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Tulsa to Expand Meetings & Conventions Appeal with New 650-Room Convention Center Hotel
5/8/2025
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - Visit Tulsa, the tourism board for Oklahoma’s second-largest city, has announced plans for a new 650-room hotel that will connect directly to the city’s downtown convention center. The project is scheduled to break ground in 2026, with completion and opening slated for 2029.
Renee McKenney, Senior VP of Tourism, Tulsa Regional Chamber & President of Tulsa Regional Tourism, is pleased to see this long-anticipated project coming to life. “Tulsa has had great success attracting premier event business thanks to our incredible venues, attractions and hotel options, and the addition of this new hotel will be a true game-changer for the city,” said McKenney. “Adding this hotel to our skyline makes our city even more attractive and competitive to large-scale businesses, meetings and conventions and will further solidify Tulsa as a true international destination for business and leisure travelers alike.”
Three firms are currently competing to win the contract to design a new anchor hotel that will make hosting events in Tulsa more attractive than ever by providing additional rooms in the city for both business and leisure visitors. The developer of the $390 million project should be chosen in June, with groundbreaking currently slated for 2026.
Set to open in 2029, the hotel is projected to significantly boost Tulsa’s economy, drawing more overnight visitors who will spend in local restaurants, shops, and attractions outside meeting hours. That spending will add to the more than $327 million dollar impact events have annually on the local community.
“Adding a new, anchor hotel connected to the Arvest Convention Center to our already thriving downtown continues Tulsa’s upward momentum and is the latest example of the forward-thinking spirit for which our city is known,” said Monroe Nichols, Mayor of Tulsa. “I’m excited to watch as this project continues to progress and see the impact it will make on our local economy and eagerly anticipate breaking ground on this transformative project.”
The hotel will connect to the 275,000-square-foot Arvest Business Convention Center in Tulsa, which recently underwent a name change thanks to a new ten-year licensing agreement with Arvest Bank. Together, the facilities will elevate Tulsa’s offerings for meeting planners and event organizers seeking a dynamic and accessible host city.
Kirk Hays, Arvest Bank Regional Executive, Northwest Region, said: “Arvest Bank could not be prouder to have our name on Tulsa’s world-class convention center, and connecting a new, state-of-the-art anchor hotel will only further elevate Tulsa’s downtown. At Arvest, we want to be a community growth engine for Tulsa and the surrounding region, and this hotel will make sure Arvest Convention Center and Tulsa remain a premier meeting destination for years to come.”
“The advancement of the convention center hotel project is a pivotal moment for Tulsa’s meetings and events landscape,” said Keller Taylor, vice president of the Arvest Convention Center. “With this critical piece in place, we will significantly enhance our ability to attract major conventions, trade shows, and corporate events. The new hotel will elevate and expand the capabilities of the Arvest Convention Center, enabling us to host a broader range of events throughout the week and deliver an even more dynamic, first-class experience for attendees. This development solidifies Tulsa’s position as a dynamic, competitive destination for large-scale events."
The city boasts a unique blend of southern culture, Art Deco architecture, and Route 66 history that makes it a standout of Americana. With this new hotel, Visit Tulsa hopes to invite meeting and event attendees to discover that same appeal.
This marks a major step forward in Tulsa’s ongoing mission to become a premier destination for meetings and conventions in the central U.S.
About Tulsa Regional Tourism
Tulsa Regional Tourism is northeast Oklahoma’s premier accredited destination marketing organization. Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, it includes Visit Tulsa for leisure travel, Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau for meetings & conventions, Tulsa Sports Commission for amateur & pro sports and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (FMAC) for creative industries and accredited film commission. Tulsa Regional Tourism leads the community’s bidding for and hosting of signature events like the PGA Championship, NCAA and BIG 12 Wrestling Championships, USA BMX Grand Nationals, the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals and more. For more information, visit www.visittulsa.com.
Contact:
[email protected]
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - Visit Tulsa, the tourism board for Oklahoma’s second-largest city, has announced plans for a new 650-room hotel that will connect directly to the city’s downtown convention center. The project is scheduled to break ground in 2026, with completion and opening slated for 2029.
Renee McKenney, Senior VP of Tourism, Tulsa Regional Chamber & President of Tulsa Regional Tourism, is pleased to see this long-anticipated project coming to life. “Tulsa has had great success attracting premier event business thanks to our incredible venues, attractions and hotel options, and the addition of this new hotel will be a true game-changer for the city,” said McKenney. “Adding this hotel to our skyline makes our city even more attractive and competitive to large-scale businesses, meetings and conventions and will further solidify Tulsa as a true international destination for business and leisure travelers alike.”
Three firms are currently competing to win the contract to design a new anchor hotel that will make hosting events in Tulsa more attractive than ever by providing additional rooms in the city for both business and leisure visitors. The developer of the $390 million project should be chosen in June, with groundbreaking currently slated for 2026.
Set to open in 2029, the hotel is projected to significantly boost Tulsa’s economy, drawing more overnight visitors who will spend in local restaurants, shops, and attractions outside meeting hours. That spending will add to the more than $327 million dollar impact events have annually on the local community.
“Adding a new, anchor hotel connected to the Arvest Convention Center to our already thriving downtown continues Tulsa’s upward momentum and is the latest example of the forward-thinking spirit for which our city is known,” said Monroe Nichols, Mayor of Tulsa. “I’m excited to watch as this project continues to progress and see the impact it will make on our local economy and eagerly anticipate breaking ground on this transformative project.”
The hotel will connect to the 275,000-square-foot Arvest Business Convention Center in Tulsa, which recently underwent a name change thanks to a new ten-year licensing agreement with Arvest Bank. Together, the facilities will elevate Tulsa’s offerings for meeting planners and event organizers seeking a dynamic and accessible host city.
Kirk Hays, Arvest Bank Regional Executive, Northwest Region, said: “Arvest Bank could not be prouder to have our name on Tulsa’s world-class convention center, and connecting a new, state-of-the-art anchor hotel will only further elevate Tulsa’s downtown. At Arvest, we want to be a community growth engine for Tulsa and the surrounding region, and this hotel will make sure Arvest Convention Center and Tulsa remain a premier meeting destination for years to come.”
“The advancement of the convention center hotel project is a pivotal moment for Tulsa’s meetings and events landscape,” said Keller Taylor, vice president of the Arvest Convention Center. “With this critical piece in place, we will significantly enhance our ability to attract major conventions, trade shows, and corporate events. The new hotel will elevate and expand the capabilities of the Arvest Convention Center, enabling us to host a broader range of events throughout the week and deliver an even more dynamic, first-class experience for attendees. This development solidifies Tulsa’s position as a dynamic, competitive destination for large-scale events."
The city boasts a unique blend of southern culture, Art Deco architecture, and Route 66 history that makes it a standout of Americana. With this new hotel, Visit Tulsa hopes to invite meeting and event attendees to discover that same appeal.
This marks a major step forward in Tulsa’s ongoing mission to become a premier destination for meetings and conventions in the central U.S.
About Tulsa Regional Tourism
Tulsa Regional Tourism is northeast Oklahoma’s premier accredited destination marketing organization. Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, it includes Visit Tulsa for leisure travel, Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau for meetings & conventions, Tulsa Sports Commission for amateur & pro sports and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (FMAC) for creative industries and accredited film commission. Tulsa Regional Tourism leads the community’s bidding for and hosting of signature events like the PGA Championship, NCAA and BIG 12 Wrestling Championships, USA BMX Grand Nationals, the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals and more. For more information, visit www.visittulsa.com.
Contact:
[email protected]
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