Kenny Chesney To Perform At BOK Center

The second major concert is announced for the BOK Center.  It's not the opening act, but country singer Kenny Chesney will be one of the first to play Tulsa's arena.  The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports Kenny Chesney played Tulsa before at the Convention Center Arena, but would have been unlikely to return to Tulsa if not for the BOK Center.

He's one of country's most popular acts right now and Kenny Chesney has already proven he can easily sell out the largest arenas.  He's playing the BOK Center in September, with an expected 15,000 seats available for sale March 1st.

"He's only playing 13 arenas on this tour, the rest of them are stadiums so obviously having the large capacity at the BOK Center is key to attracting Kenny to Tulsa again," said BOK Center Manager John Bolton.

While the shell of the BOK Center is being completed, the detail work inside is just beginning.  At the earliest, it could open September 1^st opening, making Chesney one of the first acts, but not the opening act.

"It's going to be pretty close, but there will be another act, before Kenny Chesney, who will be the opening act, which we will announce probably 60 days out," said Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

Mayor Taylor has personally reached out to Owasso resident Garth Brooks to see if he would open the BOK Center.  Brooks has said he was available, but in an exclusive interview with News On 6 anchor Terry Hood, said that no deal had been struck.

"To be here as an artist in Oklahoma for the ceremonial ribbon cutting, it would be an honor for me.  So, we're going to work out something.  We just don't know what it is yet," said Garth Brooks.

The BOK Center has only one other announced date:  a Celine Dion concert in November.  The Chesney concert is about as big they come, with enough equipment to fill 30 trucks and 28 buses, and he's big enough that LeAnn Rimes is his opening act.

"And, it's just the beginning of the momentum of what the BOK Center is doing for the face of entertainment in downtown Tulsa," said Mayor Kathy Taylor.

The arena's manager said on Thursday he's attempting to book a variety of styles for the arena's opening season.  If that holds true, pop and country might be covered.

Tickets for the Chesney concert, for every seat on the floor or up high, will be about $75.