2034 Olympics Steering Committee discusses ongoing projects, hopes for Utah’s legacy

Related Video: Medal Designs for the 2026 Winter Olympics

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — In a quarterly meeting, the 2034 Steering Committee provided new information on recent projects.

The 2034 Steering Committee is an organizing committee tasked with figuring out details for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games, which are scheduled to take place in Salt Lake City. As part of their job, the committee will consider lodging for athletes, assist with media coverage and arranging venues, and solve transportation issues.

Salt Lake City will be the 11th city to have the opportunity to host the Olympics for a second time. Since 2002, when the Olympics first came to Salt Lake City, Olympic events have reportedly grown by 40%.

In 2002, 15 venues were built or used for the Olympics. Fortunately, many of those have been maintained and can be reused in the 2034 Olympics.

Additionally, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) carried approximately 4 million people in 17 days during the 2002 Olympics. In the decades since, UTA has expanded its transit lines to be able to accommodate 2034 transportation needs.

The quarterly meeting also discussed the addition of new members to the committee and collaboration with winter sport governing bodies.

They appointed Lisa Eccles as the Vice-chair of the Impact and Legacy Committee. Additionally, several other members, including former Olympians, joined the Steering Committee and its sub-committees.

Community Engagement

The Steering Committee is working to support and bring the community into the process of preparing for the Olympics. They have met and will continue to meet with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and other local mayors to discuss how to bring the Olympics successfully to Utah’s community.

Mayor Mendenhall, who is on the Host Community subcommittee, emphasized the excitement of Salt Lake City public officials as they prepare for the Olympics.

“I’m so honored to be a part of this. Thank you for coming together,” Mendenhall said, adding, “I want to say, in this time, in this country right now, I want us to feel this right now. In this windowless conference room, there is so much love, so much hope.”

David Huntsman, CEO of the Huntsman Family Foundation, which is helping host the 2034 Olympics, also spoke and discussed the support Olympic athletes need and the importance of implementing support for mental health for athletes.

“I saw a real commitment to supporting athletes, as a whole and as individuals, from every level of the Olympic committee,” David said, while adding that he hopes the Olympic Committee will take the time to implement further support for officers.

Reportedly, the Steering Committee has also been working with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and Winter sport governing bodies to bring successful strategies to the 2034 games and to support Team USA athletes.

Fundraising efforts

Additionally, the Steering Committee said they have ongoing efforts to connect subcommittees with various venues in the area and gain momentum in fundraising efforts.

“Our goals this year was to increase awareness…to start the process of creating a roadmap to the game and secure early revenue streams. To a high level, we are beginning this process. We are working with partners.” The Steering Committee CEO, Brad Wilson, stated, adding that they’ve increased social media awareness.

One of the committee’s current projects is Podium34, which is a donor-driven initiative meant to fundraise for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

Funds raised under Podium34 will go to support “key initiatives, including youth sports, volunteers, mental health, arts and culture, sustainability, and community engagement” to all of Utah.

“it’s been outstanding. We’ve come out of the gate setting records…having raised over $200,000 to date,” A committee member said about Podium34. “As organizing members of the committee, we are stewards of the dreams of the athletes.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox also talked about the sense of community in Utah and the sheer support Utah donors have for the 2034 Olympics. He noted that over $200 million has been pledged to conserving the Great Salt Lake and reaching healthier lake levels by the 2034 Games.

Future Growth

The Steering Committee will also be increasing personnel in order to further develop and work on more niche details for Olympic-related events and community engagement. The Steering Committee currently has 11 employees, but it will eventually grow to have over 50,000 employees and volunteers as the games draw closer.

Wilson also hinted at a “top-secret” event on November 24th to celebrate reaching 3000 days away from the start of the 2034 Olympics.

Several speakers also talked about how they hoped the 2034 Olympics would further Utah’s legacy.

“I would like to see that Utah is a better place, that Utah is touched, that Utah benefits from the 2034 Olympics,” Steve Starks, the Steering Committee Vice Chair, said. “On the intangible side, I think it’s an amazing thing that our kids will grow up living in a place that hosted the world.”

Others spoke about their hope that Utah would go for a third Olympic bid after 2034 or, at the very least, would encourage Utah’s youth to get outside and enjoy the natural outdoor landscapes that Utah offers.