CHAT RECAP
Steve Lackmeyer's OKC Central chat features guest Bob Funk Jr.
During Monday's bonus OKC Central Live Chat, business writer Steve Lackmeyer was joined by Bob Funk Jr., co-owner of the OKC Energy FC, to discuss a multi-use soccer stadium being pitched for MAPS 4. Below is an abridged transcript of the discussion.
Bob, you have two options for consideration. Funk: One is for $37 million to $42 million with about 8,000 seats and the capacity to do mid-level concerts on a regulation-size field that could host soccer, lacrosse, rugby and American football. It could also host state high school football championships, boxing events and cultural festivals.
The second is $67 million to $72 million option that increases it to 10,000 capacity for field events, 18,000 for concerts, and puts a roof or shade structure over the seating. And it provides for two stages, one for large
concerts and one for more intimate events plus premium amenities for the fans.
What if we just want the shade structures from option two?
Funk: We're probably looking $10 million to $15 million for the shade structures alone. Both options give us the ability the expand if we need later on.
How long has the Energy FC been playing and how are they doing?
Funk: This is their sixth year to play in Oklahoma City. We've done well setting our non-regulation pitch at the side. But the team over all has continued to perform well on and off the field. Tim's and my goal is to put soccer on the map in Oklahoma City. We've seen our attendance dip since we began. After some exhaustive focus groups and surveys over the last two years, it was apparent that our number one challenge is our location at Taft Stadium. Why?
Funk: The lack of other complementary pieces in and around the venue is a problem, parking is a problem, we don't have the ability to cook concessions in the venue. Ingress and egress is a problem. We don't have a regulation-size pitch and we have a track around our field which does not lend itself to an authentic soccer experience. The venue is a blank slate so we have to bring everything into that environment to make the experience what it is. And that limits you on the experience you can create.
Please specify why this stadium would be better for concerts than the Bricktown Ballpark.
Funk: We ran the ballpark at one point so we know its limitations. The ballpark is a hard venue to create the right kind of concert experience. With the way it is designed, if you want to maximize capacity, you have to put everything on the outfield, and it sets you too far in the outfield. And if you bring it too close to the infield, it reduces your capacity. It's also very hard to load in any large national touring event, and it's really expensive.
You have to bring most of the equipment over the wall by crane.
Who currently owns the land where the proposed stadium is being built?
Funk: First it has to make the MAPS 4 ballot. Once approved, it then goes the city council, it goes through consultants and a citizens advisory board for location designation.
If we go by history, especially with the Oklahoma City Dodgers and the ballpark, the owners have quite a bit of input on this matter. Do you have some top favorites?
Funk: Obviously the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill property, we thought that would be a good location three years ago. We also think Wheeler Park is a good location. I like the (recently cleared) Exchange site south of Farmers Public Market. It's only seven acres. I like Strawberry Fields west of Scissortail Park if we could ever find a way to make it work.
We also looked at Wiley Post Park but access is the biggest issue there.