2028 Olympics in OKC

[ComeOnBenjals!]

Very, very exciting for OKC. Would probably try and attend!

Would the whitewater events alone be enough to spur that much development Pete? What you listed is several Billions worth of projects. I certainly hope it does, could be a huge leap in progress.

[Jake]

Sorry, Pete. The Twitter comments say this isn’t happening. Guess you’re wrong. *shrugs*

/s

[Swake]

Very cool. Hope it happens. We will be there.

[Laramie]

A major Olympic event of this magnitude could result in $20 million or more in upgrades to our Riversport Rapids facility,
along with an economic impact on the local economy.

The quality area hotels could see a big boost in 2028. Recall the hotel-motel room sales tax goes to the new Fairgrounds Coliseum--target opening 2025, if those funds are allowed to accumulate beyond construction.

This would be a nice boost for a city of our size, where our city population is projected to be 750,000 with a metro 1,550,000 at our current rate of growth.

[Stealth_RN]

The softball hall of fame is here. What are the chances to pull that event as well? That would huge!

[Pete]

The softball hall of fame is here. What are the chances to pull that event as well? That would huge!

Softball has yet to be made officially part of the 2028 Games, but is still a possibility.


It had been absent since 2008 but then included in Tokyo for 2020 (2021).

Softball will not be a part of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

[PoliSciGuy]

The softball hall of fame is here. What are the chances to pull that event as well? That would huge!

Zero. The LA area has numerous schools and facilities that would be more than happy to host softball if it returns as an Olympic sport.

[Pete]

Zero. The LA area has numerous schools and facilities that would be more than happy to host softball if it returns as an Olympic sport.

And none of them have a stadium that holds more than 1,500.

Hall of Fame not only has a capacity of 13,000 but there are also multiple practice and warm-up fields that are necessary for a large multi-team competition. There is also an entire staff of people here that handles several big softball events a year and does it very well.


I realize the initial reaction for most is 'no way' when it comes to OKC -- it was my first thought as well -- but if we get the whitewater events (and I believe we will) then that opens the door for others to follow, as there will be economies of scale when it comes to organizing and expenses.

I am writing a follow-up article that will shed more light on this subject.

[jn1780]

And none of them have a stadium that holds more than 1,500.

Hall of Fame not only has a capacity of 13,000 but there are also multiple practice and warm-up fields that are necessary for a large multi-team competition. There is also an entire staff of people here that handles several big softball events a year and does it very well.


I realize the initial reaction for most is 'no way' when it comes to OKC -- it was my first thought as well -- but if we get the whitewater events (and I believe we will) then that opens the door for others to follow, as there will be economies of scale when it comes to organizing and expenses.

I am writing a follow-up article that will shed more light on this subject.

Are there other types of events being considered for hosting outside of LA?

[Pete]

Are there other types of events being considered for hosting outside of LA?

The only ones that seem likely to be elsewhere are the canoe slalom events.

But we'll only know for sure when they make their formal announcements sometime this year.

[David]

The softball hall of fame is here. What are the chances to pull that event as well? That would huge!

Major props to this poster who had the first suggestion of softball that I could find.

[Stealth_RN]

Major props to this poster who had the first suggestion of softball that I could find.

*Bows*

[David]

*Bows*

The legend returns!

[chssooner]

I just hope the city gets financial help from LA for helping out. The strain on infrastructure will be real, so getting some help to defray costs will be nice.

[Laramie]

...full build out at WRWA and the fact that not only the events will see spectators, the media, and the worldwide exposure beyond just the NBA's reach; but I'm also most excited about the continued but expanded connection to LA and that some of those flights/businesses might have lasting connectivity!--Hot Rod

Hope to see more airport expansion once a decision is made for 2028, a catalyst to kick start a future vision for WRWA.

Have a feeling that a major announcement on the new Oklahoma City arena will be funded thru a combination of
sources with early ground-breaking; it won't be debt free but paid off in less than five years.

[Just the facts]

From November 2022. How was this missed?

https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com...oklahoma-city/

[Pete]

From November 2022. How was this missed?

https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com...oklahoma-city/

I didn't miss it... Been sitting on this for quite a while but was wanting to have an indication that this was more than just an idea.

I can tell you there has been a great deal of forward movement on this very recently, because LA28 has to make formal decisions on sports and venues by the end of 2023, and may make announcements in the next few months.


BTW, I did not tell ANYONE about this and it's been killing me!

The reason other local media didn't see and put this together is that they rely on press releases (or OKCTalk reporting) and there will only be a formal announcement when LA28 and IOC are ready to release complete information on all their plans.

