The Thunder have played in Oklahoma City since 2008, but the franchise began in 1967 as the Seattle SuperSonics. Counting those 41 Seattle seasons, the team has had four regular homes: the Seattle Center Coliseum (later KeyArena) in three separate stints, the Kingdome, the Tacoma Dome and, since 2008, Paycom Center.
Here is every home in order, with the years the team played there, what made each one matter and what stands on the site today. Each arena with a ThrillZing guide links to it.
Every Thunder Arena, 1967 to Today
- Seattle
1967–1978The SuperSonics' first home, a 1962 World's Fair pavilion turned arena at Seattle Center. The Sonics reached the 1978 Finals from here, then left for the bigger Kingdome when their lease with the city ran out.
Today: Rebuilt inside its original roof as Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL's Seattle Kraken
Stadium history →
1978–1985Seven seasons on a court laid out over the baseball diamond. The Sonics won the 1979 title in their first Kingdome season, set NBA attendance records here and drew 40,172 for a 1980 playoff game.
Today: Imploded in 2000; Lumen Field stands on the site
Stadium history →- 1985–1994
Back at Seattle Center in 1985. The aging building hosted the NBA's only rain-delayed game, in January 1986, when water leaked through the roof onto the court.
Today: Rebuilt inside its original roof as Climate Pledge Arena
Stadium history → - Tacoma
- 1994–1995
Tacoma Dome
A one-season home about 30 miles south of Seattle while the Coliseum was gutted and rebuilt. The city closed the old arena for a full year to do the work.
Today: Still in use for concerts, high school basketball tournaments and community events
- Seattle
- 1995–2008
The Coliseum reopened in 1995 with a lowered floor and new name, and hosted the 1996 Finals. After Seattle and the state would not fund a new upgrade, new owners moved the team to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Today: Rebuilt again from 2018 to 2021 as Climate Pledge Arena, keeping the original roof
Stadium history → - Oklahoma City
- 2008–presentCurrent home
Opened in 2002 as the Ford Center and later called Chesapeake Energy Arena. It was the Hornets' temporary home after Hurricane Katrina; the Thunder won the 2025 NBA title here.
Visiting guide →
Thunder Arena FAQ
Where did the Thunder play before Oklahoma City?
In Seattle, as the SuperSonics. They played at the Seattle Center Coliseum from 1967 to 1978, the Kingdome from 1978 to 1985, the Coliseum again from 1985 to 1994, the Tacoma Dome for the 1994–95 season and the rebuilt Coliseum, renamed KeyArena, from 1995 to 2008. The Sonics won the 1979 NBA title in their first Kingdome season.
How many arenas have the Thunder had?
Four buildings: the Seattle Center Coliseum/KeyArena, the Kingdome, the Tacoma Dome and Paycom Center. Because the team left the Coliseum twice and came back twice, that adds up to six stints in two cities.
Why did the SuperSonics leave Seattle?
Owner Howard Schultz could not get $220 million in public money to upgrade KeyArena, so in 2006 he sold the team to an Oklahoma City group led by Clay Bennett. A plan for a new arena in Renton failed in 2007, NBA owners approved the move in April 2008, and on July 2, 2008, the team settled with the city of Seattle to break its KeyArena lease. The Sonics’ banners and trophies stayed in Seattle under that settlement.
Is KeyArena still standing?
Its roof is. The old Coliseum was rebuilt from 2018 to 2021 as Climate Pledge Arena, keeping the original roof and three exterior walls around a new, deeper bowl. It is now home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. The Kingdome was imploded in 2000.
Where do the Thunder play now?
At Paycom Center in downtown Oklahoma City, which seats 18,203 for basketball. It opened in 2002 as the Ford Center, and the Thunder clinched the 2025 NBA title there with a Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers. In December 2023, Oklahoma City voters approved public funding for a new downtown arena for the team.