Former Senator On 2028 Olympics Events In Oklahoma City

We're still learning just how Oklahoma City landed the honor of becoming a host site for the 2028 summer Olympics.

We know that, as this deal was gaining momentum a few years ago, Casey Wasserman, the head of LA-28, the organizing entity for the games, solicited the help of a DC lobbying firm with a strong Oklahoma connection.

“And he told me, he said, we're looking at Oklahoma City for kayaking,” said Don Nickles, founder and chairman of The Nickles Group. “And I said, Casey, you don't need to look any further.”

The former Oklahoma Senator said he was well aware of Oklahoma City's world-class canoe-kayak facilities. He may not have been the one to put the plan in motion, but he was excited to help move it along.

“I wanted to get rowing. I wanted to get wrestling. We end up getting softball. But I was really advocating for kayaking because that was the first option that was made available,” he said.

After serving four terms in the United States Senate, Nickles retired in 2005 and founded the consulting firm that still bears his name.

His most recent hire is the late Senator Jim Inhofe's longtime chief of staff, Luke Holland, whose own run for the Senate came up short but gave him the chance to work with another legendary Senator.

“So fun to be tied at the hip with a fellow Oklahoman. Who cares deeply about the state, the success of Oklahoma,” said Holland.

Holland says much of the advocacy work they do at the Nickles Group involves the same Oklahoma-centric issues he worked on with Inhofe.

“We're helping companies who are actively working to rebuild the military,” he said. “And we're actively working with companies that are trying to expand oil and gas and energy opportunities.”

And, as it turns out, working with a nonprofit that will put Oklahoma on the world stage.

“It's going to bring attention to us that I don't think in any other venue we can match it. So I'm just really excited about and happy to have played a little part in making it happen,” Nickles said.