BOK Center Hosts First Performance

Opening weekend at the new BOK Center wrapped up Sunday afternoon. The arena hosted its first performance, a Multifaith celebration.

News On 6's Chris Wright reports an estimated 20,000 people showed up during Saturday's ribbon cutting ceremony. On Sunday, thousands more streamed inside to get a glimpse of what many are calling a new source of pride for the city.

The Multifaith celebration was intended to promote unity among many different people with many different beliefs. Unity is also what city leaders want the newly christened BOK Center to provide for Tulsa. They had hoped the arena would attract people from all walks of life to downtown and help revitalize the area. So far, the building is getting rave reviews.

Thousands showed up for the Multifaith celebration, which featured a performance by Tulsa native Sam Harris, the singer, actor and Broadway star.

The arena was then blessed by religious leaders from a number of faiths, all of whom praised the years of hard work that lead up to this moment.

"It's just something to cap off the whole week and it's good energy in the building," said Jerry Goldman, BOK Assistant General Manager.

BOK management says this weekend's events also gave them an opportunity to make sure everything is running smoothly when the big acts come to town.

"Anytime you bring people in you find little things, like wait a second that's not working right. And we get those prepared, we get them fixed. The Eagles, we'll have 14,000 people in the building and we'll be ready to go," said Goldman.

Many of those who were in attendance on Sunday say they plan to come back next weekend for that show.

Each religious leader asked for divine protection of the arena and they each did if differently. Blessings were actually performed in five different languages.