Imagine you have a rich uncle who’s coming to visit and to share some of his wealth.

The problem is you’re not sure your home is large enough for him and all his friends. To add to the matter, your neighborhood is kind of boring, so you’re afraid he and his friends might go looking for more entertaining places to spend their money.

The good news is your uncle’s visit is still a year away, so there’s still time to prepare, but no matter how hard you try, your house and your neighborhood won’t be ready to meet the standards your uncle is used to seeing.

That’s how Norman leaders are feeling as they anticipate the arrival of the Southeastern Conference, a tsunami of economic opportunity that will wash ashore next fall. That is when the University of Oklahoma Sooners will kick off their first season as a member of the elite cadre of athletic programs that have dominated college football for 20 years. But with this conference, it’s not just about football and it’s not only about the athletes. SEC fans are renowned for their enthusiasm, their willingness to travel and the money they spend. They like football, they like baseball, basketball, softball, and they don’t mind road trips.

And a lot of them don’t even need tickets to the games. They’re content with tailgating in the shadow of the stadiums, just to soak in the game-day atmosphere.

Ever since OU announced its move to the SEC two years ago, the clock has been ticking as civic leaders and Norman businesses assess just how many red carpets they must roll out for the coming onslaught.

“We are not going to be ready, but we’re going to move forward,” said Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila. “It’s going to take a couple of years to get there, and a lot of it is going to be market-driven.”

According to Norman Economic Development Coalition President Lawrence McKinney, the market already is gassed up, and it’s ready to roll with a dozen hotel and motel operators clambering to build in Norman. Land is in high demand right now, he said, and his office has seen multiple unsolicited offers from developers willing to pay millions just for property the NEDC owns.

“Not to take anything away from the Big 12, but the SEC is just bigger,” said McKinney, who has spent much of his career in the SEC states of Georgia and Florida. “We’ve been having more discussions with people who want to open a business here. Other SEC businesses also have contacted the NEDC about moving operations to Norman. Just the announcement that OU is joining the conference was enough to spark interest. There is so much opportunity now.”

University of Oklahoma officials say Norman is likely to see at least twice as many visiting fans at SEC home games than they saw in the Big 12. While the Big 12 requires members to provide 2,500 football tickets to visiting schools, the SEC demands 5,000 tickets for visiting fans, and SEC schools are not known for giving tickets back.

Economic impact may double – or even triple

Just in terms of economic impact, Visit Norman Executive Director Dan Schemm said revenue opportunities will be huge. In the Big 12, Norman sees an $11 million economic impact from each home game, Schemm said. Next year, with the SEC, the community will see an impact that is two to three times that big. Part of that will be from hotel and motel rooms, where demand will be two to three times greater, and the rates will be higher as well.

But Schemm said Norman may not have all the rooms to meet that demand, which is why Oklahoma City is licking its chops. Beyond hotels and motels, Norman’s Campus Corner and downtown are reliable entertainment districts, but the city needs more choices with live music and more for people to do, Schemm said. There is potential for SEC fans to migrate north to OKC, where they’ll find more rooms, more restaurants and more entertainment.

“We want to keep them here, so we need to up our game and look for ways to improve,” he said.

Schemm said the tailgating experience is one area of particular focus for OU officials. OU Vice President and Athletic Director Joe Castiglione said the university is considering several options for meeting the increased demand for tailgating space next year.

“There are several options the university is considering. It could be that we see some of those tested this coming season,” Castiglione said. “We know how critical the game-day environment is, particularly for SEC fans, and we’re exploring a range of possibilities to ensure that game day in Norman is a premier experience.”

Recreational vehicles are another area of focus, Schemm said.

“The SEC is big on RV-ing. They can come on Wednesday or Thursday, and they can stay until the following Monday or Tuesday.”

Currently, Norman has RV space in the Lloyd Noble Center parking lot, as well as at the Duck Pond across the street from Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Additional space is at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds and at Lake Thunderbird, but Norman will need more than that. That’s why Oklahoma City developer Kale Streeter is planning a multimillion-dollar RV resort south of Norman, near U.S. Highway 77. The park will contain hundreds of RV spaces in a wooded area with amenities, such as a pool, a fitness center, a restaurant, a bar and a general store. Streeter said he’s even planning an aerial adventure park and a dog park. Golf carts will be available for transportation within the park, and a shuttle service will carry fans to the OU campus on game days.

Streeter said his proposed development is pending city approval, and he has not announced a start date for construction.

OU’s move to the SEC already has given Norman more visibility, and because of that, the community will see economic opportunities that go well beyond game days, said Norman economic developer McKinney.

“Norman is going to be a boomtown, and not just because of the SEC,” he said. “It’s also because Norman is a talent incubator with 28,000 students on the OU campus. This is going to be a great opportunity for Norman to grow its economy. Now, we have an opportunity to get a lot more dollars invested in Norman, and that will help our local governments provide more services for the people who live here.”