Stride Bank Center is an arena and convention facility located at 301 S Independence Street in downtown Enid, Oklahoma, United States. It is owned by the City of Enid and operated by Spectra (a Comcast subsidiary).
History and Construction
Construction began in May 2011, and the venue opened on June 15, 2013, with the Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce Business Expo. The building was designed by Convergence Design and constructed by Key Construction as part of the Enid Renaissance Project, a $24 million initiative that also included the renovation of Convention Hall and the addition of 1,100 parking spaces. The former Geronimo Motor Company building was demolished to accommodate parking.
Naming History
The venue has undergone several name changes:
- Enid Event Center & Convention Hall (June 15, 2013 – June 13, 2016)
- Central National Bank Center (June 14, 2016 – March 21, 2019)
- Stride Bank Center (March 22, 2019 – present)
Facilities and Capacity
The complex includes a main arena, convention hall, and multiple meeting and banquet spaces. It seats approximately 3,200 for sporting events and up to 3,887 for concerts. The show floor measures 31,500 square feet, and the overall complex offers over 50,000 square feet of exhibit, meeting, and entertainment space. The facility is connected to a four-story convention facility providing additional meeting space.
Convention Hall and Mark Price Arena
The original Convention Hall on the site was built in 1919 at a cost of $500,000, designed by the architectural firm Layton, Smith and Forsyth. It was constructed to memorialize Garfield County soldiers from World War I. The hall hosted performers such as John Philip Sousa, Bob Wills, and Fred Waring, and President George H. W. Bush spoke there while campaigning in 1992.
The Mark Price Arena, a 2,500-seat multi-purpose arena located within Convention Hall, was named in 1993 after basketball player Mark Price. It was home to the Oklahoma Storm of the USBL and hosted the Skeltur Conference Tournament from 1964 to 2012.
Tenants
Current and past tenants include:
- Enid Plainsmen (high school sports, 2013–present)
- Enid Pacers (2013–present)
- Oklahoma Flying Aces (CIF, 2019)
- Enid Outlaws (TBL, 2021–present)
