Paycom Center
How Oklahoma City's premier entertainment venue gave event staff a free, sustainable hydration perk — and watched them pour over 10,000 drinks in eight months.
The Venue
Oklahoma City's Premier Sports & Entertainment Destination
Paycom Center is a 581,000-square-foot arena in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, home to the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder and host to more than one million guests each year across concerts, sporting events, family shows, and world-class entertainment. Managed by Legends Global and owned by the City of Oklahoma City, the venue has welcomed over 10 million fans since opening in 2002.
Behind every event at Paycom Center is a large team of event staff — from concessions and guest services to operations and security — working long shifts on the arena floor. These employees pay for their own food and beverages during events. Clean drinking water from the facility's office ice machines was the only complimentary option available to them.
The Challenge
Water Is Boring — and Staff Deserved Better
Event staff at Paycom Center work high-energy shifts in a fast-paced environment. The existing hydration setup — basic water from ice machines — was functional, but didn't reflect the kind of benefit that makes people feel valued. Leadership identified three gaps.
No Free Beverage Perk
Employees paid for every food and drink item during shifts. The only complimentary option was plain water from office ice machines — not exactly something that builds goodwill or boosts morale.
Plain Water Isn't Enough
As venue leadership put it: water is boring. Everyone likes options and choices. A basic water station wasn't motivating staff to stay hydrated, especially during demanding event shifts.
Sustainability & Waste
A major entertainment venue generating over a million visits per year needed a hydration solution that didn't add to the waste stream with bottles, cans, and single-use plastics behind the scenes.
The Solution
The KUPA Station by Bottleless Nation
Paycom Center installed the KUPA Station in an area accessible to everyone working the event floor — giving the entire staff a premium, customizable hydration experience at no charge. It was a deliberate choice: provide a sustainable, healthy alternative that people would actually be excited to use.
The KUPA Station connects directly to the building's water supply and uses reverse osmosis purification to deliver premium-quality water. From there, staff can personalize every drink using the intuitive touchscreen.
16 Natural Flavors
Sugar-free options crafted from molecules naturally derived from real fruit.
Still or Sparkling
Carbonated or flat water on demand — no cans or bottles needed.
Electrolytes & Enhancements
Functional hydration with electrolytes and optional light sweetness — no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Digital Display
Built-in screen used for employee appreciation messaging and internal communications.
Reverse Osmosis
Advanced purification removes impurities for clean, crisp water every time.
IoT Analytics
Real-time usage tracking, automated restocking alerts, and remote management.
Beyond hydration, the venue uses the KUPA Station's built-in digital display for employee appreciation messaging — turning a hydration station into an internal communications touchpoint. Bottleless Nation handles all installation, maintenance, sanitization, filter changes, and flavor replenishment.
The Results
10,231 Drinks and Counting
In just eight months, the KUPA Station proved that when you give people a genuinely better option, they use it — a lot.
Drinks Served in Eight Months
Averaging roughly 1,279 drinks per month from a single station — clear evidence that staff are choosing it over the alternatives, event after event.
Cost to Employees
In a venue where staff pay for every food and beverage item, the KUPA Station stands out as a genuine free perk — customizable flavored water, sparkling options, and electrolytes at no charge.
Guests Through the Venue Annually
Behind every one of those guest experiences is an event staff team that now has access to premium, healthy hydration throughout their shifts.
Single-Use Plastic Waste
Every drink dispensed into reusable cups and bottles. No cans. No plastic bottles. No delivery trucks. A cleaner backstage for a world-class venue.
Employee Appreciation on the Screen
The KUPA Station's digital display is being used for employee recognition messaging — turning a hydration station into a morale-building touchpoint.
"KUPA Station reflects how we think about benefits today: better choices, less waste, and real value. It offers customizable, electrolyte-enhanced drinks without sugar or artificial sweeteners, all in a sustainable system our employees actually use."
The Bigger Picture
Turning a Basic Necessity Into a Real Benefit
The KUPA Station at Paycom Center reframes what a workplace hydration benefit can look like — especially in high-volume, event-driven environments where staff are often an afterthought. In a venue where employees pay for everything they eat and drink, offering premium customizable hydration at no cost sends a clear message: we value you.
The numbers back it up. Over 10,000 drinks in eight months from a single station isn't a novelty — it's a daily habit. Staff are choosing flavored, electrolyte-enhanced, sparkling water over the plain water they had before, and they're doing it consistently, event after event.
With the KUPA Station's built-in digital display already being used for employee appreciation messaging, the station is pulling double duty as both a hydration solution and an internal communications tool. It's the kind of practical, visible investment in people that costs less than the problem it replaces — and generates real engagement every single shift.
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See how the KUPA Station can transform your workplace — with zero hassle and zero waste.
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