With great excitement, Oklahoma Baptist University officially unveiled the Brant and Leslie Hill Bison Esports Arena in OBU’s Recreational and Wellness Center on Oct. 8.
The grand opening ceremony featured remarks from OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas, who underscored the university’s vision for the future and the importance of esports in enriching student life. Thomas expressed his gratitude to all who made the project possible and highlighted the arena’s strategic impact on the university’s growth.
“The new state-of-the-art facility, which came at no additional cost to OBU or the students thanks to donations and support of those such as Brant and Leslie Hill, Steve Irby and Tulsa Royalties Company, represents a cutting-edge addition to campus life,” Thomas said.
The arena offers both competitive and community-based gaming opportunities for students. Tuesday’s grand opening event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Thomas said this new addition to the campus highlights the university’s commitment to engaging students through innovative activities, with esports at the forefront. Esports has emerged as a dynamic, fast-growing industry that blends competitive video gaming with community building and career development.
Corey Bolgrin, director of Bison Recreation and Wellness, praised the new arena as a reflection of OBU’s forward-thinking approach to student engagement and opportunities.
Bolgrin said the facility is a testament to OBU’s commitment to providing innovative opportunities for students and that it represents outstanding support from throughout Oklahoma.
“Our vision for the esports program is to provide excellence in competitive, recreational, and educational gaming experiences that enhance our students’ social, emotional, and physical well-being,” Bolgrin said. “This program provides students with opportunities for career development within the esports industry and gives them the chance to connect and build community.”
“Brant and Leslie Hill, who are outstanding supporters of this exciting new Bison Esports program, are great examples of that connection,” he said. “Steve Irby of Kicker Performance Audio has also been there for OBU, with the Bison Esports program pushing into an exciting future.”
OBU will compete in the Great American Conference (GAC), competing against 11 other universities for the highly coveted conference title.
This will be a part of OBU’s intramural/club sports offerings.
Students will also have access to recreational and community-based gaming, fostering networking opportunities and a shared passion for gaming.
Brant Hill owns Bison Construction Services, a full-line general contractor/project manager. Their company has worked on projects at OBU for more than three years.
“We felt this project would be great to be a part of with the impact that gaming is having on multiple aspects of our daily lives,” Hill said. “Gaming is now proving to be a great training ground for things from robotic surgery to drone pilots in the military. Improving hand-eye coordination through video games is something we never thought of growing up playing Nintendo, but it really is shaping the future of several industries.”
Within the space, Bison Construction Services supplied the original digital rendering, construction, materials, custom wall and table graphics, and custom-built the gaming table and the coach’s table. They also worked with J & J flooring to supply the flooring materials.
“Having the room named after Leslie and myself is such an honor,” he said. “Never during the process did we intend on having it named after us, nor did we expect it to be. Neither of us thought we would have our names on a facility at a college campus.”
Irby is the president and founder of Kicker Performance Audio, which provided a financial gift to the project.
In 1980, Irby developed the original “Kicker,” a full-range enclosed speaker system designed to fit behind the seat in a standard cab pickup truck. This was a first-of-its-kind product innovation, which is why similar products of many brands came to be known generically as kicker-boxes.
His innovative product launched a car audio brand with hundreds of models sold through a network of retail dealers in all 50 states and more than 60 countries on six continents.
“I believe esports are a great competitive outlet for students, but there are life lessons that can be learned too,” Irby said. “Esports may also open a door to a future job as well. I know gaming has become very sophisticated and can lead to employment opportunities in the military and civilian sectors due to the expertise learned in gaming.”
Irby said he was connected to OBU through a friend, Jim Hively, who was employed by OBU. After meeting President Thomas and faculty members, he was “impressed with the Christian atmosphere and Christ-centered education.”
“I enjoy working with students and seeing them live successful, Christ-centered lives,” Irby said.
The Bison Esports Arena has already sparked significant excitement on campus, serving as a hub for students with an interest in gaming and technology. With its focus on career development and community-building, OBU’s esports program is set to become a leader within the competitive landscape of collegiate gaming.
Following the ceremony, attendees were invited to tour the new facility, which boasts cutting-edge gaming PCs, comfortable spaces for students to collaborate, and the latest technology for top-tier gaming performance.
“OBU really has been an incredible blessing to all of us at Bison Construction Services,” Hill said. “From our full-time employees to all of our subs, this university has been an amazing experience. When I decided to branch out on my own, the university was there, and I moved forward with projects without any hesitation. We have been there hand-in-hand through the tornado and all of the relief efforts that came with that, and we continue to be on campus and part of the next chapter of Oklahoma Baptist University.”
