Who is Harold Hamm? Continental Resources founder, Thunder arena partner
The new Oklahoma City Thunder arena will be called Continental Coliseum, the arena announced today. Who is Continental Resource's founder Harold Hamm?
The Oklahoma City Thunder announced its new arena, set to open in 2028, will be named Continental Coliseum , a 15-year signature partnership with Continental Resources. After the announcement on Tuesday morning, Thunder chairman Clay Bennett, Continental Resources founder Harold Hamm , and Continental CEO Doug Lawler spoke about the new partnership. Hamm, a Lexington, Oklahoma, native, founded Shelly Dean Oil Company, now Continental Resources, in 1967, and has since become one of the richest men in the world.
He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2011 and named in Time magazine's "World's 100 Most Influential People" in 2012. In May 2014, Forbes featured Hamm as a cover story titled "Harold Hamm: The Billionaire Oilman Fueling America's Recovery. " The Thunder said its partnership with Hamm and Continental came from shared values and loyalty to OKC, as well as a long-term commitment to OKC’s future.
More: As oil giants exit, these OKC companies say they're staying. Here's why What has Harold Hamm said about the new Thunder arena? In an interview released by the Thunder on social media, Hamm said the partnership between Continental and the Thunder came from the heart and the "culture of the possible" at Continental.
"It was something we wanted to be associated with," Hamm said in Tuesday's press conference . "We think it's a fantastic thing. As always, Oklahoma City has been tremendous.