city.

“Every time I’m in it, it just amazes me how good it’s going to be,” Former Oklahoma City Mayor Ronald Norick said after the tour. “It’s just absolutely first class.”

The coliseum is a product of MAPS4, more than 30 years after the first project was ushered in under Norick. The new venue will also mean the demolition of the Jim Norick Arena after six decades of events.

“If my dad was still around, he passed away years ago, he’d be extremely excited about it,” Ron Norick said. “I think he would be amazed to see this today. The scope, the class everything.”