OKC’s newest park draws closer to opening day, big events planned

Some have called it the Central Park of Oklahoma City. It’s Scissortail Park, a $132 million park located near downtown.

Located a block south of the Myriad Botanical Gardens, Scissortail Park will include a south half between Interstate 40 and the Oklahoma River with connection provided via the Skydance Pedestrian Bridge.

The 70-acre park will include gardens and woodlands, a 3.7-acre lake, a children’s playground, fountains, cafe, boathouse, stage, dog park and a seasonal roller rink.

The north half of Scissortail Park is set to open in late September with a slate of concerts and performances.

The six-acre Love’s Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn, designed by architects Hans and Torrey Butzer, is a first-class outdoor performance venue and features a prominent stage with green room and capacity for small (up to 1,500 guests), medium (up to 10,000 guests) and large (up to 15,000 guests) events, including concerts, outdoor movies, corporate events and symphonic performances.

The venue can also accommodate festivals for up to 250,000 guests over multiple days and is adjacent to the future MAPS 3 Convention Center and Omni Luxury Hotel, and will be the entertainment heart of the park.

“In addition to music, we will have dance hopefully. There could be theater, talks, lectures, so we want to make this lawn area a cultural commons,” said Maureen Heffernan, executive director of Scissortail Park Foundation and Myriad Gardens Foundation.

While the site is starting to look like an actual park, there is still much work to be done.  Some of that work includes planting more green space. Park officials said 1000 trees will fill the grounds.
Though heavy rain this spring hasn’t been great for construction, it’s been fantastic for the growth of the many plants within the park.

“You’ll notice more structures being completed and it’s truly looking like a park with benches getting out, the details starting to happen. It’s really coming together,” added Herrernan.

Scissortail Park will celebrate its grand opening later this year, with a live concert by Kings of Leon Sept. 27 on the Love’s Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn. The staff at the Park Management Company, which also oversees Myriad Gardens, is planning several special events for the grand opening. More details about those activities will be posted at scissortailpark.org.

The park is expected to be a family friendly destination in downtown, which includes four-legged family members. Oklahoma City-based Butzer Architects and landscape architects Hargreaves Associates designed the park. It’s being constructed by Downey Contracting in Oklahoma City.

Hans Butzer and his wife Torrey Butzer designed the park’s buildings, which include an indoor/outdoor café, a boathouse, and the Love’s Travel Stops Stage.

The café will be managed by The Social Order Dining Collective. The group has made a name for itself in the metro by operating The Jones Assembly, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, and Texadelphia in Oklahoma City, and Seven47 in Norman.

At the boathouse, there will be a grab-and-go concession stand, restrooms, and a large, shaded patio. Guest will be able to rent paddle boats to enjoy on the 3.7 acre lake. This area can be rented for parties or events.

There’s also a children’s playground with geometric dome climbers, a large fort with a tower and slides, plenty of shade, and public restrooms. The area is next to the interactive water fountains, making it a great spot on a hot days.

Pet owners can bring their four-legged friends to the half-acre dog park with water fountains and large boulders. The park will be divided into two sides; one for large dogs and one for small dogs.
A 6,400-square-foot event pavilion with a seasonal outdoor roller rink and covered picnic area will be located on the park’s southeast corner.

The park also has an open activity spot where people can fly kites or kick balls, a woodland area with native plants and trees, and a lit pathway with two OKC Streetcar stops. It is the largest stop along the route. It can accommodate two streetcars at one time.

This article originally appeared in the July 2019 edition of The Point.