Fans probably won't notice a big difference during the upcoming NBA season. But plans for renovations are mapped out and will begin as soon as possible. Here's a list of plans that fans will see added to the Ford Center in the next few years.
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•Timeline: No official completion date has been set for the renovations, but officials say it will likely be finished sometime after basketball season ends in 2010. Most of the Ford Center's larger projects won't begin until after the basketball season in 2009.
•Locker rooms: Entirely new locker rooms will be built for the NBA, but won't be ready this season. In the meantime, Oklahoma City's new team will shower in the Yard Dawgz locker room. New carpet and a paint job in the team's new colors will be installed for the upcoming season.
•NBA offices: New offices for the team's management will be constructed on the third level of the Ford Center.
•Outdoor gardens/patios: Four outdoor gardens and lounge areas, featuring bars and seating, will be built on the rooftops of the Ford Center. Patrons will get access to rooftop gardens on event days without charge.
•Kid zone: A new facility on the Ford Center's third floor will house games and events for children. The Kid Zone will be divided into two areas for younger and older children.
•Warm-up court: A practice court will be built over the current loading dock, with stands for about 200 people.
•Loge boxes: New box seating areas will be built in the Ford Center's bowl.
•Suite upgrades: Plush upgrades and new floor suites will be available for big spenders.
•New restaurants: Six new restaurants will be added, including two new high-end eateries. The York Icehouse will be turned into a bar-type restaurant, similar to an ESPN Zone. A nightclub-like lounge is also in the works, and officials say some areas might be open later than the one-hour limit following events.
•Wider concourses: More space to walk means less traffic jams. It also means more space for concessions, which will make for shorter lines.
•Scoreboards: New scoreboards will be added above the court.
Compiled by Mike Jeffries
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Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.