$1 BILLION ROCK CREEK ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. SHOVELS HIT THE DIRT TUESDAY ON ONE OF NORMAN’S MOST DEBATED DEVELOPMENTS. IT WAS DAY ONE OF THE $1.1 BILLION ROCK CREEK ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. TODAY IS A DAY OF CELEBRATION BECAUSE TODAY WE’RE WORTHY OF HISTORY. AND TODAY WE ARE MAKING HISTORY. BACKERS BELIEVE THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT WILL BECOME A DEFINING CENTERPIECE IN NORMAN, SPANNING 269 ACRES NEAR I-35 IN ROCK CREEK ROAD. THE DISTRICT WILL INCLUDE DINING, RETAIL, HOUSING AND A BRAND NEW ARENA FOR OU MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AND GYMNASTICS. WE’RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OKLAHOMA BASKETBALL AND GYMNASTICS. THE EVENTS THAT WILL BE HOSTED HERE, THE CONCERTS AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THE EVERYDAY LIFE THAT WILL FILL THESE STREETS. THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SPARKED YEARS OF BACKLASH AND A PETITION DRIVE TO FORCE A PUBLIC VOTE, EVENTUALLY MAKING ITS WAY TO THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT. BUT IN FEBRUARY, THE JUSTICES RULED THE PETITION WAS LEGALLY INSUFFICIENT, CLEARING THE WAY FOR THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. THE PROJECT IS MOSTLY FUNDED BY PRIVATE INVESTMENTS ABOUT $800 MILLION, ALONG WITH TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. USING THAT MONEY GENERATED WITHIN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, MEANING THAT WHEN YOU EAT, SHOP AND ENJOY THE EVENTS HERE, YOUR TAX DOLLARS STAY HERE AND HELP BUILD IT. DEVELOPERS WANT TO START ON THIS BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WORK BEGINS MAY 19TH, STARTING WITH THE ARENA. PHASE ONE WILL INCLUDE THE PERFORMANCE VENUE ARENA AS WELL AS PARKING STRUCTURE AND AS WELL AS RETAIL, ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND T
Leaders break ground on $1.1 billion Norman entertainment district that’ll house new OU arena
Updated: 5:18 PM CDT May 12, 2026
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The legal fight is over, and dirt is finally moving as Norman broke ground on the $1.1 billion Rock Creek Entertainment District that will house a new University of Oklahoma arena. Shovels hit the dirt on Tuesday on one of Norman’s most debated developments.“Today is a day of celebration because today we’re worthy of history and today we’re making history,” OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. said. >> WATCH FULL: OU and Norman leaders break ground on Rock Creek Entertainment DistrictBackers believe the entertainment district near Rock Creek Road and 24th Avenue just off Interstate 35 will become a defining centerpiece in Norman. Spanning 269 acres, the district will include dining, retail, housing, and a brand-new arena for OU men’s and women’s basketball and Sooner gymnastics. “We are very excited about OU basketball and gymnastics. The events that will be hosted here, the concerts, the community gatherings, and the everyday life that will fill these streets,” Danny Lovell, the CEO of The Rainier Companies, said. Video Below: Norman aims to retain high-income families with new entertainment district The entertainment district sparked years of backlash and a petition drive to force a public vote, eventually making its way to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In February, justices ruled that the petition was legally insufficient, clearing the way for the Rock Creek Entertainment District to move forward. The project is mostly funded by private investments – about $800 million – and will use tax increment financing. “Meaning that when you eat, shop, and enjoy the events here, your tax dollars stay here and help build it,” Cleveland County Commissioner Rod Cleveland said. Video Below: Norman’s billion-dollar entertainment district moves forward after Supreme Court ruling Developers want to start on this project as soon as possible. Work will begin on May 19, starting with the OU arena. “Phase one will include the performance venue arena as well as the parking structure as well as retail entertainment as well as first phase of multi-family (housing),” Lovell said. Construction on the entertainment district is projected to be completed in 2028. Top Headlines Police and EMSA respond to damaging rollover crash at busy northwest Oklahoma City intersection Thunder sweep Lakers in Western Conference Semifinals despite nail-biting second half of Game 4 Video shows K-9 Boomer track down ‘missing and endangered’ 96-year-old man South Florida officers sue Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, claiming details in ‘The Rip’ are too real Driver dies after colliding with Cleveland County deputy, who was responding to call
The legal fight is over, and dirt is finally moving as Norman broke ground on the $1.1 billion Rock Creek Entertainment District that will house a new University of Oklahoma arena.
Shovels hit the dirt on Tuesday on one of Norman’s most debated developments.
“Today is a day of celebration because today we’re worthy of history and today we’re making history,” OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. said.
>> WATCH FULL: OU and Norman leaders break ground on Rock Creek Entertainment District
Backers believe the entertainment district near Rock Creek Road and 24th Avenue just off Interstate 35 will become a defining centerpiece in Norman. Spanning 269 acres, the district will include dining, retail, housing, and a brand-new arena for OU men’s and women’s basketball and Sooner gymnastics.
“We are very excited about OU basketball and gymnastics. The events that will be hosted here, the concerts, the community gatherings, and the everyday life that will fill these streets,” Danny Lovell, the CEO of The Rainier Companies, said.
Video Below: Norman aims to retain high-income families with new entertainment district
The entertainment district sparked years of backlash and a petition drive to force a public vote, eventually making its way to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In February, justices ruled that the petition was legally insufficient, clearing the way for the Rock Creek Entertainment District to move forward.
The project is mostly funded by private investments – about $800 million – and will use tax increment financing.
“Meaning that when you eat, shop, and enjoy the events here, your tax dollars stay here and help build it,” Cleveland County Commissioner Rod Cleveland said.
Video Below: Norman’s billion-dollar entertainment district moves forward after Supreme Court ruling
Developers want to start on this project as soon as possible. Work will begin on May 19, starting with the OU arena.
“Phase one will include the performance venue arena as well as the parking structure as well as retail entertainment as well as first phase of multi-family (housing),” Lovell said.
Construction on the entertainment district is projected to be completed in 2028.
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