A few more interesting tidbits regarding OKC.
Today, Oklahoma City is the second-largest city in the continental U.S. in land area behind Jacksonville, Fla., but just 29th in terms of population. And the tourists have come. Hundreds of thousands of visitors a year come to the Oklahoma City National Memorial to view the rows of empty chairs representing the lives lost and to visit a museum commemorating the event.
A couple of blocks away the $88 million Ford Center, a 20,000-seat arena that opened in 2002 draws huge crowds to the area. In 2003 it was one of the top-10 concert-ticket selling arenas in the world, according to Pollstar, a music-industry data provider. Newer additions include the $52 million Civic Center Music Hall and a $22 million library, while a $133 million American Indian Cultural Center is about to break ground just south of downtown. One of the biggest draws is a Bass Pro Shops superstore, which brings 2.3 million visitors a year downtown.
The downtown economy has also benefited from the success of local companies. Devon Energy Corp., now the largest independent U.S. oil and gas company, has grown strongly while hamburger chain Sonic Corp. built its new headquarters on the banks of the Bricktown Canal.
