Cox Business Convention Center facts for kids
The Cox Business Convention Center is a huge building in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's a place where many different events happen. People come here for big meetings, shows, and even sports games. It used to be called the Tulsa Assembly Center, the Tulsa Convention Center, and the Maxwell Convention Center.
In 2013, a company called Cox Communications bought the rights to name the building. They changed its name to the Cox Business Center. In 2020, "Convention" was added to the name.
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| Former names | Cox Business Center Tulsa Convention Center Tulsa Assembly Center |
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| Location | 100 Civic Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 |
| Owner | City of Tulsa |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 8,900 (Large Arena) |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Tenants | |
| Tulsa Oilers (CPHL/CHL) (1964–1983) Tulsa Golden Hurricane (NCAA) (1964–1998) Tulsa Roughnecks (NASL) (1978) Tulsa Oilers (CHL) (1992–2008) Tulsa Talons (AF2) (2000–2008) Tulsa 66ers (NBA D-League) (2009–2012) Oklahoma Defenders (APFL/CPIFL) (2012–2014) Tulsa Revolution (MASL) (2013–2014) |
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Making the Convention Center Even Better
The Cox Business Convention Center started big changes in 2018. They wanted to turn the old arena into a large banquet hall. This project was finished in 2020.
The new banquet hall is called the Grand Hall. It is 41,470 square feet, which is huge! It also has very tall ceilings, about 38 feet high. This makes it the largest banquet hall in Oklahoma.
They also added a new entrance area. It has a three-story glass atrium and a special drop-off spot for cars. This new space is great for events. Now, the center has over 275,000 square feet of space to rent. These changes were part of a city plan called Vision Tulsa.
Meet the BOK Center: The Convention Center's Sister Venue
The Bank of Oklahoma Center, or BOK Center, is another big venue in Tulsa. It is also owned by the City of Tulsa. Both the BOK Center and the Cox Business Convention Center are managed by the same company, ASM Global.
The BOK Center is a very large arena with 19,199 seats. It is the home of the Tulsa Oilers hockey team. It also hosts many big concerts and shows. The BOK Center was designed for sports like football, hockey, and basketball. It was completed in 2008.
Sports Teams That Played Here
Many sports teams have played at the Cox Business Convention Center. The original Tulsa Roughnecks played indoor soccer here in 1978. In 2013, the Tulsa Revolution soccer team also played here. They moved to a different venue in 2015.
The Tulsa Oilers ice hockey team used to play here. The Tulsa Talons arena football team also called this place home. They both moved to the new BOK Center in 2008.
College basketball games were also played here. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane basketball team played here until 1998. The Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament finals were held here several times in the 1980s.
From 2009 to 2012, the Tulsa 66ers basketball team played at the Convention Center. They were part of the NBA Development League. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) also held events here from 2005 to 2008. Now, their events are at the BOK Center.
Famous Performers at the Center
The Cox Business Convention Center has hosted many famous musicians and entertainers. A newspaper article from 2018 listed some of them. Many big names have performed on its stage.
Some of the famous people who performed here include:
- The Doors
- The Rolling Stones
- Elvis Presley
- Bon Jovi
- Louie Armstrong
- Led Zeppelin
- Charley Pride
- Sonny & Cher
- The Carpenters
- B.B. King
- Glen Campbell
- Van Halen
- George Strait
