Cox Business Center

Cox Business Center (originally Tulsa Assembly Center and formerly Tulsa Convention Center) is a 310,625 square foot facility in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma with 102,600 square foot column-free exhibit hall space, Oklahoma's largest ballroom, and 34 meeting rooms. Cox Business Center (CBC) is managed by SMG-the world leader in venue management, marketing, and development and owned by the City of Tulsa. In the fiscal year 2015-2016, the economic impact of events held at the CBC was more than $33 million. The facility won the 2017 Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers, along with being chosen as the 2017 Top New or Renovated Meeting Site by Convention South and Best Event Center by Tulsa People readers.

The CBC was originally named for Tulsa Mayor James L. Maxwell who was the driving force behind the planning and start of the venue. In 2013, the Convention Center was renamed Cox Business Center.

Proposed improvements
Constructed in 1964, the CBC recently announced the closing of its historic Arena with the last public show being The Avett Brothers concert on March 2, 2018. The Arena space will be reconfigured to create a three-story glass atrium and grand entrance, provide Tulsa with another ballroom space (40,000 square foot) and more meeting spaces to help Tulsa become a bigger contender for national conferences and conventions. The $55 million renovation is possible through Vision Tulsa funding.

Former tenants
In November 2013, the Tulsa Revolution of the Professional Arena Soccer League began play with the Cox Business Center as their home arena. The team relocated to the Expo Square Pavilion in January 2015. The original Tulsa Roughnecks used the building for indoor soccer in 1978.

It was home to the Central Hockey League Tulsa Oilers ice hockey team and to the Tulsa Talons, an af2 arena football team prior to the opening of the new BOK Center in 2008. It was a regular stop for Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling and its successor, the Universal Wrestling Federation, until shortly after the UWF's purchase by Jim Crockett Promotions in 1987. It hosted the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament title game in 1982 and 1984-87. It was also the home to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane basketball team until the program moved to the Reynolds Center in 1998.

The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) hosted a Built Ford Tough Series event at the Convention Center each year between 2005 and 2008; for 2009 and beyond, the event was moved to the BOK Center. Beginning in 2009, the Convention Center was the home arena for the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League until 2012, when the team returned to the SpiritBank Event Center in nearby Bixby. In March 2012, the Oklahoma Defenders of the American Professional Football League played their first game at the arena. The team folded in August 2014.

Musical History
The venue holds a strong place in Tulsa's musical history and was the location of many resident's first live music experience. Tulsa World explored the Arena's history and previous musical guests in a 2018 feature article and noted, "Who graced the old arena? Everybody from A (Aerosmith) to Z (Zig Ziglar). Let's mention a few names: The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Bon Jovi, Louie Armstrong, Led Zeppelin, Charley Pride, Sonny & Cher, the Carpenters, B.B. King, Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Cheech & Chong, Van Halen and George Strait."