Brad Paisley to perform at BOK Center
The concert at the BOK Center is scheduled for Jan. 24, according to the singer's Web site.

Arena 'to-do' list nearly done; Convention Center work is next
Tulsa Vision Builders is finishing up its "to-do" list on the newly opened BOK Center and then will turn its attention to the $50.5 million expansion and renovation of the Tulsa Convention Center.

Music brings new arena to life
The early bird gets the worm, or in the case of downtown Saturday night, the early Eagles fan gets the best parking spot.

Rock band unites young and old in BOK Center's opening night
The band was two full songs into its set before they blurted out "Hello, Tulsa!"

BOK Center in Pictures
Concertgoers enter the BOK Center before the Eagles concert during the first event at the arena in downtown Tulsa.

Free concerts set before BOK Center events
Ten free concerts are slated for this season on the BOK Center’s expansive outdoor plaza on Third Street, just steps from the new arena’s iconic glass and steel wall.

Eagles have big acts to follow
The Eagles are landing this weekend to officially kick off the BOK Center. Here's a roundup of other historic Tulsa venues and their opening acts:

BOK Center opens with a multifaith blessing
Music rocked the BOK Center downtown Sunday afternoon as several thousand people gathered for a multifaith celebration and blessing of the new building.

Center premiere draws thousands
Thousands turned out Saturday for the BOK Center's ribbon cutting and open house and came away thoroughly impressed.

BOK: Premium seats available
The BOK Center has a new level of premium seating and memberships to an exclusive club inside that are set to go on sale Wednesday morning.

Updated: Opening of BOK Center draws thousands downtown
"Welcome to a historic day in your city," Mayor Kathy Taylor told the several thousands of people were attended the ceremony.

Center of attention
The day has arrived.

Blessings, singing to welcome arena
The major religions of the world will be represented at a multifaith celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday as part of the grand opening of the BOK Center downtown.

Janet Jackson headed to Tulsa
The pop and R&B icon will perform at the BOK Center on Oct. 26.

See a calendar of upcoming events at the arena, join Tulsa World reporter Brian Barber on an exclusive video tour of the BOK Center, view 360-degree panoramas of the arena and more.

Pow! BOK opens with a bang and Carries on from there
Now, check out what’s on the inside.

Police beef up event presence
Visitors drawn downtown by big events at the BOK Center can expect to see police officers on Segways, bicycles and horses and an overall increase in patrol officers throughout the city's core.

Eagles to perform at BOK Center again in November
Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor announced on Tuesday that, due to overwhelming demand, a second concert date for legendary rock act The Eagles has been added to the BOK Center lineup.
See a calendar of upcoming events at the arena, join Tulsa World reporter Brian Barber on an exclusive video tour of the BOK Center, view 360-degree panoramas of the arena and more.

Tribes pray for arena
As the BOK Center prepares for its grand opening this weekend, representatives of four area American Indian tribes offered their blessings to the arena Monday to ensure its long-term success.

BOK Center blessed by tribes
As the BOK Center prepares for its grand opening this weekend, representatives of four area American Indian tribes offered their blessings to the new arena Monday to ensure its long-term success.

Read the latest stories on the BOK Center, join reporter Brian Barber on a tour of the arena, watch a slide show of the construction progress and more.

Finishing touches still to go
Even after the BOK Center's public open house Saturday, some work on the building will be left to do.

Ins and outs of parking
Getting to the BOK Center and finding parking won't be as difficult as some people may think, officials say.

Hanson, Brooks to be at opening
Once Garth Brooks and Hanson help cut the ribbon for the BOK Center's grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, the public will finally get a firsthand look inside the completed venue.

New game in town with arena
Imagine a college basketball doubleheader at the new BOK Center with the University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University matched against out-of-town teams.

Venue will offer region's delights
Visitors to the BOK Center will have much more to munch on than nachos, hot dogs and popcorn.

Arena product of joint effort
Two giants came together to build the BOK Center.

Vision is just a start
Famed architect Cesar Pelli said the design he came up with for the BOK Center was merely an approximation.

Management boasts experience
When the time came to select a venue management company for the BOK Center, city officials turned to the world's largest.

BOK Center an icon of Tulsa
Tulsa leaders didn't want an ordinary arena — they wanted an icon.

Artists enliven BOK's interior
Many consider the BOK Center a work of art itself, but at least four public art projects will adorn the new venue.

Eagles soar in the long run
For iconic American rock act the Eagles, 40 years and more than a dozen albums document the expansive popularity of the band's brand of ever-evolving, slick and slightly dark California rock.

Restaurants
The following is a list of downtown restaurants that stay open through the dinner hours. Most offer a full menu until 10 p.m., but hours may vary. Call the restaurant for details.



