The Cox Convention Center (originally Myriad Convention Center) is a multi-purpose complex located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is currently the home of the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League.
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History
Its name comes from a naming rights deal with telecommunications giant Cox Communications. The complex was formerly known as the Myriad Convention Center.
It was the centerpiece of Oklahoma City's first major urban renewal project, the Pei Plan. In addition to the Convention Center, the project included the removal of blighted sections of the southern downtown area. The project also began the process for the design and construction of the Myriad Botanical Gardens, located directly west of the Myriad.
It is located adjacent to the Renaissance and Sheraton Hotels and borders Robinson Avenue, Sheridan Avenue, Reno Avenue, and EK Gaylord Blvd in Downtown. Immediately across the street to the south is the Chesapeake Energy Arena, the city's largest multipurpose arena, as well as the Courtyard Hotel.
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Its primary use is that of large scale convention and meeting facility. It also hosts major concerts, conferences, and other large scale events. The complex houses multiple meeting rooms, conference and convention space, dining halls, and a 15,000 seat multi-purpose arena. When it opened in 1972, it replaced the Oklahoma State Fair Arena as Oklahoma City's main indoor sports and concert venue. It would retain this status for 30 years until the opening of the Ford Center (now the Chesapeake Energy Arena) in 2002.
The arena was home to Oklahoma City Blazers hockey in the 1970s and then again from 1992 to 2002, Bricktown Brawlers Indoor Football League team; previously the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League used to play their games their before their relocation to Bakersfield. The Cox Convention Center has also hosted numerous state and college basketball events, including early rounds of the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament and also the 2007 and 2009 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament and UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard on September 16, 2009. The NCAA Men's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships were held at the arena from 1986 to 1988.
Improvements
The Myriad received a major renovation and expansion. The US$55.8 million project was designed by Glover Bode. Flintco, who served as the renovation's general contractor, began construction in June 1997. The work was completed in August 1999.
The MAPS Project also funded construction of the Chesapeake Energy Arena (located just south of the Cox Convention Center) and Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The Cox Convention Center received another upgrade, budgeted at $4.5 million, to accommodate the move of the Edmonton Oilers' top farm team, the Oklahoma City Barons and which began play in fall 2010.
Events
Prior to the opening of the Ford Center, the Myriad was Oklahoma City's premier sports and entertainment venue.
Concerts
Other events
- National Finals Rodeo (1979-1984)
- 1983 Billy Graham Oklahoma Crusade at the arena
- NBA and NHL exhibition games
- 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival events
- Boxing
- Tennis
- UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard - September 16, 2009
- Indoor Track meets
- American Bycycle Association: Grand Nationals
- First and second-round games for the 1994 and 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship (Bryce Drew's famous buzzer beater took place here during the 1998 tournament)
- Talk show host Phil Donahue taped his show in the Great Hall of the Myriad for a week in 1981
- Pro Wrestling (Mid-South Wrestling, WWF and WCW)
- OKC Oilfield Expo
- It will host of the beatification of Stanley Rother on September 23, 2017, the first native-born American to be proclaimed a martyr of the Catholic Church.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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