Olympic-sized opportunity: Gardner Institute says Utah should capitalize on upcoming Games

Utah needs to take advantage of opportunities that will come to the state through its hosting of the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. That’s the conclusion of a new study released by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. 

The report, “Keepers of the Flame: Utah’s Olympic-Sized Opportunity,” examines how Utah can leverage the Games to not only address critical challenges, such as housing costs and traffic congestion, but also solidify the state’s position as a national economic leader.

“The global spotlight of the 2034 Games provides a powerful motivation and deadline for Utah to make strategic investments and pursue innovative solutions to many of our state’s most troubling challenges,” said Natalie Gochnour, director of the Gardner Institute. “By proactively addressing our challenges and building on our strengths, Utah’s Olympic legacy will extend far beyond the Games.”

The Gardner paper suggests that Utah look back to 2002 when Salt Lake City’s being named host city for the Olympics gave impetus to improvements like the expansion and improvement of interstate highways and the expansion of public transportation, including the construction of the TRAX light rail system.

In a previous report, the Gardner Institute estimated that out-of-state visitors will spend more than $650 million while in Utah for the 17 days of the Olympics. In 2002, the Games attracted an average of 70,000 to 80,000 visitors per day. Given Utah’s significant population growth and increased national and international engagement since then, 2034 is expected to bring even larger tourism numbers.

According to published reports, an estimated 3 billion people from more than 200 countries are expected to be watching the Olympics when they open in Salt Lake City on Feb. 10, 2034.

The new Gardner Institute study spotlights both positives and negatives that it suggests should be addressed in light of the Games.

Utah’s achievements — mostly economic in nature — the study tabs the “Magnificent Seven.” Authors say these pluses “have propelled the state to nation-leading prosperity.”

Among the seven is Utah’s economic dynamism and diversity, which has led to nation-leading real GDP growth — reaching 4.5 percent in 2024, significantly outpacing the national average. The report also cites the state’s high household income and low poverty levels. Utah boasts the highest cost-of-living-adjusted household income in the nation, averaging $98,336 in 2023. Simultaneously, it maintains the lowest poverty rate in the country. Utah exhibits one of the most equal distributions of income in the nation, coupled with economic growth and high levels of innovation, the study found.

Utah also stands out for its high rates of upward mobility, offering residents strong opportunities to improve their economic standing compared to the previous generation.

Also cited is the state’s well-trained and educated workforce. Utah ranks among the top states for adults with postsecondary credentials, fueling a rapidly growing and evolving economy. The state also maintains its position as the youngest state in the nation, with population growth that consistently outpaces the national average, “creating a dynamic and innovative environment,” the study said.

Utah also exhibits the highest levels of social capital in the nation, fostering strong community bonds and civic engagement.

“Keepers of the Flame” also addresses Utah’s “Troubling Seven” — “critical challenges that, if unaddressed, could jeopardize the state’s long-term success.”

Among the most troublesome areas for concern, according to Gardner, is Utah’s escalating housing costs and homelessness. From 1991 to 2024, Utah led the nation in housing price growth, making homeownership increasingly unattainable for many residents. The quarterly median sales price in Utah of a single-family home for the second quarter of 2025 ranked 10th-highest in the nation at $525,000. In addition, the number of homeless Utahns in 2025 surged to its highest level ever, increasing 10 percent from the previous year.

Traffic congestion was also listed as a trouble spot. While significant variation occurs in the month-to-month indicators, delays on Utah roads increased on a six-month moving average from 406,087 hours in June 2016 to 661,278 hours in January 2025, a 5.9 percent annual average rate of change. That’s nearly four times faster than Utah’s current rate of population growth.

Education also showed up in the study as an area of concern. For instance, Utah’s third-grade reading proficiency remains below 50 percent, with 46.7 percent of students scoring proficient on the RISE test in 2024. Higher education enrollment rates have also declined, dropping from 65.1 percent in 2021 to 62.4 percent in 2024. Six-year completion rates for the 2018 cohort show Utah at 57.5 percent, ranking 37th among states.

The continuing threats to water security also were in the “troubling” category. Great Salt Lake elevation remains in what the state categorizes as “adverse effects.” The level negatively impacts the ecosystem, mineral production, recreation and human health, the paper said.

Study authors said energy experts warn that Utah may face an energy deficit due to increased power demand and constraints on supply. Electricity generation in Utah hit a 27-year low in 2023 and generation and consumption for the past two years have approximately equaled each other after more than two decades of surplus.

And the study also cited Utah’s ongoing behavioral health crisis. Utah ranks 11th-highest among states in the share of adults with a mental illness, with the share of Utah adults with poor mental health doubling in the past 10 years.

The Gardner report concluded with seven ideas to stimulate a statewide discussion on how Utah can leverage the Olympics to address key challenges and sustain its economic success.

The suggestions, tabbed the “Starting Seven,” include creating a statewide community land trust, prioritizing connected autonomous vehicles, placing reading pros in K-3 classrooms, expanding catalyst centers into Salt Lake City, conserving water, investing in a state energy research fund, and aligning behavioral health efforts with Utah’s strategic plan.

“We’re going to be in the world’s spotlight when the Olympics come and so that gives us a chance to reflect about what that spotlight is going to mean for us at that time, as well as what it means long term,” said Phil Dean, chief economist at the Gardner Institute.

The full “Keepers of the Flame: Utah’s Olympic-Sized Opportunity” report can be accessed through the Gardner Institute website at gardner.utah.edu.