City: Oklahoma City, OK

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (405) 602-8700

Address: 100 W. Reno

Description: Construction began on the $89-million Ford Center in the spring of 1999 and it opened on June 8, 2002. It is owned by Oklahoma City and was paid for through Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), a capital improvement program. Since its opening, the Ford Center has undergone many improvements, such as new restaurants, video boards, and speakers. In Mar 2008, voters approved another temporary sales tax, which will allow more upgrades to the Ford Center. These upgrades will include new concession areas, loge boxes, rooftop gardens, and a family fun zone.The Ford Center has a total of 586,000 square feet with a seating capacity range of about 5,000 to 20,000, depending on the event. There are 49 private suites and 48 total restrooms, including 12 family restrooms. Currently three restaurants and 23 concession stands are available for hungry guests. The Ford Center has six passenger elevators, six escalators, and two primary sets of stairs so getting around isn’t a problem. Three ATMs are available. Smoking is prohibited in the arena and concourse areas. Certain items, like laser pens, oversize bags, and outside food and drinks are not allowed. A full list of prohibited items is available on the Web site.Visitors don’t have to worry about missing any of the action during sports games or concerts. Newly renovated in 2009, the Ford Center has a new Daktronics four panel center hung scoreboard, which will allow the action as well as scores, timeouts, messages and more to be seen and clearly seen from anywhere in the arena. More than 200 television monitors are located in restrooms, bar areas, and restaurants. The Ford Center is home to the Oklahoma City Blazers, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, and Oklahoma City Thunder. It also hosts concert events at various times throughout the year. For events, tickets can be purchased on-site at the U.S. Army Box Office, by phone (800-745-3000), or online at www.ticketmaster.com. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon through Fri and on weekends and holidays depending on the event.