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Oklahoma is seeing a surge of large retail and mixed-use projects that could reshape local skylines, jobs and shopping choices over the next few years. With an IKEA store now scheduled for fall 2026, ongoing work on a major Scheels-led development and continued planning for the controversial Legends Tower, residents and businesses are watching for concrete timelines and economic impacts.
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A 144-acre site near the Kilpatrick Turnpike and Portland Avenue is being developed around a 330,000-square-foot Scheels flagship, with site work under way and an opening targeted for spring 2028. The project is being positioned as a multi-use retail corridor rather than a single big-box plaza.
Recent deals include a pad sale to Cavender’s, which plans a roughly 20,000-square-foot prototype store facing the main road, and a contract for a 285-unit apartment complex adjacent to the retail footprint. A new Crest Foods supermarket is also planned nearby.
Developer Randy Hogan says discussions continue with a boutique hotel operator about adding an upper-tier lodging option, but financing remains a hurdle in those negotiations.
Legends Tower: grand ambitions, uncertain schedule
The proposed Legends Tower and its surrounding “Boardwalk by Bricktown” complex remain one of the state’s most audacious proposals: a mixed-use campus of hotels, luxury residences and retail tied to a skyscraper pitched at 1,907 feet and a reported $2.5 billion price tag. If built as described, it would rank among the tallest buildings in the United States.
Despite repeated statements from developer Scot Matteson that the project remains active, city officials emphasize that key pieces — notably financing and land agreements — are still being negotiated. Oklahoma City economic development leaders say they are in regular contact with the developer but cannot provide a start date for construction.
City attorneys reviewed the developer’s obligations and found that he met a contractual threshold indicating a “reasonable effort” to begin work by Dec. 15, 2025, although no physical construction has started. The property is held by the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, and municipal staff say they are monitoring easements, title questions and funding arrangements as those talks continue.
IKEA confirms Tulsa opening for fall 2026
IKEA has officially confirmed plans to open its first Oklahoma store in the Tulsa Hills Shopping Center. Company representatives notified local media in late July 2026 that the new location will open in autumn, though a precise day has not been announced.
The store is planned at approximately 51,000 square feet and will offer a catalog-style selection of about 3,000 items on site, including some 200 smaller furniture pieces. The outlet will be located at 7309 S. Olympia Ave., positioning IKEA within a major regional shopping node.
- What to expect next: openings and moves spread over 2026–2028 as developers finalize leases and financing.
- Jobs: hundreds of construction and retail positions during build-out and after store openings.
- Local economy: increased sales tax revenue and competition for existing retailers.
- Housing impact: new apartment units could add rental supply near the Scheels development.
- Uncertainties: hotel financing and Legends Tower funding remain unresolved.
Taken together, the three projects illustrate different stages of development: an IKEA location with a firm seasonal opening window, a multi-tenant retail and housing campus advancing through site work and leasing, and a headline-grabbing tower concept still awaiting financing and land-closing milestones.
For residents, the immediate stakes are practical: new shopping choices and jobs, potential traffic changes, and evolving property values. For city leaders and investors, these projects test the area’s ability to attract large-scale capital and to align public planning tools with private development timetables.
Local officials say they will continue to engage with developers and monitor contractual obligations, while urging transparency around funding and construction schedules so neighbors and businesses can prepare for the coming changes.
