OKC MAPS PROJECTS – 25 YEARS
Figure 8 summarizes visitation and visitation numbers at several key attractions in the downtown study area. Estimates suggest that 10 million to 12 million visitors and patrons annually attend events and attractions in the study area in recent years. MAPS Attractions The most important contribution of MAPS to downtown tourism is likely the creation and development of the Bricktown entertainment district. General visits to Bricktown are the largest single source of visitation to the study area. Estimates suggest that 6 million visits are made to Bricktown annually, roughly half of total visits to the area. Among the MAPS sports venues, Chesapeake Energy arena is the most-visited individual MAPS venue, attracting an average of 1.2 million visitors each year in the 2015 to 2017 period. Along with a traditionally sold-out NBA schedule, the arena remains a popular national concert stop. The Bricktown Ballpark hosted approximately 600,000 visits annually in the 2015 to 2017 period. The ballpark draws more than 450,000 each year for baseball games, with the remainder attending other events and activities. Cox Convention Center visitation roughly equals that of baseball at the ballpark, drawing an average of nearly 450,000 visitors annually in recent years. The construction of the new downtown convention center and accompanying convention hotel is expected to allow for significant enhancement of the city’s stature as a national convention destination. The renovations and enhancements at the Civic Center Music Hall have been well received by patrons. The Music Hall has averaged almost 350,000 visits annually in recent years. A record number of visitors exceeding 419,000 were hosted in 2017. Activities along the Oklahoma River continue to draw a range of visitors. A small set of sponsored events at the river attracted approximately 50,000 visitors annually the past five years. In addition, the water taxis on the Bricktown Canal draw more than 100,000 riders annually. The Ron J. Norick Library remains a key education-related destination in the downtown area with approximately 300,000 in-person visits annually.
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