Metallica Returning To Tulsa, Completing BOK’s ’10 For 10’ Lineup

The lineup is complete for the BOK Center's tenth-anniversary concert series.

Monday, Metallica was announced as the tenth act coming to celebrate the arena and its impact on Tulsa.

Ten years ago, not everyone felt Tulsa could support a project like this, but the voters said “yes” to spending the $180 million in Vision money.

Now, many argue that this building single-handedly changed the direction of downtown Tulsa.

U2 is launching their world tour in Tulsa.

George Strait is coming out of retirement.

The Eagles will also play here, the venue they headlined when it opened ten years ago.

The BOK Center regularly makes the list of top venues in the country.

"This building behind me was really Tulsa's awakening,” said Visit Tulsa spokesperson Ray Hoyt. “It has keyed our success for the future as well.”

But ten years ago, some weren't sure Tulsa could support it.

"There was a healthy skepticism because many communities build these centers and they don’t work and they are vacant white elephants,” former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

The voters approved Vison 2025 and crews got to work on the close to $180 million project, but the arena designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli was coming in over budget.

"As you know, a city can't go into debt so we had to value engineer the building and also we had to look for additional funds both privately and publicly,” said Taylor.

They came up with an extra $18 million and the doors opened in 2008. Since then, more than $6.5 million people have attended an event here.

"Prior to this building being built we weren't getting the Big 12, we weren't getting NCAA basketball and we were not getting these concerts because we had a venue that was 50 years old,” said Hoyt.

Now, an entire arena district is planned for downtown.

“Thanks to the citizens of Tulsa for taking a chance and voting to invest,” said Taylor.”

Hoyt added, "It started making Tulsa say we can compete with cities like Louisville and Memphis and Austin. We need to believe in it and invest in ourselves12.”

The other concerts announced for the 10th anniversary include Justin Timberlake and Elton John.