▁and ▁has ▁ 1 8 , 2 0 3 ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁basketball ▁configuration , ▁ 1 5 , 1 5 2 ▁for ▁hockey , ▁and ▁can ▁seat ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 6 , 5 9 1 ▁for ▁concert s . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁ar ena ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁temporary ▁home ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Hor net s ▁of ▁the ▁NBA ▁when ▁the ▁Hor net s ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁play ▁games ▁elsewhere ▁following ▁extensive ▁damage ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Arena ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans ▁from ▁H urr icane ▁K atr ina . ▁During ▁the ▁two ▁seasons ▁in ▁Oklahoma ▁City , ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans / Ok lahoma ▁City ▁Hor net s . ▁The ▁response ▁from ▁fans ▁while ▁the ▁Hor net s ▁played ▁in ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁was ▁an ▁imp et us ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁being ▁discussed ▁prior ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁as ▁a ▁future ▁NBA ▁team , ▁either ▁by ▁re location ▁or ▁expansion . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Ford ▁Center ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁and ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁June ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁three ▁years ▁after ▁construction ▁began . ▁The ▁original ▁Ford ▁Center ▁name ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁naming ▁rights ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁Ford ▁De al ers ▁group ▁which ▁represented ▁the ▁market ing ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁Ford ▁deal ers hips , ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁Ford ▁Motor ▁Company ▁itself . ▁ ▁The ▁facility ▁was ▁the ▁premier ▁component