Private money provided upgrades
The true cost of the BOK Center is about $196 million.

Toilet test flush with fun
Whoosh! With the clock counting down 10 minutes, hundreds of children repeatedly flushed the BOK Center's nearly 350 public toilets and urinals Tuesday to simulate a real intermission scenario.

Reasor's added as outlets; center events announced
All 15 Reasor's grocery store locations were added Tuesday as ticketing outlets for Tulsa's new BOK Center.

Center's new trees to honor artists
The Eagles, Celine Dion, Neil Diamond and Carrie Underwood will stand outside the BOK Center for a very long time.

Pelli's arena grows up
Famed architect Cesar Pelli said Wednesday that seeing the almost-complete BOK Center is like seeing one of his children all grown up.

Ticket-scalping ordinance debated
A day after tickets to see the Eagles at the BOK Center sold out in a matter of hours, city councilors Tuesday continued discussing whether to pursue an anti-scalping ordinance.

Volunteers sought to help arena opening
For the BOK Center's first several weeks of operation, the Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau is recruiting a volunteer squad of "fleet feet ambassadors" to be stationed outside the venue before and after events to help point the way and answer questions.

Arena's opening act is the Eagles
The rock legend's concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 6.

Not now, says Garth
Brooks will attend the arena opening but won't perform.

Local food on menu at BOK Center
Visitors will be able to taste the variety Tulsa offers.

Workers begin affixing signs on BOK Center
It's a sign that the arena soon will be finished, an official says.

Pro bull riders to kick up heels at BOK Center
PBR Tour plans for future, next month's Express Classic.

Arena kickoff to have choir
A multifaith celebration called "One Song. Many Voices" is being planned for 3 p.m. Aug. 31 as part of the grand opening of the new venue. It will involve a mass community choir.

Arena sign scores big for the city
Crews were busy Wednesday putting the final touches on the BOK Center's $3.6 million, 50,000-pound scoreboard.

Carrie Underwood comes home to play BOK Center
The show will feature special guest Little Big Town.

City says parking plentiful
Event-goers are willing to walk up to 10 minutes from where they park to attend a major attraction, experts say.

Arena is seeking 300-plus workers
An upcoming career fair is aimed at finding BOK Center employees.

Ticket tricks
Savvy fans can be sitting pretty.

BOK big top: Circus is coming
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Over the Top Circus will perform four shows Oct. 17-19.

A leg up
The Rockettes will come to BOK with Christmas Spectacular.

Seats filling BOK Center
Mayor says comfort key with bigger, better seating.

David Cook and other Idol finalists to perform at BOK Center
Tulsa’s soon-to-be-completed arena will be the final stop of the “American Idols Live” tour on Sept. 13.

Plan to endow arena set
Some revenue will go into an expense fund.

Neil Diamond will play Tulsa's BOK Center
Ticket prices and an on-sale date are still being finalized for the show and are expected to be released before the end of the month.

Rascal Flatts to perform at BOK Center Sept. 25
Rascal Flatts will perform at Tulsa's BOK Center during its first month of operation.

Arena flooring is being poured
The terrazzo floor will make the arena first-class, says a construction official.

Council looking at street closures for arena
Such closures will be common, predicts the arena's general manager. Parking -- and walking -- also are discussed.

Celtic Thunder show slated at BOK Center
Celtic Thunder, the all-male version of the Irish musical phenomenon Celtic Woman, is coming to the BOK Center.

Arena construction speeds up
With a Sept. 10 concert by Kenny Chesney already on the calendar, and a grand-opening act expected to be scheduled for shortly before then, there's absolutely no wiggle room.

NBA preseason game coming here
The Oct. 13 game will be one of the first sports events at the BOK Center.

Bring on the basketball
In addition to an NBA preseason game, the BOK Center is well positioned for other hoops events.

NBA exhibition matches Rockets, Magic at BOK Center
When Oklahoma City's Ford Center opened in 2002, its first major sports event also was an NBA exhibition.

Arena, Brady shows announced
Country superstar Kenny Chesney was added to the BOK Center's concert roster Thursday.

Arena artists' contracts signed
The $1.1 million in agreements is for four works; negotiations are continuing for a fifth.

Arena project to heat up
Crews are enclosing it for climate control, so interior work can get under way.

Magazine issue to feature arena
It will appear in USArchitecture as one of the nation's top projects for the year.

Managers to uncork BOK Center at ritzy L.A. party
The new arena will be promoted at an invitation-only party for the concert industry.

Tulsans turn out for Dion tickets
When the Dion tickets went on sale in November, the Tulsa show landed in the Top 10 of sales volume for the 45-city North American tour.

Work begins on arena's rink
The system is complex, like a layer cake of pipes and concrete.

