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Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt speaks with KOCO 5 after arena funding passage

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt speaks with KOCO 5 after arena funding passage
All right, obviously pretty historic night for Oklahoma City results clearly coming in exactly how you wanted it. What's your immediate reaction just seeing, you know, the margin of victory in this incredibly excited for our city, obviously, *** win was *** win, but to move forward with this margin, *** historic margin in our city's history. I mean, it really represents *** consensus, you know, it's *** mandate, it's validation that we're on the right track. So, yeah, I'm absolutely thrilled for our city. Just can't believe almost that we really get to have this renaissance continue in some ways for another generation and we can build upon this platform. Now, knowing that we're *** big league city and your speech earlier, you mentioned how the world was watching this election and what Oklahoma City voters decided kind of recap that and just how important this is on the level of worldwide, not just important here in Oklahoma. I think for 15 years, people have seen considered as *** curiosity, you know, we're still kind of *** small market. Do we really deserve *** team? Can we really play with the big boys? Do we have the guts to make the commitment that you have to make to play at this level and not only to just pass it but to pass it like this. I mean, people are going to have to stand back and say, ok, Oklahoma City is here to stay. And I love that. Obviously, I love this city and I love that. I think we made such *** strong statement tonight that this is *** global city and we're not going anywhere. The biggest question now that this has passed that I know *** lot of people are going to want to know the Thunder is here until 2050. Where's the new arena going to go? Is there any decision or early decisions in that? What you expect? I think that definitely has to be sort of the first order of business and there's *** process and we got to really get into it. You know, I think that's clearly the task of 2024. If we want to stay on *** timeline of opening this in 2029 as the letter of intent stated, we need to probably get this part resolved pretty soon and then we'll move into design, which in and of itself is probably *** couple year process. Construction is probably *** couple year process for all the excitement tonight. You know, we do need now to sit down and hurry up and wait, you know, because this arena is not opening tomorrow. We're going to have some amazing memories still created at the arena that we have while this process unfolds. But I think it's an exciting opportunity. I think it's *** lot of fun to design it. I think it's going to be unique statement about Oklahoma City and I think it's really going to raise the bar in our community. So we have all that to look forward to and obviously at the end of that journey, *** ribbon cutting, but I'll have *** few more gray hairs at that point. Do you have any inspiration for the arena in terms of what you expect it to look like or businesses surrounding it, anything like that? Well, listen, I mean, at the dollar amount and at the square footage that we're talking about 750,000 square feet compared to what we have today, like 550,000 square feet. And when you look at modern NBA arenas, I mean, it's going to be obviously much, much larger in every way in every direction. And it's going to be *** statement piece. It's going to raise the bar architecturally in our community. I mean, people, we're going to be driving our cousins here when they visit, we're going to say, look at our very nice arena and they're going to say that's the arena of *** big city, you know, and that's obviously what we want. I think that the way you felt when Cesar T Park opened the opened, the city never been the same and the city has never looked this great. You know, that's what we want to obviously feel with this project. Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you.
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Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt speaks with KOCO 5 after arena funding passage
Voters overwhelmingly approved a proposition to fund a new $900 million downtown arena that will keep the Thunder in Oklahoma City through 2050.Following the measure's passage, KOCO 5's Alyse Jones spoke with Mayor David Holt about the special election and what the new arena will mean for Oklahoma City. Open the video player above to hear more from Holt. Top Headlines Election Results: Oklahoma City voters approve funding for new $900 million downtown arena Proposition to fund new $900 million downtown Oklahoma City arena passes Police release identity of victim killed in I-35 shooting, crash Charges amended for caretakers in Athena Brownfield case Parents and players angered by Westmoore head football coach's removal

Voters overwhelmingly approved a proposition to fund a new $900 million downtown arena that will keep the Thunder in Oklahoma City through 2050.

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Following the measure's passage, KOCO 5's Alyse Jones spoke with Mayor David Holt about the special election and what the new arena will mean for Oklahoma City. Open the video player above to hear more from Holt.


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