John Rogers
Utah leaders are partying like its 2002.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board, meeting in Paris, announced Salt Lake City as the “preferred host” for the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The announcement said the IOC will now enter into “targeted dialogue” with the U.S. Olympic Committee, fleshing out plans and state support for a bid that would bring the games to Salt Lake City.
“What this means is we’re just one step away from bringing the Winter Games back to Salt Lake City,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “We’re prepared for this deep dive and I believe we can carry out another successful set of games that unify our global community and do so with greater sustainability.”
The U.S. Olympic Committee selected Salt Lake City as its nominee to the IOC to host a future winter Olympic competition in 2018, thinking then that it might be in 2030. But in its recent announcement, the IOC slotted France into the 2030 host position and Salt Lake City as likely host for 2034. The decision to move Salt Lake City to 2034 was likely made to avoid having another U.S. host city so close to the 2028 Summer Games scheduled for Los Angeles.
In October, the IOC ratified its decision to award the 2030 and 2034 Olympics at the same time in advance of the start of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games in Paris. The international body will issue formal bids in July for the 2030 and 2034 Winter Games.
The IOC release following its late November meeting in Paris said, “The IOC Executive Board today invited the French National Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee into targeted dialogues toward hosting the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in the French Alps and the 2034 edition in Salt Lake City-Utah.”
A host of stakeholders met at the Salt Lake City and County Building to watch the broadcast of the IOC’s announcement. Among those in attendance were Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of Salt Lake City Committee for the Games, Gov. Spencer Cox; Mendenhall; Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson; state representatives and senators Salt Lake City Council members; as well as other leaders, mayors and elected officials from across the Wasatch Front.
Salt Lake City officials then hosted a public celebration of the IOC’s decision on Dec. 1 in Cauldron Plaza at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah. The cauldron that was moved to the stadium following the 2002 games was lighted as part of the celebration.
“The decision of the IOC to invite Salt Lake City-Utah into targeted dialogue as the preferred host for 2034 is a credit to our communities working together to create a welcoming region for sport across our state,” said Bullock. “For more than a decade, our state and community leaders have united toward this goal. The IOC has recognized our high level of preparedness, with all venues in place and active, as well as overwhelming support from our political and business leaders.”
The IOC decision came one week after Mendenhall, Cox and others from the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games made a final bid presentation to the Future Host Commission on Nov. 21. The IOC Executive Board’s decision to enter targeted dialogue is based on recommendations from the Future Host Commission.
At the IOC press conference, Karl Stoss, chair of the Future Host Commission, praised Salt Lake City’s vision for the games and he pointed to its existing infrastructure from the 2002 Winter Games as a positive. He said additional positives include Utah’s previous experience in hosting such a major event, exceptional public support and a “very complex” master plan with no capital investment.
Being invited into targeted discussions does not necessarily guarantee the games will be coming to Salt Lake City as there is still plenty of work to be done, the Utah Salt Lake City-Utah Olympic Committee said. The committee will continue to work with the Future Host Commission to iron out the fine details and secure the final guarantees. The IOC will also be visiting Salt Lake City as part of the final decision process, which likely will start in April.
Stoss said the final decision for whether or not Salt Lake City will host the 2034 games will not be made for another six months. However, he said things look good for Utah’s capital. Salt Lake City is the only city the IOC is speaking with to host the 2034 games.
Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi also complimented Salt Lake City on its commitment to the games and what it has already secured to make hosting the games a reality.
“During the [Future Host] commission [meeting], the governor and mayor were present even though it was election day, so that was quite stunning for her to stay with the commission,” said Dubi. “They have brought all the guarantees needed already at this point in time, so it is extremely strong.”
“We already had a very strong support from the municipality, from the state of Utah and also from the national government, including Pres. Biden,” added Stoss. “[Biden] would guarantee for all the expenses, and they stand really in a strong, strong status behind these games and this bid. They are looking forward to supporting it in each way they can do it.”
The invitation to targeted discussions has been more than a decade in the making, according to the Salt Lake City-UT Committee. Cox said those who laid the groundwork for the 2002 Winter Games in Utah are largely responsible for the state’s frontrunner status. On top of that, the public’s support for the venture has also been key, and it’s Utah’s biggest strength.
“It was the overwhelming support of Utahns that made this happen,” said Cox. “That’s what’s so unique — to have over 80 percent of the state very supportive, excited. We can’t get 80 percent of people to agree on whether the sky is blue, right? But this is the thing that we can agree on.”