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 for Tulsa Regional Chamber and 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,” McKenney said. “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. Officials are expected to choose the developer of the $390-million project 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 money in local restaurants, shops and attractions outside meeting hours. That spending will add to the more than $327-million 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 due to a new 10-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.
“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.
Learn more about Tulsa’s CVB and meeting capabilities at visittulsa.com.
