Board permits new event center on Admiral Place with 400‑person cap

The City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment on Sept. 9 approved a special exception allowing a large indoor assembly and entertainment use at 11447 East Admiral Place North, subject to a maximum occupant capacity of 400 people.

Bobby Patterson, representing the project architect and owner Antonio Bernal, told the board the event space would seat roughly 260 for some configurations but that the city’s occupant‑load calculation (in part due to a dance area) was higher. "The occupant load is set at 450 due to a dance area," Patterson said; the applicant agreed to a board condition limiting capacity to 400.

Patterson described the venue as family oriented — for birthday parties, weddings and funerals — and said the owner would not sell alcohol on site as a standard practice, though families might bring refreshments. He also noted the property owner controls roughly 6.5 acres and that parking plans had been approved by the permit center. Neighbors were reported as supportive of the new business during the hearing.

Board members asked about hours and agreed there was no need to impose an expiration date for this special exception; several members said they expected commercial property owners to be good stewards and that renewals are rarely problematic when operations comply with conditions. The board approved the special exception with the explicit condition that occupant capacity be limited to 400 people. The vote was unanimous.

With the approval, the applicant may proceed to build out the event space and complete required permit work. The permit center will ensure parking and building code requirements are met before occupancy is allowed.