OKC to bid farewell to historic Jim Norick Arena with roof implosion
The iconic Jim Norick Arena in Oklahoma City is being demolished
By Olivia Hickey
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — Oklahoma City is bidding farewell to the legendary Jim Norick Arena, a venue that has hosted concerts, basketball tournaments, and countless other events over six decades, creating lasting memories for many.
Much of the arena has already been torn down, with the seats gutted and the structure exposed. On Tuesday, the roof of the arena will be imploded.
Competitors from the American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Show, held at the OKC Fairgrounds, shared their memories of the arena on Sunday.
“It’s very sad, I mean I almost want to cry about it,” said Madison Ramacz, from Florida.
Kadyn Elder, from Florida, described what the atmosphere in the arena was like, saying, “The energy in there is unreal, like you know when you’re walking into the Norick, it’s just completely different, hit the wall of AC and it’s game on.”
After 60 years of memories, it is time to say goodbye to the Big House. Steps away from the arena stands the new OG&E Coliseum, where the AQHYA show was taking place.
Many equestrians have tried to collect pieces of rubble from the site as souvenirs to commemorate the memories made in the iconic stadium.
“I think we all got a souvenir. We’ve taken a rock or something,” Elder said.
Fairgrounds officials announced that the roof will be imploded at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, preceded by a brief ceremony at 7:15 a.m. on the south side of the railroad tracks.
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