Mayor Holt Says State Of OKC Is 'Determined' In Annual Address

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt addressed a packed convention center Tuesday afternoon for his 6th annual State of The City address.

The mayor told the Chamber of Commerce crowd that the city just can't stop winning, saying the state of our city is “determined.” The theme of the speech was, “All OKC does is win.”

From Olympic hosting announcements to billion-dollar arena votes and blockbuster films, the mayor said it’s been a busy past year of winning for Oklahoma City.

“What you’re experiencing right now as a resident of Oklahoma City is not typical,” Holt told the crowd. “This is not what it is like to live in every city, you’re living in a special place at a unique time.”

The mayor called the voter-approved nearly billion-dollar Thunder arena the biggest win over the past year.

“We are on a roll, but this took it to another level,” Holt said, adding plans are still on track for a summer 2028 opening, nearly a year earlier than first expected.

The mayor urged voters to pass an increase next month to the city’s hotel tax which helps fund marketing the city and major events.

“You don’t pay this tax,” Holt said. “We tax visitors, and we use their taxes to attract more visitors”.

Holt outlined scores of MAPS4 projects set to come online in the near future, a record-setting 40 major concerts at the Paycom Arena in 2024, and the nearing completion of a customs terminal at the airport for international flights.

He cited a city survey that found 71 percent of residents believe Oklahoma City is headed in the right direction.

“There’s not a city in America more mission-focused, more united, more dynamic, and more relentlessly focused on improvement,” Holt said. “Sometimes incremental, sometimes dramatic, but always improving.”

Click here to watch the mayor’s 2024 State of the City address.