A rendering of the $37 million, 10,000-seat multipurpose stadium that will become the new home of OKC Energy FC following the approval of the MAPS 4 project on Tuesday night.
OKLAHOMA CITY – A new home for OKC Energy FC will arrive in the next decade after more than 70 percent of voters approved Oklahoma City’s MAPS 4 project on Tuesday night.
The $37 million multipurpose venue was among a series of projects that will also include enhancements to Chesapeake Energy Arena, the construction of four new youth centers and major enhancements to the city’s parks system.
The margin of victory for the project, which required voters to approve a continuation of the temporary one cent sales tax that began in 1993 to provide funding for an estimated $978 million in local projects, was a historic one, and was lauded by Energy FC Chief Operating Officer Jeff Kretchmar.
“I think it goes as a testament to the citizens of Oklahoma City and to the community to say, ‘we want a better tomorrow,’ for our sport, for social services, for everything that lifts the city together,” said Kretchmar on Wednesday morning at the USL Winter Summit in Orlando, Fla.
OKC Energy FC Partners Tim McLaughlin (left) and Bob Funk Jr. celebrate the approval of MAPS 4 on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. | Photo courtesy OKC Energy FC
The new 10,000-seat multipurpose stadium is expected to be located near downtown Oklahoma City, with plans to host numerous additional events as well as serving as Energy FC’s home venue. The timeline for construction on the venue is yet to be determined, but Kretchmar and the club are excited for the opportunity the new venue and location will offer the USL Championship club.
“It’s a game-changer for us,” said Kretchmar. “I think it gives us an opportunity to be authentic to the sport, to be authentic to our city and to be authentic to ourselves.”