The facility, known as the Myriad Convention Center, originally was the centerpiece of Oklahoma City's first major
urban renewal project, the
Pei Plan. In addition to the Convention Center, the project included the removal of blighted sections of the southern downtown area. The project also began the process for the design and construction of the
Myriad Botanical Gardens, located directly west of the Myriad. As the Myriad, the facility received a major renovation and expansion. The US$55.8 million project was designed by Glover Bode.
Flintco, who served as the renovation's general contractor, began construction in June 1997. The work was completed in August 1999. It was later named Cox Convention Center via sponsorship with telecommunications company
Cox Communications. The facility's primary use was that of large-scale convention and meeting space. It also hosted major concerts, conferences, and other large-scale events. The complex houses multiple meeting rooms, conference and convention space, dining halls, and a 15,000-seat multi-purpose
arena. When it opened in 1972, it replaced the
Oklahoma State Fair Arena as Oklahoma City's main indoor sports and concert venue. It would retain this status for 30 years until the opening of the Ford Center (now the
Paycom Center) in 2002 directly across the street. As the Cox Convention Center, the facility received another upgrade, budgeted at $4.5 million, to accommodate the
Edmonton Oilers' top farm team, the
Oklahoma City Barons, which began play in the 2010–11 season. The arena was home to
Oklahoma City Blazers hockey in the 1970s,
another Blazers team from 1992 to 2002, the
Bricktown Brawlers Indoor Football League team, the
Oklahoma City Barons of the
American Hockey League, and the
Oklahoma City Blue of the
NBA G League. The
Oklahoma City Cavalry played in the
Continental Basketball Association at the convention center from 1990 to 1997. It was also home to the
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's
National Finals Rodeo from 1979 to 1984. The Cox Convention Center also hosted numerous state and college basketball events, including early rounds of the Men's NCAA basketball tournament and also the 2007 and 2009
Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament and
UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard on September 16, 2009. The
NCAA Men's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships were held at the arena from 1986 to 1988. Oklahoma City contracted with Prairie Surf Media to take over the convention center space for sound stages and production offices for their film company. On January 1, 2021, the building was renamed Prairie Surf Studios. Demolition started in March of 2025. A new OKC Thunder Area will replace it and should open in 2028. ==Production studio==