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Boston's Out — How About Tulsa 2024?

Call it a Vision pitch in reverse.

Neil Mavis doesn’t want money from a sales tax renewal, but he does want support for a Tulsa Olympics bid.

"Bidding for the Olympics, it acts as a catalyst to get civic projects done," Mavis said. "For example, we've been talking for generations to get water in the Arkansas River, and the perfect spot for kayaking for the Olympics would be right in front of the Gathering Place park."

Mavis said between International Olympic Committee payments for broadcast rights and marketing revenue, Tulsa could expect around $1 billion out of hosting the summer games.

He thinks Tulsa is better suited for the games than Atlanta was when it won its bid to host.

"Atlanta had to do it in a 120-mile radius," Mavis said. "For example, they didn't have a whitewater river, so they went up to Tennessee, 108 miles away to the Ocoee River."

No word from city officials on whether they support Mavis’ idea. The 2024 summer games host will be picked in 2017.

Mavis has advocated for a Tulsa Olympics bid for several years.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.