Legends Tower Oklahoma City: Will they really build the tallest building in the US?

Mike Snider and Alexia Aston, The Oklahoman
·3 min read
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After a developer announced plans last month to build the second-tallest skyscraper in the nation in Oklahoma City, he's now released updated plans that would make the tower the tallest building in the U.S. and fifth in the world.

Could Oklahoma really be home to this historic skyscraper? Here's everything we know.

How tall would the proposed building be?

Last month, California developer Scot Matteson proposed a 134-story tower for the planned Boardwalk At Bricktown development at 1,750 feet, making it slightly shorter than the 1,776-foot-tall Freedom Tower at One World Trade Center in New York City.

But now Matteson has set his sights even higher. His investment and development company last week announced plans to increase the height of the Legends Tower to 1,907 feet tall — a symbolic figure in that Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

This would make the Legends Tower the tallest building in the U.S. and the fifth tallest in the world, the developers say. The tallest is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is 2,716 feet tall.

Devon tower: What about OKC's current largest building?

The Legends Tower would be twice as tall as the Devon Energy Center, if built. Oklahoma City's current largest building, the 50-story Devon Energy Center, finished in 2012 and is the tallest building in the state.

If the tower is built to its projected 1,750 feet high, it would be a close second to the country’s tallest building, the 1,776-foot-high One World Trade Center in New York City.
If the tower is built to its projected 1,750 feet high, it would be a close second to the country’s tallest building, the 1,776-foot-high One World Trade Center in New York City.

Why was Oklahoma chosen for the country's tallest building?

Pointing to a period of growth, Matteson said in a statement that Oklahoma City is "well-positioned to support large-scale projects like the one envisioned for Bricktown.”

“We believe that this development will be an iconic destination for the city, further driving the expansion and diversification of the growing economy, drawing in investment, new businesses, and jobs," he said. "It’s a dynamic environment and we hope to see The Boardwalk at Bricktown stand as the pride of Oklahoma City.”

In this rendering, the proposed Boardwalk at Bricktown would stretch twice as tall as the Devon Energy Center building, shown to the right of the proposed tower, and be across the street from where Paycom Center currently stands.
In this rendering, the proposed Boardwalk at Bricktown would stretch twice as tall as the Devon Energy Center building, shown to the right of the proposed tower, and be across the street from where Paycom Center currently stands.

When will the OKC skyscraper be built?

The project covers more than 3 acres and is planned to host more than 2 million square feet of residential, retail and entertainment development, including two Hyatt hotels, condos, apartments, stores and restaurants.

The development will also have a lagoon and boardwalk. Also coming to the area, a new arena for the NBA franchise Oklahoma Thunder, which is expected to cost at least $900 million.

Work on the first three 345-foot towers is scheduled to begin this year; the Legends Tower would be built after those are completed.

Are they really going to build the tallest skyscraper in the US in Oklahoma City?

When the project announcement was made, World-Architects asked: "Why is a such a tall tower being built in Oklahoma City (OKC)? And will it actually happen?"

As we await the developers' request for a zoning variance or rezoning, "it remains to be seen if the tallest tower in the U.S. being built in Oklahoma is just a publicity stunt, or if the team will be able to follow through on their dream," wrote World-Architects, which describes itself as "a network of selected contemporary architects and building professionals."

Developers say Oklahoma City needs more residential and entertainment options, but there are concerns about the prevalence of tornadoes in the region.

Oklahoma City is the 18th largest city in the U.S. with 702,837 people estimated in 2024, growing 0.73% annually, according to World Population Review, based on U.S. Census estimates.

The developers need to get the project area rezoned for a taller building because its current maximum allowed height is 300 feet, according to the Oklahoma City Free Press, citing comments from city public information officer Kristy Yager.

"They would need to rezone," Yager said, the newspaper reported. "We understand the applicant’s representative is preparing a new SPUD (simple planned unit development) application, which would go to Planning Commission for a recommendation and City Council for a final decision.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City skyscraper project: Will it really happen? What we know