Beijing, then Vancouver, then London: we’re in the middle of this three-Olympiad stretch right now (show of hands: who was actively aware of the fact that the Winter Olympics are but six months away? Liars, all of you). Those are some pretty high-profile cities, arguably the most urbane in their country and certainly the type of city where you want to send people from all different nations.
(”Tulsa is for lovers.”)
Less desirable as a destination, however, would be Tulsa. The metropolitan area, which is A) the 55th biggest in the United States and B) right smack dab in the middle of the Southern Plains, where animals go to die, is putting forth a proposal to host the Olympics in 2020. Because why settle for Buenos Aires when you can have Tulsa?
The TULSA WORLD has the story of the, ahem, “ambitious” committee:
“A lot of you are probably thinking what I thought the first time I heard this, ‘Tulsa? Olympics? Are you out of your mind?’?” said committee member Michael Jones, an attorney.
“That’s exactly what everyone said about Atlanta when they started proposing the same thing,” he said.
The committee said it would raise private funds to conduct a campaign — Atlanta spent about $7 million 20 years ago — but it would need the mayor and council’s approval to apply to be a host city.
Such a campaign would focus on the Tulsa area’s American Indian heritage and the fact that the state has produced numerous Olympians, from Jim Thorpe to Shannon Miller, and many more.
Of course, Chicago is a favorite to host the 2016 Olympics, and if that goes through then Tulsa might as well not bother even applying - putting two Olympiads in the same country within four years just isn’t the way the IOC does things.
There is a larger issue of, well, why? $7 million is pennies compared to the cost of infrastructure necessary to host an Olympics (and wait a second, what in the hell does a campaign need $7 million for? How many millions of packets do they need Kinko’s to make, anyway?). Worse yet, when the Olympics are gone, if Beijing is any indication, so do the benefits of hosting them:
A year after the Beijing Olympics, reminders of the Games’ physical impact are visible throughout the capital, but so are signs of the many ways in which the event could not change China.
“Apart from infrastructure, some of which is already showing exceptional wear, the legacy of these Games is that there is no legacy,” said Russell Leigh Moses, a Beijing-based scholar on contemporary China.
“The Olympics were a delightful event with no direct, meaningful impact on altering the way China is run or where it might be heading.”
Granted, it’s not like we’re all waiting angrily for Tulsa to release its political prisoners or anything - Oklahoma has many things, but fortunately, a Communist ruling party is not one of them - but considering the unholy amount of money needed to construct that Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, one that now stands empty and in disrepair after maintenance proved too costly, the benefits of hosting the Olympics may be quickly outweighed by the initial and permanent costs.
Plus there’s no telling what kind of STDs the athletes might unleash on your helpless population. You go forward at your own peril, Tulsa.
2:04 pm on August 5th, 2009
i had to spend 2 weeks in tulsa for work. No way could it handle it, much more of a small town than metropolis. Only stadiums are in the university of tulsa, not exactly top of the line.
And a tornado hit the suburbs while i was there, a chucky cheese turned into utter ruins. Summer Olympics are right in the middle of tornado season. I don’t think Olympic organizers are fans of their athletes having to run for the fraidy hole in the middle of the pole vault.
So to summarize - Tulsa = dump.
2:23 pm on August 5th, 2009
I live in Tulsa and agree…It sux here!
2:37 pm on August 5th, 2009
Just another BLOGGER spreading LIES from his mom’s BASEMENT.
Oklahoma does NOT, in fact, have many things.
3:50 pm on August 5th, 2009
Could be some tough competition for Birmingham, AL.
http://www.nysun.com/sports/the-birmingham-games-long-shot-city-makes-bid/81115/
4:05 pm on August 5th, 2009
Oh my god, we shouldn’t even joke about putting
the olympics in Oklahoma!!! Those imbreds have no idea what real sports are and would spend all their time just making fun of all the real athletes.
8:22 am on August 6th, 2009
it would rule if the got it, specially after the first athlete is shot by locals because he looks like that guy who blew up the twin towers, Al Keada.
