'A Major Contributor To Our Growth': Experts Discuss Oklahoma City Entertainment, Venue Growth

There are several development projects in the works across the metro, many of them entertainment-focused. Experts hope this will bring economic and population growth to Oklahoma City.

The Paycom Center is coming off a historic two-night event with world-famous rapper Drake and city officials are hopeful new and renovated event venues of all sizes, alongside a brand-new arena, will make hosting big name artists part of the norm.

"Our goal as a community was to build a city that people wanted to live in," OKC Mayor David Holt said.

"It's a major contributor to our growth,"

Mayor David Holt says making Oklahoma City a household name has been the plan since the inception of the original MAPS project three decades ago.

"And entertainment is a big part of that," Holt said.

"It's been a busy year of concerts already," Chris Semrau, Paycom Center's general manager, said.

And the future is looking even busier.

"A new downtown sports and entertainment venue will be a destination for the biggest and best sports and entertainment events across the country," Semrau said. "I think the community wants to be a part of a vibrant sports, entertainment, arts and culture scene."

Several event venues and entertainment districts are coming to the metro in the next five years.

Alongside renovations at the Zoo Amp, and the presence of smaller venues like the Jones Assembly and the Tower Theater, Semrau says OKC is gearing up to be an entertainment hotspot.

"It's important that all of them are successful," Semrau said. "They create the system for artists to grow throughout the venue system and eventually end up at the Paycom Center."

And hopefully in the next two years, big artists like Drake will be lining up thanks to development across the board.

"We now have a level of entertainment and a level of culture that is very attractive," Holt said.

But the work isn't done.

"The evolution of a city is never done," Holt said.

City officials and the team at Paycom share in the excitement, and believe the next five years will be revolutionary for Oklahoma City's entertainment industry.