Rainier Breaks Ground on $1.1B Oklahoma Project

May 12, 2026

Mixed Use Development Featured Hotel More News Office Retail Southwest

The district will include an arena for college sporting events, concerts and conventions.

Rainier Development Co. has broken ground on the Rock Creek Entertainment District, a $1.1 billion, master-planned mixed-use district taking shape on 269 acres in Norman, Okla.

Phase one completion of the multi-stage project is expected in 2028, with full build-out expected over the next decade.

Rainier is leading the planning, development and design of the district and working closely with community partners and stakeholders. The project includes tax increment financing support and about $800 million in private capital.

Once completed, the campus will include residential, commercial and retail components as well as an 8,000-seat arena, which will host community events, concerts and conventions. The University of Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball teams will play at the arena, which will also host women’s gymnastics meets.

Construction is expected to generate more than 3,000 jobs with permanent openings in retail, hospitality and operations at Rock Creek. The site is near Interstate 35 and Rock Creek Road in Norman, about 20 miles south of Oklahoma City.

What each phase will bring

According to the district’s website, the project is set to be completed in three phases. This groundbreaking represents Phase I, focusing on entertainment and the core of the overall development. Through this phase, Rainier is working on the sitework and infrastructure for the new arena. Other planned components for this phase include an outdoor plaza, 140,000 square feet of retail and dining, 250 multifamily units and a 1,200-space parking garage.

Phase II in the future will focus on the hospitality and office component of Rock Creek. Construction plans include 180,000 square feet of office space and a 150-key hotel. The final planned phase expands on the residential aspect of the campus with 500 additional multifamily apartments as well as townhomes and single-family residences.

Following the three phases of construction, Rock Creek could see additional phases of expansion based on market conditions and planning. There is room to add more commercial and residential development east of 24th Avenue.

Entertainment as a mixed-use anchor

Mixed-use development is entering another growth phase among developers. In 2025, a record 67 mixed-use projects came online across the U.S., according to CoworkingCafe, with another 94 districts expected to be delivered over the next three years.

Entertainment is increasingly serving as the anchor for these large-scale developments. In Anaheim, Calif., a $4 billion mixed-use campus dubbed OCVIBE is moving forward, with plans for a 5,000-person concert venue as part of its first phase. Anaheim Real Estate Partners LLC, owned by the Samueli family, is leading the development of the 100-acre district, which is slated for completion in 2033.

Across the country, Togus Urban Renewal is developing 1888 Studios, a 1.6 million-square-foot film and television production development in Bayonne, N.J. Last October, Paramount signed a 285,000-square-foot lease to anchor the development that will be fully built by the end of 2028.