Expedition Africa at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Presented by the Inasmuch Foundation, Expedition Africa is the OKC Zoo’s largest expansion ever, covering over 12 acres. This incredible addition features new habitats, building renovations and exciting attractions that have enhanced visitor experience like never before. With space for over 60 African species, this $35 million expansion is now open and ready for the public to explore.

 

Find Your West at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Find Your West is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum's first-of-its-kind immersive exhibit. Experience four captivating vignettes that bring the stories of Cowboy, Native American, Ranching and Rodeo cultures to life. This exciting project is part of The Cowboy's "Live the Code" capital campaign. Come and explore these rich traditions and live the adventure.

 

Perle Mesta by Chef Andrew Black

Perle Mesta, located in the Skirvin Hotel, recently opened under the culinary expertise of James Beard Award-winning Chef Andrew Black. Named after W.B. Skirvin's daughter, a prominent 1940s Oklahoma City socialite and inspiration for the phrase "Hostess with the Mostest," this collaboration showcases Chef Black’s dedication and finesse, offering a luxurious dining experience. Interestingly, Chef Black’s first restaurant in Oklahoma City was also in the Skirvin Hotel, bringing his career full circle with Perle Mesta.

OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark

Situated along the Oklahoma River near downtown Oklahoma City, OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark will be a $400 million tourist destination designed to continue the momentum of economic development in the up-and-coming Horizons District. The OKANA Resort will include a riverfront hotel featuring 11 stories and over 400 rooms, resort day spa, outdoor adventure lagoon, amphitheater, indoor waterpark, over 12 food and bar outlets, Native American Marketplace and retail outlets. The development is expected to be complete in Spring 2025.

 

State-of-the-Art Arena

Oklahoma City is investing nearly a billion dollars in a state-of-the-art arena. This future home of the Thunder will be constructed on the former Cox Convention Center site in downtown OKC. The city, in collaboration with PBC Sports & Entertainment, will design and construct the arena, ensuring it meets NBA standards and enhances fan experience. The new arena will be at least 750,000 square feet, and the project includes a parking garage with a minimum of 650 spaces. The Thunder will continue playing at the Paycom Center until the new arena opens, targeted for June 2028, with a latest completion date of June 2030 and will commit to staying in OKC for 25 years once they move into the new facility.

 

Innovation Hall

Located in OKC's Innovation District, Innovation Hall will be a vessel to support the district's mission of collaboration, innovation, opportunity and economic growth. The building will include a public cafe with indoor and outdoor seating areas, an event hall and meeting rooms available to rent. Innovation Hall will also house BioTC, a short-term biomanufacturing training with a focus on hands-on experience and online resources.

 

OAK

OAK is an exciting new type of development — one that will change the way life is lived and work is done in Oklahoma. It’s an entertainment destination that pays off OKC’s reputation as a city on the rise. In three phases, it will transform NW Expressway and Pennsylvania Avenue into an entertainment, residential and retail space.

 

Love's Planetarium at SMO

The Love’s Planetarium at Science Museum Oklahoma is set to open on September 20, 2024. Viewing the experience, audiences will see the dome in a new way with a night sky free of light pollution–something many will never experience outside a planetarium. Science Museum Oklahoma educators will access NASA databases and live feeds through the cutting-edge technology which can only be found in one other place in the world—Shanghai, China.

 

Oklahoma City Zoo Upgrades and Master Plan

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens will undergo $71 million in infrastructure improvements through 2028 as part of a 10-year Master Plan from 2024 to 2034. The plan includes modernizing the zoo's oldest structures, creating immersive habitats and enhancing guest experiences. Upcoming projects include a three-acre Sea Lion Cove, a 12-acre conservation preserve and a botanical education space called The Farm.

 

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum to modernize the Museum’s Infrastructure

The “Live the Code” capital campaign is an initiative to raise $40 million to modernize the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s guest experiences and infrastructure. One major feature is a 360° Cinematic Experience which will transport guests to a place where rich Western history comes alive. Updates have already begun, and the project is scheduled to be completed mid-2027.

