Continental Coliseum Pours First Elevated Deck at $900M OKC Arena

Crews have poured the first of more than 18 elevated concrete decks at the Continental Coliseum, Oklahoma City's planned arena for the NBA's Thunder, marking the move from foundations to the floors fans will walk on, according to Construction Dive, News 9 and Fox 25. The 750,000 square foot arena is being built by a Flintco and Mortenson joint venture and is targeted for completion in summer 2028.

What Happened

The first elevated deck pour took place early on Monday, October 12 Fox 25. The decks will form the mezzanine and concourse levels. Work began on the southeast side, with two crews moving clockwise and counterclockwise around the bowl and planning to meet on the opposite side Construction Dive. Crews also started building loading dock walls on the east side, which will enclose back of house operations News 9.

"While construction over the past several months focused on foundations and underground structural support systems," Flintco|Mortenson Project Director Josh Patterson said, "the elevated deck placement begins defining the spaces that will be used by guests, staff and event attendees" News 9.

The Project

The arena sits downtown on the former Myriad Convention Center site, which was demolished earlier in 2026 Construction Dive. Flintco, based in Tulsa, and Mortenson, based in Minneapolis, are building it as a joint venture, with Oklahoma City based Dolese Bros. supplying concrete. The City Council awarded the contract in March 2025 with a budget of at least $900 million, and the groundbreaking took place in March 2026.

The first substructure pours started in summer 2026 and included pier caps that tie groups of underground piers together and two large mat foundations Flintco. Earlier site work included below grade waterproofing and underground utilities and electrical systems for temporary jobsite power. Flintco said the block is bounded by Reno, Ron Norick, Sheridan and E.K. Gaylord.

Funding

Oklahoma City voters approved a penny sales tax in December 2023 to build a publicly owned arena Fox 25. The tax runs for 72 months, starting when the MAPS 4 sales tax ends, with no increase in the rate. Funding also includes $89 million in MAPS 4 money and $50 million from the Thunder's ownership group. Flintco noted that the team's 25 year commitment to Oklahoma City begins when it moves into the building Flintco.

Where Things Stand

Structural steel is targeted to start in 2027, and the joint venture is aiming for completion in summer 2028 Construction Dive. Construction Dive reported, based on an email from project executive Ellen Becker, that the phased design progression and bidding approach has posed a challenge for the team. News 9 noted other recent milestones, including a glass exterior panel mock-up, new interior renderings and City Council approval of an inner concourse floor design News 9.

None of the sources reported the arena's seating capacity, its architect or the current size of the workforce on site.

Implications for Owners, Developers, Contractors and Subs

• Phased design means phased buyout. When design and bidding move in stages, trade packages are released over time. Subs should track each bid release rather than wait for a single procurement.
• Elevated decks set the pace. More than 18 decks poured around a ring in two directions require steady concrete supply, shoring and reshoring, and coordinated MEP sleeves and embeds ahead of each pour.
• Local suppliers win on megaprojects. A local concrete supplier on a $900 million job shows the value of regional capacity and logistics close to site.
• Joint ventures spread risk and labor demand. Pairing a regional builder with a national firm is now common on arenas and stadiums, combining local relationships with large project systems.
• Dedicated sales taxes bring predictable funding. Voter approved taxes give public venue projects a defined revenue stream, but they also put schedules and costs under close public scrutiny.

What to Watch

• Progress around the full ring of elevated decks through the winter.
• Release of structural steel packages ahead of the 2027 start.
• Any updates to the budget as later design phases are bid.

Bottom Line

The Continental Coliseum is now moving vertically toward a 2028 finish, and it remains one of the larger arena projects in the country. It is part of the sports venue wave we described in America's Sports Venue Construction Wave. Flintco is also the contractor on the University of Tennessee's new $350 million College of Medicine building in Memphis Construction Dive, part of the campus building boom we have tracked this year.

Related Coverage

• America's Sports Venue Construction Wave: Titans Stadium, OKC Arena, and a Las Vegas Ballpark Reshape the Industry
• Tampa Council Reverses Course, Approves Rays Stadium Bond Validation Step
• New Highmark Stadium Reaches Substantial Completion: Ribbon Cutting Set for June 23 as Bills' $2.2 Billion Home Prepares to Open

Image credit: City of Oklahoma City. Image from the source article.

Sources

• Construction Dive, "Flintco-Mortenson JV begins concrete deck at $900M Oklahoma City NBA arena": https://www.constructiondive.com/news/flintco-mortenson-jv-concrete-oklahoma-city-nba-arena/833271/
• News 9, "Oklahoma City's Continental Coliseum hits milestone with deck work": https://www.news9.com/oklahoma-city-news/oklahoma-city-continental-coliseum-deck-work
• Fox 25, "Continental Coliseum passes construction milestone in downtown OKC": https://okcfox.com/news/local/continental-coliseum-passes-construction-milestone-okc-thunder-downtown-okc
• Construction Dive, "University of Tennessee breaks ground on $350M health studies build": https://www.constructiondive.com/news/university-tennessee-breaks-ground-college-medicine-memphis/833095/
• Flintco, "Continental Coliseum reaches major construction milestone as concrete pouring begins": https://flintco.com/continental-coliseum-reaches-major-construction-milestone-as-concrete-pouring-begins/