USA BMX finds new Tulsa home
TULSA, OK -- Mayor G.T. Bynum announced today that the City of Tulsa and USA BMX have identified Evans Fintube as the preferred site for USA BMX’s national arena and headquarters.
“We are bringing an Olympic sport and its national audience to the Greenwood District,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “Much as the BOK Center was a public project that spurred private investment in downtown, we believe this partnership with USA BMX is the first step in drawing significant private investment to this area of North Tulsa.”
USA BMX had previously planned to put its headquarters in Expo Square, but that deal became untenable due to a conflict over concessions and corporate sponsors. Expo Square requires only Coca-Cola prod- ucts to be sold, but BMX wanted more flexibility for its events.
Over the course of the past three weeks, the City of Tulsa worked diligently with USA BMX and local and state economic development professionals to secure a prime Tulsa location for the arena and headquarters.
“After carefully considering each location we have decided the Evans Fintube site is our preferred site and will be the best option for our organization and the Tulsa community,” B.A. Anderson, CEO of USA BMX said.
Mayor Bynum said the new site location will allow for economic growth north of downtown and in the historic Greenwood district. “Once our due diligence is complete, I intend to begin working immediately with Councilor Hall-Harper and North Tulsa leaders to ensure this project serves as a catalyst for the kind of community development many have worked toward for years.”
Tulsans approved the sales tax renewal package, Vision Tulsa, last year, which set the stage to make Tulsa the world headquarters for an Olympic sport: BMX racing. With a $15 million investment from Vision Tulsa, the city is expected to see more than 100,000 visitors attending more than 100 local, state, and national events in the first five years – including the Olympic trials in 2020. The BMX events are expected to help generate nearly $11 million in economic impact for the city of Tulsa over the five-year time span.
“We are so happy to celebrate USA BMX’s journey to their new home in Tulsa,” Vince Trinidad, Tulsa Sports Commission Executive Director said. “The preferred Evans Fintube industrial site provides a wonderful backdrop of downtown Tulsa and the USA BMX HQ will be a crown jewel of our great city for generations to come.”
Evans-Fintube was built in 1911 and covers approximately 22.3 acres along the 100 block of North Lansing. The Evans building was formerly a steel manufacturing facility that contained a foundry and was once the largest manufacturing facility in Tulsa. Evans Fintube lies just north of downtown Tulsa separated only by I-244. The site is in close proximity to Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District, OSU-Tulsa, ONEOK baseball field and the Brady Arts District.