SALT LAKE CITY — As the Utah delegation heads to Paris for the final stretch ahead of an expected vote awarding the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City, the final prize is the culmination of more than a decade of preparation.
"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."
At the time, Herbert was announcing the formation of the Utah Olympic Exploratory Committee.
"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 ready to go, but had to wait more than six years until December 14, 2018 when organizers of Utah's Olympic bid received an early Christmas gift, with the United States Olympic Committee selection of Salt Lake City over Denver as the country's preferred choice to host a future games.
"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."
Fifteen months later, the world came to a standstill as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports and changed plans for many, but not for the Salt Lake Organizing committee.
"We did work on our end, we did work on our budget and work on our preparations," said Bullock in 2020.
Utah leaders utilized the time during lockdowns to move full steam ahead with the Winter Olympic bid and mobilize to be ready to present to the International Olympic Committee.
Just a few weeks later, the Salt Lake City Utah Committee for the Games entered into a continuous dialogue with the IOC. In April of 2022, the IOC then traveled to Utah for a technical visit to look at venues 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."
A big procedural hurdle was cleared in February 2023 when the Utah Legislature unanimously passed a bill allowing Cox to sign the Olympic host contract.
Last November, it was announced the IOC would start a targeted dialogue with Salt Lake City as the preferred host 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 all but assured the game's return to Utah. After another IOC visit in April, the Future Host Committee formally recommended Salt Lake City be selected to host the Games in 2034.
"We are extremely grateful for the confidence that they have in us to be able to welcome the world to Utah," said Bullock.
More than a decade later and just one hurdle remains: the full vote of the IOC, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
