State commission looks at hosting Olympics as a 'marker' for economic growth & prosperity planning
Brice Wallace
Business Journal
Some Utahns are looking forward to seeing the state host the 2034 Winter Olympic Games. A state commission is considering a vision of what the state should be in the years before and after that event.
During a recent brainstorming session, members of the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission tossed out ideas that would either capitalize on Utah’s strengths or avoid some trouble spots from worsening.
Prefacing the discussion, Gov. Spencer Cox, the commission’s co-chair, said hosting the Olympics a decade from now would provide a “marker” that would give the state “something to look forward to and something to plan towards.” The International Olympic Committee’s vote on the 2034 Olympics location will take place next month, with Utah expected to land those Games.
“We obviously want to maintain our quality of life, while focusing on economic growth and prosperity — I think that goes without saying,” Cox said. “But there are opportunities to, as we get more strategic, where are we going to invest, how are we going to invest, and where will we get the best return for our investment?”
On the “improve Utah” side, commission member Jonathan Freedman, president and CEO of World Trade Center Utah, said the Olympics could serve as a chance to boost corporate recruitment.
“We have no Fortune 500 companies in our state, but in 2034, they’re all going to come to our state for the Olympics, right?” Freedman said. “And I just think that this highlights such an opportunity to go after those that will be coming here anyway.”
On the “avoid more trouble” side, Box Elder County Commissioner Lee Perry said the state will need to focus on housing, including affordable housing.
“We’re already dealing with a housing issue, and we do not want the 2034 Olympics to create a worse housing issue,” Perry said. “I think we’ll be building things that might benefit housing after 2034, but we need to make sure that we don’t end up with people buying property and houses and locking them down in hopes of making a whole bunch of money in 2034, which are to the detriment of our children and the people who are coming to our state.”
“Opportunity” was a brainstorming buzzword. Ryan Starks, commission co-chair and executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, pushed for Utah to become a leader in vertiports, or locations for moving people and goods via electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.
“As we think about drone technology, that is the future. It’s knocking on our door,” Starks said, adding that Los Angeles is trying to position itself as vertiport-ready for its 2030 Olympic Summer Games.
“I think by 2034, Utah can really stake its claim as a vertiport, kind of drone delivery hub of the United States, and what better way to kick it off than during the Olympics?” he asked.
Starks also suggested having a Trax connection between the Daybreak development and the Point of the Mountain development, and in addressing quality of life, pushing for the addition of four state parks, giving the state 50, providing “more space for visitors to occupy.”
Several commission members spoke about transportation infrastructure improvements and their possible impacts.
“Having the Olympics come in 2002 was a catalyst that really helped us launch our public transit system to a whole new level here in Utah, and we have a great system,” said South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey.
Improvements are needed because Olympics visitors will be staying throughout the Wasatch Front area, she said, and those enhancements will benefit Utahns long after the Games.
Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, pushed for a goal of zero fatalities on Utah roadways, a robust transit system and double-tracking of the FrontRunner commuter rail system. They are among decisions that will help the state do “big things” the next 10, 20 and 50 years from now, he said.
Commissioners also stressed a need to diversify Utah’s workforce, and Freeman said the state should address its tech labor shortage by outsourcing labor “where appropriate,” mentioning back-office IT support and software engineering. “I think that’s happening to an extent, but certainly we have the ability to expand that,” he said.
Another economic idea is to implement a smooth transition to clean energy sources.
Among the suggestions that were not directly tied to the economy, commissioners proposed:
- Having an opportunity for more Utahns to experience the Olympics, especially children.
- Promoting volunteerism.
- Having a good experience for families of athletes competing in the Olympics, including housing them in a family village.
- Investing strategically in, and creating a national model for, higher education.
- Using technology in a productive way.
- Conserving water, replacing aging infrastructure and studying water pricing.
- Using the Olympics as a springboard for improving children’s physical and mental health.