- Cathy O’Connor
First Look at Omni Convention Center Hotel
Oklahoma City is getting a first look at the Omni Convention Center Hotel as reviews of the schematic design are beginning. Built and owned by Omni, the 605-room AAA Four Diamond hotel will serve Oklahoma City’s new MAPS 3 Convention Center. The additional lodging and meeting space will allow Oklahoma City to compete for larger conventions. The hotel is expected to have an economic impact of more than $137 million per year.
“Omni and the architecture team, Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, did a great job designing the hotel in a way that accents and encourages access and walkability downtown and to the other destinations in the area,” said Cathy O’Connor, President and CEO of the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City. “It will be become a fantastic highlight in Oklahoma City’s Core to Shore vision.”
The lower three floors of the hotel along the entire block are oriented directly towards the park, and will feature restaurants, a sports bar, a coffee shop, outdoor dining, shopping, and event spaces, all topped off by an open roof-top pool terrace, complete with resort-style cabanas, pool bar and green spaces overlooking the park. The meeting space on the second floor includes a covered outdoor area so guests can enjoy views and fresh air between meetings".
Rob Rule, the design architect for the project, provided some input on his thoughts about the design. “"The hotel will feature materials and details that blend the best of Oklahoma’s rich historical heritage and future cultural optimism, complete with a variety of brick facades, that relate to Bricktown, to expansive use of glass and metal details with clean, elegant detailing. Conveniently located between the Chesapeake Energy Arena and the new Convention Center, the hotel will feature a tower that is oriented to minimize its shadow footprint on Scissortail Park.”
"The convention center hotel provides the space we need to compete for large conventions, but I’m also pleased with how the hotel offers amenities and features that Oklahoma City residents will enjoy.”
Cathy O'Connor
The architectural firm GSB, Inc. is the local project representative reviewing the design throughout the process. Omni will make a formal presentation to the Downtown Design Review Committee in the spring. Construction is expected to start this summer with completion scheduled for late 2020, coinciding with the completion of the convention center and parking garage.
