Oklahoma City Mayor Says His City Has Looked To Indianapolis As A Role Model

The Mayor of Oklahoma City visited Indianapolis this week to give a keynote speech at an annual conference. A call for livable, vibrant, healthy, sustainable communities was the theme of the conference held by Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities. 

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett opened the event by telling the tale of Oklahoma’s recent growth.  He says in the late 1980s his city lost out on a big airline contract to Indianapolis because executives said Indy was more livable.  Cornett says that caused a paradigm shift.  

"Once we realized we had to invest in ourselves before we could expect anyone from the outside to invest in us, that was a new day," Cornett said.

Cornett, now in his fourth term, says during recent years Oklahoma City has often looked to Indy as a role model.

"I don’t think people in Indianapolis realize how much Oklahoma City has learned from the Indianapolis experience and how we benefitted from some of the successes you’ve experienced," Cornett said.

Under Cornett’s leadership Oklahoma City has enjoyed a period of economic revitalization and a growth in quality of life programs aimed at improving people’s health.