Flintco-Mortenson JV breaks ground on $900M Oklahoma City NBA arena

The reigning NBA champions have tipped off work on their new home.

Major project stakeholders attended the Thursday groundbreaking of the Continental Coliseum, the future $900 million arena for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Of the cost, $850 million will come from Oklahoma City residents and consumers, according to the Oklahoma City Free Press. The money will come through penny sales tax extensions and funds from Metropolitan Area Projects, a capital improvement plan for the city paid for by temporary tax increases. The Thunder’s ownership group will contribute the remaining $50 million.

A joint venture of Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Flintco and Minneapolis-based Mortenson will serve as the construction team on the project, according to an announcement from the city. Manica Architecture is the design architect, and TVS is the architect of record for the arena. The JV was first hired in 2025. 

Mortenson is a giant in stadium construction. It’s worked on venues including the $1.4 billion Chase Center in San Francisco — home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors — and the $1.97 billion Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where the NFL’s Raiders play their home games.

“Continental Coliseum represents an extraordinary investment in Oklahoma City’s future,” said Logan Gerken, vice president and general manager for Mortenson Sports and Entertainment, in the release. “We are proud to be building Oklahoma City’s new landmark arena that will be a world-class gathering space and the most energetic game day in the NBA.”

Flintco previously constructed the Paycom Center, the Thunder’s current home, as well as Devon Tower, a 50-story skyscraper in downtown Oklahoma City. 

“Breaking ground on this arena is a proud moment for Oklahoma City,” Dave Kollmann, Flintco’s central region president, said in the announcement. “As a company founded in Oklahoma, it’s especially meaningful to help build a world-class home for the Thunder that reflects the energy, pride, and passion of this community.”

The Continental Coliseum will sit on the former site of the Myriad Convention Center, which was demolished as of Feb. 12. The exterior of the venue will feature a 360-degree glass curtain wall, allowing panoramic views from interior concourses. 

The new project targets a late summer 2028 completion date, with a contractual obligation to open no later than June 2029.

This story was originally published on Construction Dive.