Oklahoma City voters consider 1% sales tax to build a $1 billion arena for NBA’s Thunder

By SEAN MURPHY
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City voters will decide whether to approve a 1% sales tax to fund a new downtown arena for the NBA’s Thunder. The vote on the six-year tax is set for Tuesday. Under a proposed agreement with the team’s owners, the team would stay in the city through at least 2050 if it’s approved. Local leaders say the new arena will continue Oklahoma City’s momentum as a top-tier city. But many city residents are concerned the team’s owners, who are some of the wealthiest Oklahomans, are contributing only 5% of the cost of the new arena. A group of more than 20 local economists penned a letter opposing the plan, saying the cost is too high for the taxpayers with too little benefit.