Bringing a closed topic from 2004 back to life: Summer Olympics OKC 2024

[Luke]

As I've been watching the Olympics, I've been thinking about how Oklahoma City would be a great fit. I mean, the sports scene in OKC is top notch. Sure, there aren't any professional teams, but the teams we do have are the top in the nation in their respective sports. Plus, with Norman nearby, the possibilities are that much greater.

My plan to bring the 2024 summer Olympic games to OKC would include a metro area team effort. Each suburb would have to take on the responsibility of building venues for at least 2 or 3 or more of the sports. Each suburb should have some connection to the sport as to make it a matter of personal pride for their city. The plan would center around downtown OKC which would have the main athletic complex as well as Olympic Stadium and Olympic Village (where the athletes live for two weeks).

For example, Edmond, home of Shannon Miller, could commit to building the gymnastics hall. Edmond could also prep UCO's football field to host soccer. Del City has an archery range at Trosper Park. They could build the required facilities around the range to make it Olympic quality. Lake Hefner or Arcadia could be used for sailing. Norman, in conjunction with OU, could host several events in their different facilities. And so on...

OKC would build Olympic Stadium for all track and field events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies (Also, if there is no NFL team by then, this would finally be the lure!). OKC would also host the rowing competitions on the Oklahoma River. The Brick would be the baseball headquarters. The Ford Center and Cox Convention Center could be used for various events as well.

Once the Olympics had completed, OKC would always be in the history books as well as on the sports map. Each venue could host yearly national and world championships or at least be on the tour. Plus, there are plenty of high schools and colleges that could use many of the facilities.

Finally, the Olympic Village would be situated on the Oklahoma River. It needs to be an apartment complex essentially, so the athletes could live there for two weeks. When they're gone, hello residential neighborhood. "The Olympic Village Apartments".

A rail transit system from Edmond, to downtown, to Norman and from El Reno, to Yukon, the Airport, downtown, Del City and Midwest City would connect most of the venues as well as give many Oklahoma Citians what they want in public transit.

Obviously there is a lot of money involved, there would need to be a lot of venues built, roads widened, hotels built... But, I really think the metro area would rally around something like this. And as much positive activity is going on here now, can you imagine if the city announced a bid for the 2024 Olypics over the next few years, just to stir up even more development.

Yes, I'm a dreamer. But this could work.


Luke

Four years have lapsed, and it's still very much within the realm of possibilities. Plus, the past four years have certainly put OKC on a continued upward trajectory. Perhaps we should set a goal!

I know some movers and shakers watch this board. Thought I'd plant the seed again. Perhaps an article in The Oklahoman could water the seed... A "What-if..." piece outlining the possibilities. And what better time than now when the Olympics are on all our minds. It would certainly get the city folk talkin'...

So... my friends, what say you?


Luke

[hipsterdoofus]

i suppose everyone could drive the crosstown to get to the games?

[LIL_WAYNE_4_PREZIDENT08]

Not gonna happen

[venture]

Ummm...OKC has a better shot being purchase by the rich Arab oil men and turned into a mega first class resort and beach community.

2016 will likely either be Rio or Chicago. If Rio, first time they are ever in South America.

2020...sounds like a push to have them in Africa may be on the way.

2024...only a few cities have started looking at this. Paris, Brisbane (Australia), Toronto and Philadelphia.

One thing about 2020, is Birmingham, Alabama has actually put together a committee to investigate what they need to do to submit a bid. I would really be shocked if they would pick them, after doing Atlanta in 1996.

The best bet would likely be Dallas for the games, and setup something to where the rowing portion of the competition be hosted in OKC. That would be the biggest extent.

I admire the dreaming...but OKC really doesn't bring anything to the Games. China has brought a unique opportunity to influence what goes on in China and give the rest of the world a look in. OKC? Not so much.

[mecarr]

How about the Olympics in Lawton? Anybody?

[ddavidson8]

Shawnee 2024

[Luke]

How about the Olympics in Lawton? Anybody?

The bikers would have it rough in the Wichitas.

[JWil]

OKC? NO CHANCE!

Sorry, I'm as pro-OKC as anyone on here, but there's just no way. OKC isn't an international city and I can think of plenty of cities in the US alone that are more deserving: Dallas, Houston, Chicago, New York, Denver and San Francisco. There's just no way.

As for the upcoming games...

I think the 2016 games will go to Rio. Having one in South America is long overdue and I think either Rio or Buenos Aries are great potential Olympic sites.

As for 2020? I'm sorry, the ONLY place in Africa that is a logical host is South Africa, and they're struggling mightily just to put on the 2010 World Cup. In fact, there's a rumor floating around now that has FIFA pulling the games out of South Africa and putting the WC in the USA because they're having a ton of problems down there. The other best target in Africa, Cairo, is too close to a politically-unstable reason. I think the loser of 2016 will get 2020 (either Rio or Chicago).

The 2024 games are a long ways out, but I think it would be either Paris or Brisbane/Perth. The reason I say that is that the IOC likes to rotate the continents in terms of hosting. By 2024, it would have been 12 years since the 2012 London games and 24 years since Sydney. So I'll go out on a limb and say that Brisbane/Perth gets 2024 (I'm sooooo going) and 2028 is Paris. Then in 2032 I think a Dallas or Toronto would get a shot.

