Utah’s comeback to the Olympics faced heavy odds and a long path

Salt Lake City, Utah – The ultimate reward is the result of more than ten years of work, and the Utah delegation is headed to Paris for the last push ahead of an anticipated vote that will decide Salt Lake City will host the 2034 Winter Games.

“We don’t take this lightly,” said former Gov. Gary Herbert in February 2012. “We know how much of a significant effort that went into hosting the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.”

Herbert was announcing the Utah Olympic Exploratory Committee’s establishment at the time.

“We have great people here in Utah. We had great success before, so why not do it again?” asked Fraser Bullock, the current President and CEO of the SLC-UT bid committee.

Utah was prepared, but it took more than six years until December 14, 2018, when the United States Olympic Committee chose Salt Lake City over Denver to host the nation’s next Olympic Games, giving Utah’s Olympic bid organizers an early Christmas present.

“The 2002 Winter Olympics were the best Olympics in history of the Olympic movement,” Herbert proclaimed on that day. “The only way they can be better is if Utah does it again.”

After fifteen months, the COVID-19 epidemic brought an end to sports and altered plans for numerous people, but the Salt Lake Organizing Committee remained unaffected.

“We did work on our end, we did work on our budget and work on our preparations,” said Bullock in 2020.

Leaders in Utah made the most of the lockdown period to intensify their efforts towards securing a Winter Olympic bid and to prepare for their presentation to the International Olympic Committee.

A few weeks later, the IOC and the Salt Lake City Utah Committee for the Games started a constant communication. The IOC then made a technical visit to Utah in April 2022 to examine locations from Snowbasin to Provo.

“This is the most compact Games that can be held anywhere,” proclaimed Gov. Spencer Cox after meeting with the IOC’s Future Host Committee. “They love that.”

The Utah Legislature unanimously approved a law in February 2023 that authorized Cox to sign the Olympic host contract, removing a significant procedural obstacle.

It was declared in November of last year that the IOC would begin a focused conversation with Salt Lake City, the preferred host city for the 2034 Games.

“The world’s coming back to Utah and we’re going to put on an amazing party,” said Cox that day.

That announcement virtually guaranteed Utah will host the game again. The Future Host Committee formally recommended Salt Lake City be chosen to host the Games in 2034 following another IOC visit in April.

“We are extremely grateful for the confidence that they have in us to be able to welcome the world to Utah,” said Bullock.

There is only one more obstacle to overcome after more than ten years: the IOC’s complete vote, which is set for this Wednesday.