11:32 am on August 6th, 2009
Ok. So, I get it. Tulsa is probably not the prime spot for the Olympics. If anyone asked the locals, we wouldn’t want it here quite frankly. Tulsa is a low-crime, lovely oasis without all the trash, crime, and nasty politics (and extreme liberals) the rest of the world encounters. Usually those who say they don’t like it–aren’t looking for the same type of family values and community spirit that exists in Tulsa. That’s ok. Again–you wouldn’ t belong here anyway. To be blunt–I wouldn’t want you to stay. I’m a seasoned traveller, who has been all over the world from China to Belize, but what we have in Tulsa is something I would wish the rest of the world could understand–but the fact that you don’t is precisely why I prefer we keep the midwest’s best kept secret to ourselves. I applaud the ambition of the committee, as they have passion, dreams that are bigger than they are…and a community who will love and support them for trying. It’s a novel idea.
12:11 pm on August 6th, 2009
Hey Teresa,
Did you start crying and singing “I’m proud to be an American” after you wrote your response? The point of hosting the Olympics is to have them in an urbane and cosmopolitan city or one that reflects the culture of a country specially well. All Tulsa is Mega Churches, Malls, Tornado Alley and Miracle Wip Sandwiches. Nobody but people from Tulsa think Tulsa is a great place to live. Just by mentioning extreme liberalism and how it’s not present in Tulsa usually means “we don’t like foreigners.” Do you really want Tulsa to host a world event? Tulsa is one of those places where people stop you on the street and ask you if you know that Obama is a secret Arab that wasn’t born in the US. It be a great place to show how ignorant are the people in this country who use terms like “Extreme Liberals”, but that’s about it.
4:38 pm on August 6th, 2009
Hey cook. Nice post. What a small mind you must have to think that extreme liberalism has anything to do with nationality or foreigners. Tulsa is a friendly community with open arms for people of all nationalities. I don’t even think in terms of race–so, that thought only crossed your mind. Extreme liberalism is about the east and west coast of this country not being representative of the wonderful states and people in the middle of the country, who have family values. I love NYC…but I love the rest of NY more. Drive to Gloversville sometime and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Kind people in line at the ice cream stand with their kids. It’s true America at it’s best. My comment was to say that the extreme liberal agendas of many wouldn’t fit here–and we’re ok with that. We like it that way. Again–you mock what you do not understand because you wouldn’t know how to survive in a cordial community of nice people who do nice things for each other–say hi, wave when someone lets you over in traffic, etc. I love the mega churches, small churches and living in a place where people still strive for morals and serving God. America is MUCH more heartland than liberalism–and it’s what has made our country so great. In fact, more people would think more highly of our country if they knew more people like the ones that live in Tulsa. We would actually make some of the kindest hosts ever for the event. The impact might be greater on world politics than you would think. I was in Beijing just prior to the Olympics–and I’ll say without reservation that I met the kindest, warmest, most open Chinese people who were so much more representative of who their country really is and what it stands for than what we hear about in the metropolitan world. I have friends from India who moved to the east coast and wish they could move back to Tulsa–because of the people–large Indian population here. It’s fine if you continue to think Tulsa is not a great place to live–based on your comments–you wouldn’t fit well here anyway. You actually opened your mouth and made my point for me. Thanks!!! (BTW–that’s Miracle Whip to you).
10:14 pm on October 18th, 2009
I think Tulsa would be great for the Olympics. To the stadium issue, we could outsource like Atlanta did in ‘96 to all the colleges around, such as OU, OSU, TU, ORU, NSU, RSU, University of Arkansas, NEO, and others. Plus, with the Ford Center in OKC, and the BOK Center in the middle of Tulsa, I don’t think space will be a problem.
cook, I don’t know what your problem is against Tulsa, but you can shut it. You clearly don’t know the first thing about the town, especially if you think Tulsans and Oklahomans are racist. We might have some birthers here, but no more than anywhere else in the nation.
And on top of everything, its al-Queda. You just can’t get anything right..