Wait on endowment, arena official urges
The BOK Center's general manager recommended Tuesday that the City Council wait on making a decision about establishing a capital needs endowment

Arena's final construction bids opened
The BOK Center wrapped up construction bidding Friday with the opening of packages involving brick pavers for the main walkway and a sealant for the seating bowl.

BOK Center 2 weeks behind
Councilors mull an endow- ment as workers scramble to catch up and enclose the arena.

BOK Center trust fund eyed
It would pay for future upgrades and renovations, a councilor says.

No down time downtown
Crews use floodlights to catch up on construction work after the ice storm.

Pane-staking work: Glass goes onto arena wall
The work will complete the BOK Center's signature feature.

BOK Center gets $4.875 million in partnership with Ford
The BOK Center has secured a 15-year founding partnership worth $4.875 million with the Oklahoma Ford Dealers -- making Ford the exclusive automotive sponsor of the arena.

Average Joes get first peek
Countless politicians, government officials and business and civic groups have toured the BOK Center's construction site.

Arena to get $4 million more in private funds
The source will be named today.

BOK Center announces 2 new sponsors
Cherokee Nation Enterprises and Cox Communications were revealed Friday as two new founding sponsors of Tulsa's BOK Center.

Oilers sign on to BOK Center
The hockey team's agreement to play at the new arena begins with the 2008 season.

Two more sponsors are landed for BOK Center
Two BOK Center founding sponsorships worth $4.84 million will be announced Friday, bringing the arena's total in private funding to $31.8 million.

New arena's hot seats sell fast
Club-seat patrons will enjoy a variety of perks in the downtown venue, which is set to open next September.

BOK club seats going on sale
The BOK Center's club seats will go on sale Monday to the general public.

Metallic panels going up
Workers have started bolting on the BOK Center’s shiny “skin.”

Celine Dion concert announced for arena
The singer's show is the first major concert announcement for the 18,000-seat, $178 million venue, which is scheduled to open in September.

Arena to be kept busy, manager says
Dozens of events, including big concerts, are projected for its first year.

Councilor digs in his heels on turf
The BOK Center's manager says the expense for the Talons is normal.

Talons to make BOK Center home
The arena football team will pay more rent but reap more revenue.

Arena's Web site launched
BOKCenter.com is live. The online site will promote Tulsa's 18,000-seat arena, which is to open in September 2008.

Seat bids open, but comfort a question
The BOK Center's 18,000 seats will be blue, have rear-mounted cup holders and be 2 inches wider than ones in most other arenas. What is not yet known is who will provide them.

Convention Center has new ticket service
The Maxwell Convention Center's new private management company has chosen Tickets.com as its ticketing service.

Arena steel tops out
Age-old tradition helps mark the milestone.

Latest arena bid is well below estimates
The bid -- for terrazzo flooring -- is $79,762 less than the original cost estimates.

Who’ll rock the BOK Center?
Garth Brooks emerges from retirement to open Tulsa’s 18,000-seat BOK Center. That’s what the public wants, according to a Tulsa World online survey.

BOK Center scores new assistant general manager
He begins his job booking entertainment at the start of next year.

BOK Center seen as a start
Developing the rest of downtown will take time, officials say.

Two years down, one to go
Steel, concrete and sweat have slowly shaped downtown Tulsa’s 18,000-seat BOK Center over the last 24 months.

Steeled for installation: Glass wall to go up
Work is beginning on the arena's glass icon wall that will wrap around the southern half of the building and serve as the main entrance.

New faces putting experience to work at the BOK Center
The management company hired for the BOK Center has pulled in experienced staff from other venues to help ensure a successful launch for Tulsa's arena.

BOK Center Construction: Officials see new arena's grand scale
Mayor, others tour project as structure takes shape.

Arena's premium boxes sell out
Loge box seating at BOK Center fetches $1.8 million in contracts

BOK Center included in budget
Tulsa's BOK Center has a proposed $768,967 city budget for the upcoming fiscal year when it will not be in operation. The money will go toward hiring personnel and paying for advertising, marketing and office expenses in advance of the arena's September 2008 opening.

Arts panel gives go-ahead on projects for BOK Center
The artists have presented their concepts for the arena through drawings and models to the commission.

Construction Milestone: Arena steel arrives
A fleet of eight trucks carrying the first batch of the BOK Center's 4,000 tons of structural steel arrived Wednesday as the construction timeline nears the halfway mark.

Arena deals are a suite success
A total of $6.5 million in contracts for the BOK Arena's 22 executive suites has been secured.

Art to make way for advertising
The BOK Center's electronic boards are needed for revenue-generating displays, the project director says.

Arena sponsors identified
A total of $15.95 million in founding sponsorships and donations for the BOK Center were revealed Wednesday.