Everything that happened at OKC's Continental Coliseum ceremony

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Over two years since it was first voted in, we're entering the final stages of a multi-year process. The Continental Coliseum held a ceremony on Thursday to celebrate breaking ground. After demolishing the area across Paycom Center, OKC is ready to build its new NBA home.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will move to the Continental Coliseum in the 2028-29 season. The reigning NBA champions signed a 25-year lease to keep the franchise around through at least 2053. Replacing Paycom Center — one of the smallest and oldest NBA arenas — was vital.

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, Thunder owner Clay Bennett, OKC GM Sam Presti, architect David Manica, and Continental Resources Founder & Chairman Emeritus Harold Hamm talked at the morning ceremony.

Here's what happened as OKC's new arena begins the infancy stages of being built up. The Thunder will play at Paycom Center for two-plus more seasons before moving over:

A new era for OKC begins pic.twitter.com/sO0VMX3wlG

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 26, 2026

A special and historic day in OKC pic.twitter.com/1nE5TnnWft

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 26, 2026

Today, we broke ground on Continental Coliseum. The construction of our city’s new arena is officially underway. For the next two years, this reflection of our city’s ambitious aspirations will rise into the Oklahoma City skyline.

Linked here are the comments I shared today… pic.twitter.com/lYqGOMfDzc

— Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) March 26, 2026

OKC Mayor David Holt: "The downtown arena locks down our ability to retain the NBA and maintain being a big league city."

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

OKC Mayor David Holt: "The Continental Coliseum project appears to have the 5th-largest budget in the global history of arenas... It's worth noting that all of the top budgets are NBA arenas."

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

OKC Mayor David Holt: "Rome has the Coliseum. Now, so does Oklahoma City."

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

Sam Presti on Clay Bennett: “He's all about two things — our players and our fans. That's where it begins and that's where it ends. He's invested in all of them and he has them top of mind at all times.”

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

Sam Presti on Clay Bennett: “He's all about two things — our players and our fans. That's where it begins and that's where it ends. He's invested in all of them and he has them top of mind at all times.”

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

Clay Bennett: “I truly think about every single citizen who woke up on that Tuesday and planned to go vote, and went and voted yes to support this project. This is your day. This is your building. We are forever grateful for the support of our citizens.”

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

Clay Bennett on Sam Presti: “I just can't thank you enough, pal. Just a remarkable job, a remarkable leader has developed such an amazing culture in our basketball operations. I'm so proud of each and every person. I'm so proud of the players, coaches.”

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

The Continental Coliseum is ceremonially ready to start getting built pic.twitter.com/IRcF7hmQ4Z

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 26, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Everything that happened at OKC's Continental Coliseum ceremony

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