Sunday, January 24th 2016, 9:27 pm
The Sooner Nationals BMX competition wrapped up this weekend, but if the city's Vision proposal is approved by voters, the BMX world would center itself right here in Tulsa.
"I've been racing BMX since I was 3 years old,” 21-year-old Kenneth Gustafson said.
Gustafson lives in Green Country and is currently training for the Olympics.
He travels all across the country, but that could change if BMX makes its home here in Tulsa.
“Having access to something like that would help, you know, just the entire state become just that much better at BMX,” Gustafson said. "It would definitely put Tulsa on the map for sure."
And that's what Tulsa Sports Commission President Ray Hoyt is hoping for.
“It really checks the boxes off for Vision because it's economic impact, it's a sport, it brings 55 to 70 jobs to Tulsa that we didn't have before, it generates sales tax revenue, all new sales tax revenue that wouldn't otherwise be here," Hoyt said.
If the Vision proposal is approved in the spring, the BMX headquarters would move from Phoenix, Arizona to 15th and Yale in Tulsa.
The plan would also include building an indoor BMX track in town.
“It would be the only one in North America," Hoyt said.
And it will host regular events like the show in Tulsa now, which will bring in riders from states all over the U.S.
As for local pros like Gustafson, it would mean less travel and more opportunities to go for the gold.
“2016 is a long shot but 2020 is definitely my big, big goal,” he said.
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