SALT LAKE CITY — Utah political leaders met Tuesday to start planning what the state needs to do over the next ten years ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympics which are expected to be awarded to Salt Lake City.
Fraser Bullock, CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, briefed Governor Spencer Cox, House Speaker Mike Schultz, Senate President J. Stuart Adams and other leaders at the Utah State Capitold.
Infrastructure improvements are needed ahead of 2034, primarily among transportation and transit lines, along with items such as double-tracking UTA FrontRunner and increasing train speeds. That's all on top of Utah's energy and water needs.
There was talk of relying on the volunteer force that helped propel the 2002 Winter Olympics to success when more than 26,000 people volunteered. An idea help the families of athletes with lodging, tickets and other things when they’re in town for the Games was also discussed.
While not official, the International Olympic Committee is expected to official award the Games to Salt Lake City on July 24, moving the date to coincide with Pioneer Day in Utah.
"If they give us a bad decision on Pioneer Day, that would be incredibly cruel," joked Cox. "So we're feeling great about it."
The governor said he sees the Olympics as a way to boost the state overall, even if communities aren’t directly impacted by the Games.
