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Prairie Surf Studios

Coordinates: 35°27′55″N 97°30′52″W / 35.46528°N 97.51444°W / 35.46528; -97.51444
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(Redirected from Cox Convention Center)
"Cox Convention Center" redirects here. For the arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma, see Cox Business Convention Center. For other uses, see Cox Center (disambiguation).
Prairie Surf Studios
Map
Former namesMyriad Convention Center (1972–2002)
Cox Convention Center (2002–2021)
Address1 Myriad Gardens
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-9219
LocationDowntown Oklahoma City
Coordinates35°27′55″N 97°30′52″W / 35.46528°N 97.51444°W / 35.46528; -97.51444
Public transitOKC Streetcar Century Center
OKC Streetcar Arena
OwnerCity of Oklahoma City
OperatorSMG
CapacityBasketball: 13,846
Ice hockey: 13,399
Arena football: 13,231
Concerts: 15,634
Construction
Broke ground1969
OpenedNovember 5, 1972
Construction cost$23 million[1]
($191 million in 2023 dollars[2])
ArchitectBozalis, Dickinson & Roloff[3]
General contractorH.A. Lott Inc.[1]
Tenants
Oklahoma City Blazers (CHL) (1973–77)
Oklahoma City Stars (CHL) (1978–82)
Oklahoma City Cavalry (CBA) (1990–97)
Oklahoma City Blazers (CHL) (1992–2002)
Oklahoma Coyotes (RHI) (1995–96)
Oklahoma Wranglers (AFL) (2000–01)
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (af2/AFL) (2009–10)
Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) (2010–15)
Bricktown Brawlers (IFL) (2011)
Oklahoma City Blue (NBA G League) (2014–2019)

Prairie Surf Studios (originally Myriad Convention Center and later Cox Convention Center) is a film production complex located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was formerly a convention center and the home of several minor league teams.

History

[edit]

The facility, known as the Myriad Convention Center, originally was the centerpiece of Oklahoma City's first major urban renewal project, the Pei Plan. In addition to the Convention Center, the project included the removal of blighted sections of the southern downtown area. The project also began the process for the design and construction of the Myriad Botanical Gardens, located directly west of the Myriad. As the Myriad, the facility received a major renovation and expansion. The US$55.8 million project was designed by Glover Bode. Flintco, who served as the renovation's general contractor, began construction in June 1997. The work was completed in August 1999.[4]

It was later named Cox Convention Center via sponsorship with telecommunications company Cox Communications. The facility's primary use was that of large-scale convention and meeting space. It also hosted major concerts, conferences, and other large-scale events. The complex houses multiple meeting rooms, conference and convention space, dining halls, and a 15,000-seat multi-purpose arena. When it opened in 1972, it replaced the Oklahoma State Fair Arena as Oklahoma City's main indoor sports and concert venue. It would retain this status for 30 years until the opening of the Ford Center (now the Paycom Center) in 2002 directly across the street.

As the Cox Convention Center, the facility received another upgrade, budgeted at $4.5 million, to accommodate the Edmonton Oilers' top farm team, the Oklahoma City Barons, which began play in the 2010–11 season.

The arena was home to Oklahoma City Blazers hockey in the 1970s, another Blazers team from 1992 to 2002, the Bricktown Brawlers Indoor Football League team, the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League, and the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League. The Oklahoma City Cavalry played in the Continental Basketball Association at the convention center from 1990 to 1997. It was also home to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's National Finals Rodeo from 1979 to 1984. The Cox Convention Center also hosted numerous state and college basketball events, including early rounds of the Men's NCAA basketball tournament and also the 2007 and 2009 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament and UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard on September 16, 2009. The NCAA Men's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships were held at the arena from 1986 to 1988.

Oklahoma City contracted with Prairie Surf Media to take over the convention center space for sound stages and production offices for their film company.[5] On January 1, 2021, the building was renamed Prairie Surf Studios.

Production studio

[edit]

The building became retrofitted into a film production studio in early 2021 under the ownership of Matt Payne and Rachel Cannon. The building has five sound stages, with its largest stage sitting at 35,000 square feet.[6] The studio was used for some of the filming of Killers of the Flower Moon and the first season of Tulsa King.[7][8] Other productions to take place at the studio include American Underdog[9] and Twisters,[10] amongst other productions.[11]

In September 2023, Prairie Surf Studios launched a creative division that aims to create original projects with Oklahoma-based productions.[12] Some of its first projects include a documentary about Clara Luper.[13] Prairie Surf Creative's first feature film project, a documentary about The Manhattan Project called The Accelerator, debuted at the deadCENTER Film Festival in June 2024.[14]

Events

[edit]

Prior to the opening of the Ford Center, the Myriad was Oklahoma City's premier sports and entertainment venue.

WCW Thunder aired live from the Myriad Convention Center on February 12, 1998. The event can be viewed on the WWE Network.

Concerts

[edit]
List of concerts

Other events

[edit]

Transportation

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The Prairie Surf Studios is served by the Oklahoma City Streetcar at Century Center station.[18]

Preceding station EMBARK Following station
Business District
One-way operation
 Downtown Loop Bricktown
Next clockwise
Myriad Gardens
One-way operation
 Bricktown Loop

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Money, Jack; Lackmeyer, Steve (May 25, 1998). "Myriad Flap Doesn't Faze First Architect". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  2. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "Architecture Firm Celebrates 77-Year Alliance in State". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. September 2, 1982. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  4. ^ "Myriad Renovation". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. August 2, 1999. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  5. ^ "Lease approved: OKC's Cox Center now in the movie business".
  6. ^ "Prairie Surf Stages". Prairie Surf.
  7. ^ Weger, Haley. "PRAIRIE SURF MEDIA HOST LAUNCH PARTY FOR 'TULSA KING'". Oklahoma News on 6.
  8. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (7 June 2021). "Oklahoma City Launches New Prairie Surf Studios As State Boosts Production Incentives". Deadline.
  9. ^ "Oklahoma movie news: Behind-the-scenes look at 'American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story'". Prairie Surf Creative Media. 8 July 2021.
  10. ^ ""Twister 2" approved for Prairie Surf Studios". The Oklahoman.
  11. ^ "Sean Gunn and Benjamin Tefera talk about their movie 'Defiant Vanity,' filmed in Oklahoma". Yahoo. 3 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Prairie Surf Media launches creative division". KOCO 5. 20 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Prairie Surf Creative Media Projects". Prairie Surf Creative Media.
  14. ^ "PRAIRIE SURF CEO, FILM DIRECTOR DISCUSS MANHATTAN PROJECT SCIENTIST DOCUMENTARY 'THE ACCELERATOR'". Oklahoma News 9.
  15. ^ "BMX Grand Nationals Attracts 2,800 Bicyclists". November 21, 1993. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  16. ^ "OKC Oilfield Expo homepage". Texas Classic Productions LLC. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  17. ^ Center, Cox Convention. "Catholic Archdiocese Oklahoma City – Beatification of Venerable Servant of God Father Stanley Francis Rother – Cox Convention Center". www.coxconventioncenter.com. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  18. ^ "Oklahoma City Streetcar System Map". www.embarkok.com. EMBARK. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
[edit]
Events and tenants
Preceded by Home of the
Oklahoma City Blue
2014–2020 		Succeeded by
TBD
Preceded by Home of the
Oklahoma Wranglers
2000–2001 		Succeeded by
Franchise folded
Preceded by Home of the
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgs
2009–2010 		Succeeded by
Franchise folded
Preceded by Home of the
Oklahoma City Barons
2010–2015 		Succeeded by
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