 

Fairgrounds Coliseum

As a part of MAPS 4, this exciting upgrade to the fairgrounds complex will ensure OKC continues to be the “horse show capital of the world.” The OG&E Coliseum is scheduled to be completed mid-2025. The new build will seat 7,500 to 8,500 people and house a Made In Oklahoma retail space. All events and operations will continue to take place in the current Jim Norick Arena during construction.

 

Clara Luper Civil Rights Center

The historic Freedom Center, home of the local civil rights movement, will be renovated. The new five-acre campus, adjacent to the historic building, will include a café, welcome center, outdoor and events spaces and an educational and community gathering place that honors the past, enlightens visitors today and empowers the next generation of leadership. It will be a community gathering place named for our most famous civil rights pioneer.

 

Hefner Golf Clubhouse

Construction is underway for a new 18,000-square-foot clubhouse at Lake Hefner Golf Club. This multi-level facility will feature a range of amenities, including a golf shop, locker rooms, office spaces and a convenient grab-and-go food and beverage area. During the construction, both golf courses and the current clubhouse will remain fully operational. The new clubhouse is slated for completion in 2026.

 

RIVERSPORT Expansion Includes Trailhead and Bike Park

The Oklahoma Trailhead and Bike Park at RIVERSPORT expansion will include a new bike plaza, an outdoor classroom, a community garden, and play area, as well as paved parking. Shipping containers will be used to create a unique gathering place that includes a welcome center, a nature center and ADA restrooms. This project is anticipated to open Fall 2024.

 

USS Oklahoma City to dock along the Oklahoma River

Oklahoma City Council approved construction of a commemorative display featuring nautical items from the USS Oklahoma City submarine and the USS Oklahoma City cruiser. The maritime display will be located along the Oklahoma River, on the north shore of Wiley Post Park, 1700 S Robinson Ave.  

 

Andretti’s 

The Half will soon be home to Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, Oklahoma City’s newest entertainment venue. The 96,000-square-foot facility will boast several exciting features including electric super-karts, zip lining, rock climbing, a full-service sky bar and more. The entertainment venue’s grand opening is expected in 2025. 

 

Boomtown OKC

Oklahoma City's Adventure District is gearing up for an exciting transformation with the upcoming Boomtown OKC development. This new project will feature an array of retail shops and popular restaurants, including Donato's and Starbucks. Additionally, it will boast a state-of-the-art pickleball facility with 16 outdoor courts and four indoor courts, as well as volleyball courts.

 

Pedestrian Bridge over Oklahoma River

Construction began in May 2024 on a $5.7 million bike and pedestrian bridge over the Oklahoma River at Eastern Avenue, north of OKANA Resort and Indoor Waterpark. It will connect the south shore trail to the four-mile Greenway River Trail on the north shore. This 614-foot long, 20-foot-wide bridge is part of the MAPS 4 project to enhance the city's parks system and is expected to be completed in about a year.

 

Hotel Developments

The Elm Hotel, located in The Half, will be a 140-room boutique-style getaway with plenty of luxurious amenities to be enjoyed by guests. The Elm Hotel will include a fitness center, pool, conference rooms and a rooftop bar.  

Celebrated hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group announced their plans to open two new Dream Hotel and Unscripted Hotel locations in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 2024. Designed by Miami-based CUBE3 Architects and built by general contractor Hensel Phelps, the 220-room Dream Hotel and 174-room Unscripted Hotel will be the centerpiece of a large mixed-use development project with California-based Matteson Capital LLC.

The 77-room, four-story Hamlin Hotel, set to open Spring 2025, will be built across from the Market at Eastpoint at NE 23 and Rhode Island. This will be the first hotel development Northeast Oklahoma City has received in decades.

Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2026, a new luxury property in Chisholm Creek will be part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. This hotel will offer 181 guestrooms, a three-meal restaurant, a pool and a rooftop

The $15 million Skirvin renovation will include a comprehensive refresh of the guest rooms, restaurant and banquet and meeting spaces as well as the iconic lobby, public space and ballrooms. The hotel will remain open and operational throughout the renovation period.