Overview

Paycom Center is a multipurpose indoor arena located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It serves as the primary home court for the National Basketball Association franchise, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and regularly hosts concerts, family shows, college sporting events and other large gatherings. Opened in the early 2000s, the facility became a focal point for the city's cultural and economic activity.

Design and features

The arena was built as a modern, flexible venue with multiple seating configurations to accommodate basketball, concerts and special events. Typical amenities include club seating, private suites, expanded concourses, catering and concession areas, and a scoreboard and sound system designed for both sports presentation and touring shows. Seating capacity for basketball events is roughly 18,000, though that number varies with stage and floor layouts for other uses.

History and naming

The building has had several commercial names. It originally opened under the Ford Center name, later carried the Chesapeake Energy name for a period, and was known briefly as Oklahoma City Arena before adopting its current corporate identity as Paycom Center. The venue also hosted the relocated New Orleans franchise, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, for a temporary period in the mid-2000s while that franchise was displaced by a natural disaster. Significant upgrades were made over time to meet professional sports standards and to support major touring productions.

Uses and importance

Beyond serving as the NBA team's home, Paycom Center is a regional destination for touring musicians, family entertainment, NCAA basketball games and large conventions. Its location near entertainment districts and transportation links helps attract visitors and supports downtown businesses. The arena has been used for championship-level college events, community initiatives and occasional national broadcasts, underscoring its role as a versatile public venue.

Notable facts and distinctions

  • The arena played a part in the NBA's return to Oklahoma City when the Thunder relocated and established themselves as a major franchise in the region.
  • It has hosted temporary tenants and special events that connected the city to national sports stories, including the period when the relocated Hornets played home games here.
  • Naming rights have changed several times, reflecting partnerships between the city and private companies.

As a civic asset, Paycom Center remains a centerpiece for large-scale entertainment in Oklahoma City and continues to adapt its facilities and programming to meet the needs of fans, performers and community organizations. For event schedules, ticketing and venue information consult the operator and event promoters associated with the arena, including materials from the league such as the NBA.

Further reading and local resources include official municipal pages and downtown visitor guides that describe how the arena integrates with the surrounding districts and transportation options; many of these resources reference the arena directly via city and venue links such as downtown guides and promotional sites for state and national tourism pages.