BOK Center increases profits

[Conan71]

One reason I seldom attend concerts.

[Oil Capital]

Jeff Lund bought CA and kept them open for one year so the Oiler's would have 'ticketing continuity'.  He shuttered them when the CC decided it was better to have a national firm doing tickets (Tickets.com).  Blame the CC Mgmt.  SMG was not a player by that time.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=071009_1_A13_spanc72170

Huh?   How was SMG not a player?  SMG IS the CC Mgmt.  In the linked article, the referenced "new private management company" is SMG.  

[Hoss]

Huh?   How was SMG not a player?  SMG IS the CC Mgmt.  In the linked article, the referenced "new private management company" is SMG.  

Wasn't a player in the CA shuttering.  Regardless of whoever was chosen, the CA was going to shutter.

[Townsend]

http://www.ktul.com/Global/story.asp?S=13303206&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Top Selling Venues in the U.S.

1. Madison Square Garden 812,421
2. Sprint Center              392,851
3. Philips Arena               379,089
4. Staples Center            369,394
5. BOK Center                 320,048

Tulsa's downtown arena continues to be a popular attraction as rankings by Pollstar Magazine show the BOK Center moved up to fifth in the U.S. and 15th in the world among venues in ticket sales.

From January first through September 30th, the BOK Center sold 320-thousand, 48 tickets. Only Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Philips Arena in Atlanta and the Staples Center in Los Angeles have sold more tickets

[Conan71]

B....b...b...but, the BOK Center is still a bust!  Too many acts chasing two few entertainment dollars and it's a bad investment.  Communities shouldn't be in the areema business.

/sarc

Seriously, who saw Tulsa as being in the top five selling venues in the US or 15th in the world.  Holy crap!  Any way you slice it, it's major WIN! for Tulsa.  There's no way to refute the success, in spite of what some bloggers would want you to believe.

[DolfanBob]

And were is Oklahoma City's Bored Center ?

[Hoss]

B....b...b...but, the BOK Center is still a bust!  Too many acts chasing two few entertainment dollars and it's a bad investment.  Communities shouldn't be in the areema business.

/sarc

Seriously, who saw Tulsa as being in the top five selling venues in the US or 15th in the world.  Holy crap!  Any way you slice it, it's major WIN! for Tulsa.  There's no way to refute the success, in spite of what some bloggers would want you to believe.

I sure didn't.  I thought it would do well the first year then taper off.  It's been consistent now for two years.

To be honest, I was concerned when I voted for this.  But the local SMG staff are to be commended for the quality and frequency of shows that they are attracting.

Conan, hockey season starts Friday.  You coming to any games this season?

[Townsend]

And were is Oklahoma City's Bored Center ?

I went to a show there Friday night.  Nice facility and good location for hotels and entertainment.  Well within walking distance of many things to do and places to stay.

I'm really looking forward to the area around the BOK to be developed.

[DTowner]

Those are pretty amazing stats.  I think the BOK Center has also been the unintentional beneficiary of the Thunder (sporting events are not counted in those rankings).  The Thunder take up a lot of dates for the Ford Center and have helped Tulsa land some shows that might otherwise played OKC.  Several people in OKC have commented to me that they think Tulsa is now getting more and better concerts than OKC.  Whatever the cause, I hope SMG keeps up the good work.

[Conan71]

Those are pretty amazing stats.  I think the BOK Center has also been the unintentional beneficiary of the Thunder (sporting events are not counted in those rankings).  The Thunder take up a lot of dates for the Ford Center and have helped Tulsa land some shows that might otherwise played OKC.  Several people in OKC have commented to me that they think Tulsa is now getting more and better concerts than OKC.  Whatever the cause, I hope SMG keeps up the good work.

Exactly.  No matter the reason, a hall that consistently sells well can book big name shows.  Not to mention, Tulsa being relatively insulated from the national economic woes hasn't hurt.  This has exceeded my best expectations by far.

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

I went to a show there Friday night.  Nice facility and good location for hotels and entertainment.  Well within walking distance of many things to do and places to stay.

I'm really looking forward to the area around the BOK to be developed.

I went to the Ford Center on Friday night as well and went to the BOK Center last night.  The BOK Center blows the Ford Center away.  The Ford Center has nasty floors, junky bathrooms, worse parking (I never have to pay to park when I go to the BOK Center), and the outside of the Ford Center is butt ugly.

There are no bars, restaurants, or entertainment right next to the Ford Center and you have to walk under that train bridge and go into Bricktown.  It is quite a pain in a big crowd trying to squeeze through the little walkway.  BOK Center will be much better by having entertainment right accross the street and the pedestrian bridge at Boulder to the Brady District someday soon.

[bmuscotty]

Ozzy Osbourne at the BOK 02/10/11.

[DTowner]

I think the differences between the Ford Center and BOK Arena are interesting and striking.  As I understand it, OKC made a conscious decision to build the Ford Center somewhat on the cheap in order to get it built and open as soon as possible.  In hindsight, it's hard to argue with that decision and I doubt any OKC leader would change it now.  Of course, OKC is now spending a lot more money on the Ford Center to improve its look (and copy a little from their inferior neighbors in Tulsa).

If Tulsa had passed either one of the failed downtown plans that included an arena, it would have been operating 5-8 years ago.  Obviously, both of those proposals had issues, but passage would have probably resulted in an arena much more resembling the Ford Center than our current arena.  But our downtown development would also be further along than it is.

In light of the fact we missed out on getting an arena opened earlier, I think Mayor LaFortune made the right decision to go much nicer and create a iconic downtown landmark for several future generations of Tulsans.  If you're already late to the party, you might as well arrive in style with lots of shinning steel and gleaming glass.

[TheTed]

you have to walk under that train bridge and go into Bricktown.  It is quite a pain in a big crowd trying to squeeze through the little walkway. 

When will cities in our region learn? Tulsa, OKC, Dallas, etc, all plan to make sure auto traffic is never slowed, to the maximum detriment of pedestrians.

If you go to a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, the sidewalk/plaza in front of the ballpark is packed full of people next to a mostly empty road. They actually have guards who yell at you if you attempt to walk around the crowd in the empty road. God forbid someone who decides to drive next to a massive sports stadium 15 minutes before gametime be inconvenienced in any way.

[sgrizzle]

Last time I went to the ford center we waited through several traffic signal cycles, about 5 minutes, and never once got a "Walk"

OKCPD did nothing to help either. Finally had to literally walk between moving cars.