Oklahoma

What’s the future of OKC’s development? Join us for an ‘In Depth’ discussion

Published

11 months ago

January 2, 2025

What’s the future of OKC’s development? Join us for an ‘In Depth’ discussion

Imagine being in the room with three people who are spending billions on an ongoing transformation of Oklahoma City that ranges from entertainment, hospitality and sports to biotech and industry to downtown housing.

Now imagine getting to ask questions about what’s next and how Dick Tanenbaum, Mark Beffort and Christian Kanady have gone about forming partnerships that sometimes include each other, and at other times have drawn big names like NBA star Russell Westbrook.

All three are working together on Convergence, a mixed-use development that will include a hotel, bio-tech lab space and offices. The development at NE 8 facing Interstate 235 will include a biomanufacturing workforce training center, event hall, conference rooms, workspace, lounge and café.

Beffort and Tanenbaum are already partners in the development of OKC 577, a sprawling industrial campus at Eastern Avenue and Interstate 240 that will open with a new Locke Supply headquarters.

Kanady and Beffort are teamed up to develop an entertainment and hospitality district adjacent to the MAPS 4 multi-use stadium. Kanady bought the Energy FC last year and has plans to not just resume play but to also launch a women’s soccer team.

Kanady is also the financial backer of Prairie Surf Studios, which is about to lose its home at the old Cox Convention Center as it is to be torn down to make way for a new arena.

Tanenbaum, who started renovating older downtown office buildings into housing is wrapping up similar conversions of the former BancFirst headquarters and Medical Arts building into The Harlow apartments. His next project is the renovation of the Robinson Renaissance into apartments while keeping the building’s three-level retail mall.

Beffort, meanwhile, continues to oversee leasing of downtown’s premier office towers and is also a partner in both the Colcord and Skirvin Hilton hotels.

I will be moderating this OKC Central In-Depth panel discussion on Jan. 21 and I’ll be eager to find out what’s next for Prairie Surf Studios, programing at the future stadium, what the stadium district might look like, prospects for more conversions of downtown offices into housing, and what’s next for Convergence and OKC 577. I will also be asking questions submitted by those in attendance.

2025 OKC Central In Depth: An Evening on Downtown Development

When: Jan. 21

Time: Light hors d’oeuvres and complimentary beverages, including beer and wine, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The panel discussion will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive

For tickets: Go to https://tinyurl.com/2025-OKC-Central

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Oklahoma

Persistence Helps Oklahoma Land “Freakazoid” Wide Receiver

Published

10 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Press Room

Persistence Helps Oklahoma Land “Freakazoid” Wide Receiver

NORMAN — In the middle of his signing day press conference Wednesday, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables got word that wide receiver Jayden Petit had signed with the Sooners.

Venables called Petit a “freakazoid.”

“Big, strong, athletic, amazing, not only in catch radius but his strain at the top of the route, again, for a guy in high school is just a little bit different,” Venables said.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Petit’s recruitment was emblematic of the Sooners’ recruiting approach under Venables and general manager Jim Nagy.

Venables and wide receivers coach Emmett Jones stayed in contact with Petit even after the Naples, Florida, product committed to Wisconsin in June, less than three weeks after taking an official visit to Norman.

Petit flipped to the Sooners on Thanksgiving and signed Wednesday.

“They stayed with it,” Venables said of his staff’s approach to Petit. “And where a lot of people would grow weary, they didn’t. And again, same things they sold in recruiting, I think, came to fruition. And Jayden’s a really spiritual guy and I think he just had a peace about coming to Oklahoma.”

4-star wide receiver signs with Oklahoma Sooners

Published

22 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Press Room

4-star wide receiver signs with Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners landed a signature from four-star wide receiver Jahsiear Rogers on Wednesday’s early signing day, as they continue to add to their 2026 recruiting class.

Rogers was ranked as a four-star prospect by 247Sports Composite, and he is from Appoquinimink High School in Middletown, Delaware. He stands at 5-foot-11, weighs 180 pounds, and was ranked as the 43rd-best WR in the ’26 class.

Rogers committed to wide receivers coach Emmett Jones on October 27th, a couple of weeks after receiving an offer. Rogers decommitted from Penn State, in the wake of former head coach James Franklin’s firing, to join the Sooners. He also held offers from Nebraska, Indiana, and Alabama, among others.

Jones has been busy rebuilding the wide receiver group since the disastrous 2024 season, and he’s adding a blue-chip target in the form of the Nittany Lions flip. Rogers is one of four wideouts that Oklahoma landed on signing day.

Jahsiear Rogers Highlights

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Overcomes Slow First Half to Beat Wake Forest Comfortably

Published

1 day ago

December 2, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma Overcomes Slow First Half to Beat Wake Forest Comfortably

The Sooners played high-quality basketball in the second half on Tuesday, helping them earn an 86-68 win over Wake Forest on the road.

OU, now 6-2, outscored the Demon Deacons 49-33 in the second half to earn its comfortable win. The win is Oklahoma’s third in a row and follows the Sooners’ neutral-site victory over Marquette on Friday.

Here are three takeaways from the Sooners’ win over the Demon Deacons:

Both OU and Wake Forest came out of the gates in sluggish fashion.

The Sooners shot 36 percent from the field in the first half, while the Demon Deacons shot 35 percent. Oklahoma attempted 21 free throws, while WF attempted 14.

The teams also struggled with ball control. Oklahoma turned the ball over eight times; the Demon Deacons logged seven first-half turnovers.

By the time the first-half buzzer sounded, Oklahoma led 37-35. And when the teams returned, the Sooners controlled the game.

As a team, OU shot 61.5 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes. The Sooners held Wake Forest to a 33-percent clip from the floor in the second half.

The Sooners also won the rebounding battle 19-13 in the second half.

Guard Jadon Jones reached double figures for the first time of his OU career, finishing the game with 11 points.

Jones scored nine of his 11 points in the second half. The guard excelled at drawing contact, finishing the game 5-of-6 on free throws.

He also played lock-tight defense against the Demon Deacons, and he was a major reason why Wake Forest shot 33 percent from the field in the second half.

Jones was one of six Sooners that reached double figures in OU’s well-spread scoring effort. Derrion Reid and Tae Davis tied for a game-high 18 points.

Jones played four seasons at Long Beach State before transferring to OU ahead of the 2024-25 season. An injury, though, prevented him from appearing last season. Jones made his OU debut a couple weeks ago against Oral Roberts.

Oklahoma improved to 2-2 in non-conference games against power-conference opponents with its win over Wake Forest. Previously, the Sooners fell to Gonzaga and Nebraska before defeating Marquette last week.

OU’s next two games are also neutral-site games against quality teams. The Sooners will battle Arizona State at Mortgage Matchup Center — home of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns — on Saturday before taking on Oklahoma State at the Paycom Center, home of the Oklahoma City Thunder, next week.

Saturday’s game against the Sun Devils will begin at 9 p.m. ASU is currently 6-2 and finished second place at the Maui Invitational last week.

Both of those games will be opportunities for Oklahoma to build its NCAA Tournament resume before SEC play begins.

After those two contests, Oklahoma will conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule with home games against three mid-major opponents: Kansas City, Stetson and Mississippi Valley State.

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