[therhett17]

I didn't miss it... Been sitting on this for quite a while but was wanting to have an indication that this was more than just an idea.

I can tell you there has been a great deal of forward movement on this very recently, because LA28 has to make formal decisions on sports and venues by the end of 2023, and may make announces in the next few months.


BTW, I did not tell ANYONE about this and it's been killing me!

The reason other local media didn't see and put this together is that they rely on press releases (or OKCTalk reporting) and there will only be a formal announcement when LA28 and IOC are ready to release complete information on all their plans.

Did you recently get permission to "spill the beans" or just decide it was time to elaborate more on what you knew?

[Pete]

Did you recently get permission to "spill the beans" or just decide it was time to elaborate more on what you knew?

I never ask for permission.

As I said, there has been considerable recent forward movement and I believe the whitewater events are now very likely.

I'm sure OKC is pitching hard for rowing as well but I don't have any firm information that indicates that is going to happen. However, sometimes you have to connect the dots, and there are a lot of them regarding a bunch of river projects that have suddenly become a priority.

[kevin lee]

I never ask for permission.

As I said, there has been considerable recent forward movement and I believe the whitewater events are now very likely.

I'm sure OKC is pitching hard for rowing as well but I don't have any firm information that indicates that is going to happen. However, sometimes you have to connect the dots, and there are a lot of them regarding a bunch of river projects that have suddenly become a priority.

If the city is pitching hard for rowing isn't this basically saying they're 100% sure that the proposed bridges across the river will be finished?

[OkieinGeorgia]

Reading this announcement literally brought tears to my eyes. I remember as a young man standing in front of the Murrah building in the days following the bombing and to see what OKC has done in the 3 decades since is unfathomable, to be frank. I can't wait to hear more of the details and I am pretty confident Mayor Holt and the Chamber are working in overdrive to not only drive this, but to sell OKC as a potential host for more events. What a huge, huge W for OKC. Thanks for your work on this Pete.

On Edit: And, once softball is officially added how is OKC NOT in a very serious conversation to host that as well? I mean C'mon.

[Pete]

Reading this announcement literally brought tears to my eyes. I remember as a young man standing in front of the Murrah building in the days following the bombing and to see what OKC has done in the 3 decades since is unfathomable, to be frank. I can't wait to hear more of the details and I am pretty confident Mayor Holt and the Chamber are working in overdrive to not only drive this, but to sell OKC as a potential host for more events. What a huge, huge W for OKC. Thanks for your work on this Pete.

On Edit: And, once softball is officially added how is OKC NOT in a very serious conversation to host that as well? I mean C'mon.

Hopefully, since OKC is now likely to get the whitewater events, more may be on the table.


For those of us who can clearly remember the Dark Days of Oklahoma City, the fact this is a real possibility is hard to comprehend.

I started working downtown when I graduated OU in 1982. Things were okay then -- First National was still open and the arcade was relatively full -- but soon everything went over the cliff.

There is no way to describe the malaise of the mid-80s all through the 90s... Any attempt to do so will come across as exaggeration and hyperbole.

There was ONE hotel in all of downtown. There are now 22 with several more in the works.

Leadership Square opened in the mid-80s and my company was one of the very first to move in, but the main effect was sucking tenants out of existing buildings which were left to rot.

Almost all the OKC-based banks failed, including pillars like First National and Liberty.

Bricktown was just a few warehouses with mostly derelict buildings; Deep Deuce, Film Row, Midtown, Uptown, The Plaza... All were essentially abandoned.


The change has been so steady and prolonged that the totality doesn't often register.

That's why I decided to spend almost a full day downtown a couple of weeks before last Christmas. I parked by Lower Scissortail Park and walked through that entire park, past the convention center and Omni, past Paycom, and through the glorious Myriad Gardens. Took in the decorations at Devon and Colcord, then strolled past the huge nutcrackers on either side of the entrance to FNC, a scene straight out of Manhattan. Riding the escalator up to the Great Hall, I was awestruck by the decorations, the grandeur of the place and the big crowd. A string quartet was playing Christmas music.

From there I walked through the arcade -- once again nearly full -- and over to the Skirvin which is especially beautiful for the holidays. Past the completely redone BancFirst Tower and over to Bricktown which was filled with people milling around and in great spirits.

It was emotional... Like a victory lap for a die-hard fan that had loyally followed a beloved team that had repeatedly broken their heart for decades... And then finally rewarded their faith and instantly relieved half a lifetime of disappointment.

I've deeply loved Oklahoma City since I was a little kid when I would ride along with my dad as he took a trip to Citizens Bank or downtown. For a long time, I felt like I was the only one and that that sentiment was not justified.

