This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — Looking to cash in on the momentum of Salt Lake City being selected as the U.S. bid city for future Winter Games, backers of the state's Olympic effort plan to ask the Utah Legislature for $15 million.

The money would run through the Utah Sports Commission to bring in national and international competitions — both winter and summer sports — to show the state is capable of hosting large events over the next decade.

"This is a good time to do it because there is a lot of one-time money," former Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser told the Salt Lake Olympic and Paralympic Exploratory Committee on Tuesday. Niederhauser and Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski head the Salt Lake Executive Committee for the Games.

The state ended 2018 with a $265 million surplus, including $158 million in one-time money.

Utah lawmakers showed overwhelming support for hosting another Winter Games during a U.S. Olympic Committee tour of the state's venues last month. The state has already committed $40 million over 10 years to upgrade winter sports facilities.

The state has held more than 800 winter competitions since the 2002 Games, including 53 last year. Another 44 are on tap this year.

One of those showcase events starts this weekend when Utah hosts the FIS World Championships, with skiing and snowboarding contests at Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort and Solitude.

Jeff Robbins, Utah Sports Commission president and CEO, said the event is the second- or third-largest winter sports competition next to the Olympics. Some 1,800 athletes and officials participate and attract 270 million television viewers worldwide.

"We're continuing to have an international audience around the world," he said.

Biskupski said the event would also allow local officials to talk to members of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee about the next steps for Salt Lake City.

Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Games, and there's a "significant chance" Salt Lake City could bid for the 2030 Winter Games, leaving a short time frame to secure sponsors, said Fraser Bullock, chief operating officer for the 2002 Games and a leader of Utah's effort to land another Winter Games. Officials intend to fund a Salt Lake Olympics with private money.

Related story:

What would the 2030 Olympics cost Utah taxpayers? Nothing, organizers say Organizers of Salt Lake City’s bid to host the 2030 winter games say Utah can host the Olympics at zero cost to state and local taxpayers.

The committee is drafting a plan on how to work with Los Angeles in the event of pursuing a bid for 2030.

"We're excited to support them in every way possible. They're America's choice as well," Bullock. "Everything we do needs to focus on how do we enable them to be successful as well in our Games."

Bullock said sponsorship dollars are finite, and Salt Lake City needs to collaborate with Los Angeles to expand the opportunity to bring that money to benefit both cities.

"We're going to do that under the direction of the U.S. Olympic Committee. This is not something we'll do on our own," he said.

In addition to the budget side, Bullock said the city could combine with Los Angeles on operations, such as working together to secure visas for athletes.

Games backers also want to build excitement in the community over the possibility of hosting another Olympics.

Biskupski said officials are looking at creating a pin and a banner touting Salt Lake City as the Winter Games bid city. There's also talk of organizing a reunion for 2002 volunteers. An Olympics celebration is planned for June.

Correction: An earlier version incorrectly reported Los Angeles will host the Summer Games in 2026. The city will host the Olympics in 2028.

×

Related Stories