SALT LAKE CITY — When the 2034 Winter Olympics make their expected return to northern Utah, they'll have a familiar feel that will have many who attended the 2002 Games experiencing déjà vu.
The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games released the official "proposed venue" list Wednesday for the 2034 event, with nearly all competitions taking place in the same locations as they did over two decades ago. However, the committee did release plans for two new venues for the Games.
The ability for the organizing committee to mostly use the same venues as in 2002 was a major selling point for bringing the Winter Olympics back to Salt Lake City.
"One of the unique aspects of our proposed bid is the strengths of having all of these existing facilities. We don't have to build anything new," said Colin Hilton, the president and CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.
According to the committee, all the venues will be within an hour of the athlete's village on the campus of the University of Utah.
One addition to the venue list is called Block 85 and will hold the Big Air competitions in both skiing and snowboarding on a portable scaffold structure in the lot catty-corner to the Delta Center,
"Our nuance of what we're doing differently is bringing the sport of freestyle and snowboard, big air, to downtown Salt Lake and to do that right at Medals Plaza where we had all the concerts and the medal presentations in '02," said Hilton.
In addition, an Olympic curling and Paralympic wheelchair curling venue will be built at the Salt Palace Convention Center.
Salt Lake City has been named the preferred host for the 2034 Games and is expected to officially be named host ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris later this year.
“Our venue partners represent a modern, sustainable approach to sport,” said Committee President and CEO Fraser Bullock. “They have continued contributing to Utah’s sports legacy with ongoing programs and regular updates. And the ability to bring big air into downtown Salt Lake City will create great memories for athletes and spectators.”
Memories of the previous winter games aren't far from the mind of Derek Parra.
"I had the dream of being in the Olympics from the time I was about 14 or 15 years old in a different sport," said Parra.
Parra grew up an inline skater. In 2002, his Olympic dream as a speed skater took center stage during the Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
"That was my Olympic moment on the stage that night when I [received] my medal," said Parra.
In world record fashion in the 1500m event, Parra took home gold. He also received a silver medal in the 5000m.
More than 20 years later, Parra says the spirit of that Winter Games can still be felt inside the Olympic Oval in Kearns.
"The volunteers are still coming out. We've had volunteers here for 22 years that were here before I started skating and in this building and are still here now," said Parra. "I talk about this community of Olympism here in the State, and that's in every venue — up at the park, up at Soldier Hollow, we have people coming back year after year, still wearing their jackets from 2002, their volunteer jackets."
Parra has remained in Salt Lake and now works with youth programs, serving as the sport director for the Utah Olympic Oval.
"I think that spirit of the Olympics, my experience with the Olympic movement now here in this game, is a perfect match for me and I can't think of a better way to spend my life than in here with the next generation," he said.
Hilton told FOX 13 News on Wednesday that they plan on showing all of these proposed venues to the IOC and IPC when they visit Utah next week.
PROPOSED OLYMPIC COMPETITION VENUES
ALPINE SKIING - Snowbasin, Ogden
BIATHLON - Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
BOBSLED & SKELETON - Utah Olympic Park, Park City
CROSS COUNTRY SKIIING - Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
CURLING - Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City
FIGURE SKATING - Delta Center, Salt Lake City
FREESTYLE SKIING -
- Block 85 (downtown)
- Deer Valley Resort, Park City
- Park City Mountain, Park City
- Utah Olympic Park, Park City
ICE HOCKEY -
- Maverik Center, West Valley City
- Peaks Ice Arena, Provo
LUGE - Utah Olympic Park, Park City
NORDIC COMBINED -
- Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
- Utah Olympic Park, Park City
SNOWBOARDING -
- Block 85 (downtown)
- Park City Mountain, Park City
- Utah Olympic Park, Park City
SPEED SKATING -
- Delta Center, Salt Lake City (short track)
- Utah Olympic Oval, Kearns (long track)
OTHER PROPOSED OLYMPIC VENUES
OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES - Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
OLYMPIC VILLAGE - University of Utah, Salt Lake City
OLYMPIC MEDALS PLAZA - Block 85 (Downtown), Salt Lake City
PARALYMPIC COMPETITION VENUES
PARA ALPINE SKIING - Snowbasin, Ogden
PARA BIATHLON - Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
PARA CROSS COUNTRY SKIING - Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
WHEELCHAIR CURLING - Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City
PARA ICE HOCKEY - Maverik Center, West Valley City
PARA SNOWBOARDING - Utah Olympic Park, Park City
OTHER PROPOSED PARALYMPIC VENUES
OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES - Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
PARALYMPIC VILLAGE - University of Utah, Salt Lake City
PARALYMPIC MEDALS PLAZA - Block 85 (Downtown), Salt Lake City