If any aspect of the Olympics comes here in 2028, you can bet I will drink it in with every fiber of my being, pack my house full with as many out-of-state visitors as it will hold, and know that my life-long love affair is finally requited.

[OkieinGeorgia]

Hopefully, since OKC is now likely to get the whitewater events, more may be on the table.


For those of us who can clearly remember the Dark Days of Oklahoma City, the fact this is a real possibility is hard to comprehend.

I started working downtown when I graduated OU in 1982. Things were okay then -- First National was still open and the arcade was relatively full -- but soon everything went over the cliff.

There is no way to describe the malaise of the mid-80s all through the 90s... Any attempt to do so will come across as exaggeration and hyperbole.

There was ONE hotel in all of downtown. There are now 22 with several more in the works.

Leadership Square opened in the mid-80s and my company was one of the very first to move in, but the main effect was sucking tenants out of existing buildings which were left to rot.

Almost all the OKC-based banks failed, including pillars like First National and Liberty.

Bricktown was just a few warehouses with mostly derelict buildings; Deep Deuce, Film Row, Midtown, Uptown, The Plaza... All were essentially abandoned.


The change has been so steady and prolonged that the totality doesn't often register.

That's why I decided to spend almost a full day downtown a couple of weeks before last Christmas. I parked by Lower Scissortail Park and walked through that entire park, past the convention center and Omni, past Paycom, and through the glorious Myriad Gardens. Took in the decorations at Devon and Colcord, then strolled past the huge nutcrackers on either side of the entrance to FNC. Riding the escalator up to the Great Hall, I was awestruck by the decorations, the grandeur of the place and the big crowd. A string quartet was playing Christmas music.

From there I walked through the arcade -- once again nearly full -- and over to the Skirvin which is especially beautiful for the holidays. Past the completely redone BancFirst Tower and over to Bricktown which was filled with people milling around and in great spirits.

It was emotional... Like a victory lap for a die-hard fan that had loyally followed a beloved team that had repeatedly broken their heart for decades... And then finally broke through and rewarded their faith and instantly relieved half a lifetime of disappointment.

I've deeply loved Oklahoma City since I was a little kid when I would ride along with my dad as he took a trip to Citizens Bank or downtown. For a long time, I felt like I was the only one and that that sentiment was not justified.

If any aspect of the Olympics comes here in 2028, you can bet I will drink it in with every fiber of my being, pack my house full with as many out-of-state visitors as it will hold, and know that my life-long love affair is finally requited.

I agree on so many levels. I was a student at OU when the Murrah bombing happened and as I stood there staring at the tragic remains and heard all of the national doubters about how the Okies would be able to handle something like this devastation and to see the almost kicking us while we were down mentality. It was almost as if the people from bigger cities wanted to see us continue to crater. All OKC and the Okies did was show the world how to take care of each other and how to get up after getting knocked down. It was at that time that my love for OKC and Oklahoma was absolutely seared in my soul. And, like you said, the absolute meteoric, constant rise has been nothing short of amazing.

I had lived almost my entire life in OKC or within a couple of hours of it. Last November my wife and I moved to South Georgia and it was a definite eye opener for me. Although I had been in OKC witnessing the growth, it's kind of like watching your kids grow. When you see them everyday you don't notice it as much. But, to move away and realize what life is in another place and made even my wife, who never really liked living in OKC, realize how much we gave up when we moved. It's truly driven home to me how much the city has changed and grown.

We're in the middle of planning on a build or purchase of a home here in Georgia, but after that is done we are going to be investing in a property back in OKC that we can use but also Airbnb to offset the cost. And, that was my wife's idea. lol. So, it tells me how far OKC has come when even she is missing what we enjoyed there the last few years.

[kevin lee]

My one concern would be rooms. If we can't get an nba all-star game for a weekend because of "so-called" lack of rooms, how would this look in the eyes of the committee. I know there's a possibility of new hotels before then, but wouldn't people in charge of such a big event want something a little more concrete?

[HOT ROD]

My one concern would be rooms. If we can't get an nba all-star game for a weekend because of "so-called" lack of rooms, how would this look in the eyes of the committee. I know there's a possibility of new hotels before then, but wouldn't people in charge of such a big event want something a little more concrete?

Kevin, TBH; I'm not too interested in the all-star games. It's really just a show off that's best suited for a big city like LA, Chi, or Miami. Not really sure what all-star would bring for OKC. I think SLC might benefit given how their metro is set up, but OKC - I'd rather have the NBA Finals and ChampionshipS than a weekend of 'madness'. That's just me though.