Flintco and Mortenson hired for OKC arena construction

The Oklahoma City Council recently approved contracts with Flintco and Mortenson to manage construction of the city’s new arena, future home of the OKC Thunder.

“Hiring a construction management team is a major milestone for the new arena project and will allow the city, operators, and architects to work collaboratively with the contractors during design,” David Todd, arena program manager, said. “The Flintco Mortenson team will be an excellent addition to this project, bringing together local and national experience building some of the most iconic venues in sports.”

In December 2023, OKC voters approved a one-cent sales tax to help fund the arena, which will also receive $70 million from MAPS 4 and $50 million from the Thunder’s ownership group, PBC Sports and Entertainment, LLC. The arena’s total budget is $900 million, with plans for a minimum of 750,000 square feet.

The project will be built on the site of Prairie Surf Studios, formerly the Cox Convention Center, with a scheduled demolition by Midwest Wrecking. The demolition will begin within a is expected to take 6-8 months.

“We’ve removed nostalgic items from the arena like a medallion that was embedded in the floor, light fixtures with section numbers on them, flags and some of the seating,” said David Todd, the arena program manager. “The center will be torn down wall by wall over the next few months.”

The Thunder will continue to play at Paycom Center until the new facility opens, with a 25-year commitment to remain in OKC starting when the team moves in.

Flintco, which previously built Paycom Center and other notable Oklahoma projects like Devon Tower and the OKC Convention Center, will partner with Mortenson, a nationally recognized leader in sports and entertainment construction. Mortenson’s portfolio includes projects such as Chase Center, Allegiant Stadium, Climate Pledge Arena and many more.

“As a century-old company founded in Oklahoma, we are deeply honored to build the new NBA arena with Mortenson. The Thunder is Flintco’s hometown team,” said Dave Kollmann, Flintco central region president. “Having built the current arena over 20 years ago, we understand the significance of this project for our city and its future, knowing hundreds of construction jobs will be created to boost our economy. Our employees live, work and play here—and we take great pride in bringing our expertise to a facility that will inspire generations of fans, athletes and Oklahomans.”

Kevin Dalager, vice president of Mortenson’s Sports and Entertainment group, echoed Flintco’s excitement, sharing that the team is honored to have been selected by OKC and the OKC Thunder. "This project is a tremendous opportunity to create a landmark venue that will serve as a hub for community engagement and sporting excellence for generations to come," Dalager said.

The city will retain ownership and be responsible for operating and maintaining the first-class, state-of-the-art arena, which will be designed to meet or exceed NBA standards and maximize revenue to ensure long-term sustainability of professional sports in OKC.

Design is underway and construction will start in 2026, with completion scheduled for 2028.