Tulsa to put in bid to host future Olympic Games

TULSA - Members with the Tulsa Olympics Exploratory Committee are gearing up to put a bid in to host the Olympics in about 10 years.

Michael Jones with the Committee says with the help of surrounding communities Green Country has as good a chance just like any other big city.

“The research proved that we could do it,” he said. “We’d have to use the regional model that Atlanta utilized as opposed to this centralized model that London is utilizing. ”

The committee began their work about 3 years ago, and will put in a bid when U.S. Olympic officials give them the go. If they are accepted the committee can then begin to organize the facilities, dorms and venues for the games. Jones says the community should begin to rebuild infrastructure that would make them more qualified to host the Olympics.

“We can build the infrastructure that we need now in order to make the bid later,” Jones said. “That what’s we are looking for people to be forward thinking. ”

Committee member Neil Mavis thinks the Native American theme will make Oklahoma a strong contender for becoming a host city.  

“We want to have the Olympic torch come in through the Trail of Tears,” Mavis said. “Twenty-six states are named after Native American words or tribes. So it’s not just the Tulsa Olympics or Oklahoma Olympics it’s a Native American Olympics. ”

The Committee expects to place its bid in 2015.