Mayor Nichols discusses PGA return, public safety and community outreach

Tulsa will again take center stage in the sports world as Southern Hills Country Club prepares to host the PGA Championship in 2032. This marks a record-setting sixth time the storied course has welcomed the major tournament, more than any other venue in PGA history.

“We're turning to the center of the golf world six times, more than any other city,” Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said. “The PGA tournament has not been played anywhere more than it’s been played at Southern Hills.”

The announcement was made at a news conference where city leaders celebrated the selection as a major win for Tulsa’s economy and global visibility.

“If you remember 2022, one of the most exciting ones, a record comeback for Justin Thomas,” Nichols said. “Tulsa knows how to put on the PGA, and we're excited to have them back in 2032.”

Preparation Underway To Host Global Visitors

Hosting the PGA Championship is no small feat. Nichols said preparations will include upgrades at Southern Hills and city-wide readiness efforts to accommodate the expected influx of visitors.

“Southern Hills [is] investing back into the course,” Nichols said. “We're gonna welcome people from not just across the country, but from around the world. So, making sure we're prepared for that is a significant undertaking, but we've done it before.”

Nichols emphasized Tulsa’s proven track record with five prior PGA Championships and noted the rare status the city now holds in golf history.

“The PGA tournament's been played since 1916 (and) no city, no course has hosted more times than Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” he said.

Economic And Media Impact On Tulsa

Beyond prestige, the event brings significant economic and promotional value to the city. Nichols pointed to the wide media coverage from the 2022 tournament as an example.

“The 2022 tournament, 144 hours of time on TV between streaming and TV,” he said. “ESPN, CBS, the Golf Channel — and every time they come in and out of commercial, what do they show? Downtown, Southern Hills. Shops around the city.”

Nichols estimated the media exposure equated to “like $1.2 billion in advertising value.”

“We see it as welcoming the rest of the world to Tulsa,” he added. “Whether you are in Tulsa or not, folks are going to discover us again for the first time, and it will be a global impact.”

Community Conversations Continue Across Tulsa

While celebrating the PGA announcement, Nichols also highlighted the city’s ongoing community outreach efforts. A series of public meetings allows residents to voice concerns and receive help directly from city officials.

“Folks are coming with issues and they're leaving with solutions,” Nichols said. “We've heard things about road construction, public safety, code enforcement, permitting — you're able to talk directly to the folks leading those departments.”

He said the design of the meetings allows the city to address a wide range of topics on the spot.

“I think we've heard from folks that that's been a really effective way for us to work with community to get things done.”

A Midtown community meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15 at Founders Hall at OU-Tulsa. Nichols said more meetings are planned and will likely continue after an evaluation phase.

“We all have to work together to make this the best city in the country and that’s what we’re gonna focus on doing,” Nichols said.

Addressing Safety And Community Accountability

Nichols also addressed public safety following a recent downtown shooting that raised concerns.

“Critically important,” Nichols said. “Of all the things that we do, making sure that people can be safe no matter where they are in Tulsa is job number one.”

He said police quickly responded and began investigating what he described as “a limited interaction between a couple of different folks that led to a huge blow.”

Despite the incident, Nichols praised the community’s resilience.

“The next weekend, we do like we do in Tulsa, we bounced back,” he said. “We had one of the largest Mayfest events in our city's history, completely safe.”

Nichols emphasized the importance of early intervention and collaboration to prevent violence.

“We all have to work together,” he said. “If we understand what's going on in the lives of these young folks and what families need… we don't get to a point where a kid thinks that they can settle a disagreement with gunfire. We've got to get past that and it starts in communities. It starts in neighborhoods.”