Tulsa hype grows from LA 2028 games in OKC

TULSA, Okla — If you’ve watched KJRH lately, chances are you also watched some of the Paris Olympics on NBC.

Green Country has nearly always had a stake in the Olympics, starting way back with Sac and Fox Nation’s Jim Thorpe in Stockholm 1912. Most recently, Tulsa native Kenny Bednarek won silver for Team USA in track & field in Paris.
After more than 125 years of the games, the Olympics is likely to come to the Sooner state.

“For the past six years we have been working closely with leaders from LA 2028 and the City of Los Angeles to develop a plan,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt told NBC affiliate KFOR Aug. 8.

Holt recently spent time in Paris with officials from the current Olympics and the next one. He said it’s only a matter of time before the LA City Council approves delegating two sports to Oklahoma City.

“That’s gonna be really cool. I mean just having it, it’s gonna be very prestigious for the city and the state as well,” Andrew Stepp said Sunday in Tulsa.

Canoe slalom events are slated to make a splash with thousands at Riversport OKC.

“It’s a really cool opportunity and good for us to spread the word about how great Oklahoma is,” Maddie Brown said.

The other pitch to mark on the calendar: the return of Olympic softball. OKC’s Devon Park could transform from the Women’s College World Series home to the international softball capital.

That’s a home run for Tulsan Grant Stern.

“I mean if slalom was there too, I’d check it out as well, honestly. But yeah, definitely softball. I’m probably going to be there,” Stern said.

Fellow lifelong sports fans from Tulsa like Stepp can’t wait.

“It’s awesome to see the development for the state,” Stepp said. “More people, more to do, bigger names, bigger events, all that type of stuff coming to us.”

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