want that stop to be here and this new arena will help ensure that stop.” Gillenwater said the passage of the arena is important for many reasons, but one of the biggest is the economic impact. “We know that the arena generates an impact to our economy of more than a half a billion dollars a year, and supports 3,000 jobs,” she said. “The construction jobs alone for this facility are also significant – more than 9,000 over the course of building the facility.” The current arena opened in 2001 and is one of the oldest, and the smallest, in the NBA. It lacks many of the fan amenities found in other arenas. The building also lacks loading docks and other infrastructure demanded by many of the larger touring acts playing arenas today. These demands are expected to grow in coming years, making Oklahoma City less competitive for attracting events residents demand.
The Chamber is leading a coalition of organizations working together to ensure the vote’s success (see a list of coalition members on page 4). Chamber member businesses and organizations are encouraged to join the effort and share the campaign with customers, colleagues and employees. “If you support this effort, we have numerous ways to help,” explained Gillenwater. “From signs in front of your business, to providing brochures and information to customers, to emailing your employees with information on the vote and more. Voter registration is still open until November 17, and hosting registration drives for employees and customers is a great way to get involved.” Members will receive a link later this month to a toolkit to help support their efforts. To learn more about the campaign or how you can get involved, visit www.keepokcbigleague.com, or call Tyler Moore at 405-796-4078.
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