Progress Being Made at BOk Center - June 20, 2007

Mayor Kathy Taylor and Tulsa City Councilors were able to tour the BOk Center last week to see the progress that has been made to the BOk Arena.

The BOk Arena is now in its 22nd month of a 36-month construction schedule and the arena’s steel skeleton is taking shape. Crews have nearly finished the ground-level circle of steel framing and are about to start on the second level.

Behind the framing crew are workers who are installing the structural panels that fit between the steel beams. Workers began installing the panels two weeks ago on the north side of the building and are working their way east.

In August, workers will start putting up thousands of stainless steel panels that will make up the arena’s outer skin. On the south side of the building, a steel cantilever is stretching across what will be the main entrance and will one day support the iconic glass wall. Wind testing is being conducted in Dallas next week by contractor American Glass and Metal to ensure the glass wall can withstand Oklahoman’s volatile weather.

The first of two massive roof trusses, each weighing 176,000 pounds, went up in April with several smaller pieces fanning out from it. The second truss is being assembled on the floor of the seating bowl and is expected to be installed soon.

The building should be fully enclosed by the end of the year so that all of the interior work can be completed before the September 2008 opening.

“There’s going to be a new energy downtown,” Mayor Taylor said. “My enthusiasm for this events center and what it really means for the city increases daily."

John Bolton, General Manager for the BOk Center and Convention Center

Bolton brings more than 20 years of facility and event management experience to Tulsa. Bolton previously managed multiple facilities in Evansville, IN such as Roberts Stadium, a 12,500 seat arena; Mesker Amphitheatre, Victory Theatre, Evansville Auditorium and the 280,000 square foot Evansville Convention Center. He has also served as the executive director of the RiverPark Center in Owensboro, KY. The RiverPark Center is also a multiple-venue property that includes two theatres, conference facilities and the International Bluegrass Music Museum.

Bolton is a Certified Facility Executive (CFE) and currently chairs one of the highest executive-level training programs for facility managers, the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM) Senior Executive Program at Cornell University.

The facilities Bolton manages in Evansville have enjoyed recent successes, with arena revenues doubling from $1.9 million in 2004 to $3.8 million in 2006. The arena in Evansville, IN hosted a record 20 concerts in 2006. The Evansville Convention Center also showed dramatic revenue increases, growing from $1.3 million in 2005 to $2.1 million last year.

Bolton moved to Tulsa in March of 2007 and began supervising activities at the Tulsa Convention Center while preparing for forthcoming renovations. Bolton is also involved in activities and planning for the opening of the BOk Center.