Annual sports and entertainment conference presents Holt with Mayors’ Sports Legacy Award for his leadership in using sports to drive economic growth, build community
Las Vegas, Nevada – Yesterday, U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) President Oklahoma City (OK) Mayor David Holt received USCM’s Mayors’ Sports Legacy Award at SEICon II – the leading conference at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and innovation – for his leadership in using sports to build economic opportunity and community in Oklahoma City. During the conference, Mayor Holt also participated in a keynote panel discussion on the importance of strong public and private sector collaboration in shaping the future of sports and entertainment.
“The sports and entertainment business has grown into a $1.3 trillion industry over the past decades. And just as sports can change a city, a city can also change sports. Mayor Holt has redefined what it means to be a 21st-century city leader,” said Tiffany Sorenson, SEICon Executive Director. “His commitment to using sports as a tool for uniting communities, driving economic growth and inspiring youth is the core mission of SEICon. We cannot think of another public leader more deserving of this award.”
Under Mayor Holt’s leadership, Oklahoma City has emerged as a national leader in civic investment in sports. He negotiated a 30-year agreement to keep the NBA’s Thunder in the city and then secured 71% voter approval for a new publicly-owned arena to finalize the deal. For six years, he worked to bring canoe slalom and softball Olympic events from the Los Angeles 2028 Games to OKC, and in 2024, LA28 announced that the city would host seven of those events. Mayor Holt also secured voter support for a new professional soccer stadium and cut the ribbon on the world’s largest softball stadium, which is now home to the Women’s College World Series in OKC through 2035.
“Mayor Holt has shown extraordinary vision and dedication in harnessing the power of the sports industry to drive the growth and culture of Oklahoma City. This award honors not just a leader, but a true champion for the values that make our cities stronger—teamwork, perseverance, and grit,” said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has a longstanding commitment to supporting the sports industry. The Mayors’ Sports Legacy Award has been created to annually honor those communities and its leaders who deserve special attention. The selection criteria include:
- Long-term sports vision, integrated with the city’s identity and culture;
- Implementation plan that translates that vision into reality with resources, capital, and community and youth engagement;
- Inspirational collaboration between citizens, businesses, government, and social organizations; and
- Longevity and legacy that extends beyond the mayor’s term in office.
Last year, the inaugural Mayors’ Sports Legacy Award was given to the former mayors of Las Vegas— Carolyn and Oscar Goodman.
“Oklahoma City has intentionally leveraged sports to elevate our city, which has led to enormous growth,” said Mayor Holt. “Every time we have invested in sports, we’ve been rewarded. Our investments in arenas have led to an NBA championship and a long-term lease. Our investments in paddle sports and softball have led to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the Women’s College World Series. We have also benefited from our investments in Triple A baseball and soccer. Our city’s growth has been stunning over the last quarter-century, and sports have often been the catalyst. And further, sports have brought us together as a community, as we all saw two weeks ago when half a million residents gathered in the streets to celebrate our first NBA title. I’m certainly a believer in the power of sports, because we have seen it firsthand in OKC.”