America's new tallest skyscraper edges closer to becoming a reality as developer secures $1.5B funding for 1,907ft building that will soar over Oklahoma with hotels, condos and commercial space

The developer for America's new tallest skyscraper has secured the funding needed to make his billion-dollar project a reality.

Scot Matteson of Matteson Capital, the current developer of the Boardwalk at Bricktown project, said he secured funding for the project, which includes hotels, condos and a 1,907-foot legacy tower.

'The goal is to start moving dirt by the end of summer, doing the grading and infrastructure on the entire four acres of land,' Matteson told local ABC affiliate KOCO.

Matteson said the project, which will cost around $1.5 billion to build, is officially fully financed.

'We decided to go in and apply for this height variance to see if we can get it approved, and hopefully we do,' Matteson told KOCO.

Matteson Capital has been planning out a complex called the Boardwalk at Bricktown in the Oklahoma capital, which was approved by the city council last August. New plans include a tower that would go up 1,907 feet

Matteson Capital has been planning out a complex called the Boardwalk at Bricktown in the Oklahoma capital, which was approved by the city council last August

The exact location was previously known as a mere L-shaped parking lot. The area includes the arena for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder

The developer is still waiting for the approval of city council to build the tower. If approved, the tower at the Boardwalk at Bricktown will be the tallest in the nation.

Even if the city council does not give their nod of approval to the 'Legacy Tower,' the project can still move forward.

'If we don't, we'll just go back to the original plan of the 350-foot tower in the fourth building,' Matteson said.

The developer he is well-aware of the skepticism surrounding his undertaking. 

'I'm used to this skepticism by the public and other people, but we have goals, and we seem to meet them all the time,' Matteson said.

Matteson said he received similar criticism for a project he is finishing in Miami that's even bigger than the Bricktown project - costing $20 billion and taking up 10 city blocks.

'We had the same skepticism. People said, "You can't get this financed. It's too big. It's in the wrong location."

'Lots of reasons, but we got it done,' Matteson said.

The Oklahoma City Planning Commission will have a public hearing about the project on April 11. Another hearing will be set with the city council sometime in June.

If completed, it would also break the record for the tallest skyscraper, surpassing New York City's famous One World Trade Center, which stands at 1,776 feet tall. 

The Legacy Tower will be the sixth tallest tower in the world, the fifth tallest being the Ping An Finance Center in Shenzhen, China, which stands at 1,966 feet tall.

Rounding out the top five tallest buildings are the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia (1,972), China's Shanghai Tower (2,073), Merdeka 118 in Malaysia (2,227) and UAE's Burj Khalifa (2,722 feet).

The Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest building, clocking in at 2,722 feet tall

One World Trade Center is the United States' tallest building, registering at 1,776 feet in height

'Oklahoma City is experiencing a significant period of growth and transformation, making it well-positioned to support large-scale projects like the one envisioned for Bricktown,' said Scot Matteson, CEO of Matteson Capital, in a previous statement released in January. 

'We believe that this development will be an iconic destination for the city, further driving the expansion and diversification of the growing economy, drawing in investment, new businesses, and jobs. It's a dynamic environment and we hope to see The Boardwalk at Bricktown stand as the pride of Oklahoma City.' 

Oklahoma City, one of the fastest growing cities in America, boasted about 680,000 residents in the 2020 census, making it the 20th most populous city in the nation.

The Bricktown area has become a destination in the city, home to the arena of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder and stadium for minor league baseball's Oklahoma City Dodgers.