Thunder owner Clay Bennett releases statement after new OKC arena renderings released

The new home of the Oklahoma City Thunder took the next step on Wednesday. Nearly two years after being voted in, the State of the City address concluded with the first renderings of downtown OKC's new arena that'll open in three years.

OKC Mayor David Holt and Architect David Manica presented the first renderings of OKC's new arena, which is set to open in 2028. The construction cost is $900 million. Several photos and videos demonstrated the interior and exterior of the building.

Paycom Center will remain the Thunder's NBA arena for three seasons. The 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons will be the arena's last years. The new OKC arena will have a different name as Paycom will retire its naming rights once the current arena is shut down.

The Thunder have played at Paycom Center since their relocation from Seattle in 2008. The arena opened in 2002 and is one of the smaller NBA homes. It was formerly known as the Chesapeake Energy Arena before being rebranded as Paycom Center in 2021.

Once the new OKC arena opens, the Thunder will sign a lease that will keep the NBA franchise there through 2053. A new home is the type of long-term security needed to ensure the Thunder remain in Oklahoma City.

Thunder owner Clay Bennett released a statement on the groundbreaking next step. The new OKC arena will be built next to Paycom Center over the next three years. Bennett helped move the NBA franchise to OKC. He serves as the chairman of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC.

“The journey to build a unique and transformative downtown landmark has taken a significant step forward with the unveiling of this preliminary conceptual design,” Bennett wrote in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to Mayor Holt for his leadership and to David Manica and his team who have done a remarkable job capturing our vision for an arena that elevates the spirit of competition, celebrates the values of our community, and strengthens Oklahoma City’s local and global identity.”

Such an achievement is worth hearing from Bennett, who usually stays behind the scenes. He's allowed Thunder GM Sam Presti to build up a contender and has enjoyed the fruits of their work with an NBA championship. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren all signed long-term extensions this offseason to keep them in OKC when the new arena opens.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Thunder owner Clay Bennett addresses new OKC arena renderings