[Luke]

Hey, at least Birmingham, Alabama officials are talking about it. And they got nothing on OKC.

[Kerry]

I would rather spend time and effort on attainable goals.

[bretthexum]

Maybe OKC can host the redneck games. Just kidding...

[hipsterdoofus]

Yeah I'm really surprised that Dallas has not talked about it...I think San Antonio would be a kinda cool place for the games..I don't know why it wouldn't work there as they are like 8th largest city in the counry or so.

[Jesseda]

yes the okc 2024 oylmpics is probably going to happen, it will be great i mean the new disney parks will already be built and new hollywood which is currently valleybrook and crossroads mall will be opened.

[OKCMallen]

Hey, at least Birmingham, Alabama officials are talking about it. And they got nothing on OKC.

I don't like to slam people's honest, optimistic opinions...but this thread is more lunacy than anything.

[Luke]

Wow...

The thread four years ago was much more optimistic than this thread.

Don't get me wrong, folks. Is it plausible? No. Is it possible? Of course!

[venture]

Sure its possible...in a couple hundred years when OKC is up to the same status as these other major world cities.

The biggest thing that seems to be lost is...what are you going to do with the buildings after? The Olympic events do not cover the cost of the buildings as a whole, and most cities are still in debt after holding the games. If it was something to where OU could take over the facilities after, then it may be plausable - kinda like USC.

However, the infrastructure isn't there to handle the mass influx of people. The facilities needed to handle it all - highways, airport, train station, etc...would be mostly unused after the 2 weeks past.

Yeah it would be cool to have them in your home town, but eventually you need to look at the dollars and other requirements for them. Atlanta was the smallest city to get the summer games...and look at what they have over OKC.

[swilki]

I don't understand why everyone on here has to be so pessimistic about this or at least so cynical. Yeah, maybe its a stretch, but 12 years ago I don't think anyone would have thought that the city would be what it is today. If Birmingham can put together an exploratory committee there is no reason OKC can't talk about doing the same. Some of the comments on this board ashame me because it is talk like that that really holds the City from becoming a truly great place and perpetuates that bad image of the City being spread around.

[Kerry]

Dallas did bid for 2012 Olympics - and go shot down in favor of New York City and Washington D.C. as the US cities (likely due to sympathy for 9-11). I lived in Tampa at the time and their proposal was realying on hotel rooms and venues in Orlando which is 75 miles away. Tampa/Orlando combined have 6.5 million people, nearly 300,000 hotel rooms and 4 international airports and like Dallas, they didn't even make the first cut.

It just isn't going to happen in OKC. Is their value in even putting a proposal together? Maybe. It does get the cities name out there but that exposure comes at a very high financial cost.

[namellac]

Why don't we host another "Olympic Festival" like we did in '89? More realistic, and we've done it before. We have more and better facilities so we should be able to do it even better this time! I'd rather see money spent on something realistic like that than a pipe dream.

[OKCMallen]

Asserting reality is not being overly negative. OKC will never, ever (barring nuclear war destroying most major cities in the world) host an Olympics. Get real guys, we can't even support an NFL team...and you want the facilities and infrastructure for an Olympics? OKC is barely culturally relevant at ALL to the USA at large. Look, I love OKC, but Beijing, Athens, London it ain't.

[Luke]

Actually, the smallest city to host a Summer Olympics is Helsinki, Finland. And that city had a population of under 400,000 in 1952. Even today the city's population is about 1.3 million.

And the fact that Birmgingham, Alabama is looking at doing this should show that OKC could certainly try.

Also, of course OKC would work with surrounding communities to get this done, especially Norman.

Atlanta did it all debt free.

[Kerry]

Actually, the smallest city to host a Summer Olympics is Helsinki, Finland. And that city had a population of under 400,000 in 1952. Even today the city's population is about 1.3 million.

And the fact that Birmgingham, Alabama is looking at doing this should show that OKC could certainly try.

Also, of course OKC would work with surrounding communities to get this done, especially Norman.

Atlanta did it all debt free.

The fact that no other city the size of Birmingham is trying is an indication that Birmingham SHOULDN'T try, not the other way around. I am not sure about the Atlanta debt-free comment either. Yes Helsinki, Finland sponsored the Olympics in 1952 but they couldn't even come close to hosting the games we know today. I will agee with you that modern day OKC could host the 1952 games.

Let's just ask this one simple question and then we can put this fantasy to rest. Let's say OKC bids for the Olympics and wins the spot as the US entry. The other cities are Rio, Perth, Paris, and Tokyo. Which city do you think the rest of the world will pick?

[Luke]

Yes, Atlanta did it debt free. Sponsors and private money. Brick pavers and the like. I believe the city paid for infrastructure (as they should). Chicago is doing it debt free as well.

[Richard at Remax]

Lets spend our money elsewhere.

[Kerry]

I stand corrected on the Atlanta debt-free statement. A quick Google search does indicate that the Atlanta Olympics turned a profit for the City of Atlanta.

Here is an interesting story about life after the Olympics.
SI.com - Writers - Fish: Atlanta's non-existent Olympic legacy - Friday June 18, 2004 8:03PM