Winter Olympics

Aiming to finalize back-to-back Winter Games hosts next year, the International Olympic Committee executive board has decided to enter exclusive talks with Olympic officials in France and the United States for Salt Lake City.

The International Olympic Committee has cited concerns about the effects of climate change for its plan to pick two Winter Olympic host cities in July. That puts Salt Lake City quickly into play for the 2034 edition.

Bid organizers have touted Salt Lake City, which hosted the Winter Games in 2002, as the most ready and most flexible candidate to host in either 2030 or 2034. Decisions about 2030 are expected to come next year before the Summer Games in Paris.

Great Salt Lake’s exposed lakebed could cause problems as the state strives to host the Olympics.

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute says “Utah’s demographic, social, and environmental factors favorably position the state to host another successful Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.”

The head of the Japanese Olympic Committee says Sapporo may delay its bid for the Winter Olympics, going for 2034 instead of 2030.

Utah is banking on all its 2002 Winter Games venues, but what, if any, improvements are needed for potential use in 2030 or 2034?

Skiers are always looking for speed. So why not add some horsepower?

It’s becoming nearly impossible to find any place, outside of Salt Lake City, that truly wants to host these events. It’s a reality that has been building for decades, and one that even the IOC said could reach a tipping point soon.

With Vancouver, Canada seemingly out of the running, Salt Lake City is competing against Sapporo, Japan for the 2030 Winter Olympics.

If Vancouver bows out, it would leave Salt Lake City and Sapporo, Japan, as the two remaining candidates.

The latest Utah news for Monday morning, April 22, 2022