While maintaining that nothing is official and there is still wiggle room, the latest step in Salt Lake City’s march to being formally awarded the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games started Wednesday with the start of a three-day tour by the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission.
The Future Host Commission invited Salt Lake to targeted dialogue for 2034 in late November. After this week’s visit, the IOC Executive Board is expected to put Salt Lake City forward for election during its meeting June 12–14 ahead of the official announcement in Paris.
The Future Host Commission toured Rice-Eccles Stadium before a transfer on Salt Lake City’s light rail system to the Delta Center. Visitors plan to attend a community forum on Thursday morning before seeing Utah Olympic Park, Park City Mountain and Soldier Hollow before touring Snowbasin in Ogden and the Olympic oval on Friday.
“It feels like home,” Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi said Wednesday.
The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games officially submitted its bid to host the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in late February to the International Olympic Committee with an eye toward being officially announced as the host for a future Games on July 24 on Pioneer Day, the state’s official holiday, during the IOC Session in Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games.
“The enthusiasm that I’ve felt from all of your staff is energizing,” said Colin Grahamslaw, a member of the FHC and secretary general of the World Curling Federation. “We need to change our thinking of legacy from being buildings to people and sport. (And) the opportunities for youth are something the international federations want to work with you.”
SLC-Utah members emphasized the public support that currently is over 80 percent and 100 percent political support. All potential venues are under contract with a budget plan to break even with a legacy contribution to sport included.
“Who we are today is certainly different than who we were in 2002,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall told the Future Host Commission. “But there is so much of the 2002 legacy that is baked into the DNA of who we are as Salt Lakers and Utahns.”
