In hunt for ‘white elephants’ in Utah, Olympic commission comes up empty-handed

Karl Stoss and a group of eight other international notables went on safari last week around Salt Lake City. The target of their hunt? The not-so-elusive “white elephants.”

That’s the Future Host Commission chairman’s term for venues built for an Olympics that afterward sit unused or in disrepair.

Yet as he and the rest of his team wrapped up their visit Saturday, Stoss reported that despite searching from Ogden to Provo to Park City and many parking lots and parks in between, they had been unsuccessful in finding a single one from when Utah hosted the 2002 Winter Games. In fact, the commission, whose hunt was part of the International Olympic Committee’s new process of determining if sites are fit to host a future Olympic Games, felt they’d come across many golden tigers instead.

The golden tiger is considered a symbol of success and prosperity. And in a glowing post-venue-tour review Saturday, the commission indicated it expects exactly that from both Salt Lake City’s bid for the 2034 Olympics and the Games themselves.

“It is really great to see that we are not looking for white elephants in the countryside,” Stoss said at a closing news conference held in an opulent lounge at the Edison House, a private social club in Salt Lake City. “We found just used venues, excellent venues, for the next Winter Olympic Games.”

Fraser Bullock, the president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, said commissioners raved to him about the venues. Over the four-day tour, the group visited the 13 sites in the venue plan the committee laid out in its official bid to the IOC in March. Some were facilities that will serve the same purpose they were built for during the 2002 Games, such as the Peaks Ice Arena in Provo for hockey competitions. Others were sites used in 2002 that will take on additional events in 2034. That includes Block 85, which is expected to be the site of ski and snowboard big air as well as the medals ceremonies, and the University of Utah — the proposed site of the opening and closing ceremonies, the athletes’ village and new athlete family village.

“They said, ‘Even though your venues are so great, you undersold them in your bid. You describe them, but they’re even better than what we thought,’” Bullock said. “And… they said, ‘As great as your venues are, your people are even better.’”

It was important for local organizers to wow the international contingent during its venue hunt. The IOC will rely on the recommendation of the Future Host Commission in deciding whether to put Salt Lake City’s bid to a vote of its general membership in July. If all goes well, the IOC is expected to officially name Utah the 2034 host on July 24.

The commission gave no indication it would vote against Salt Lake City. In fact, it held the city up as an example for future hosts to follow.

“You will become a role model also for the IOC,” Stoss said. “This is a totally new approach we are going on. This is the right one.”

In addition to finding thriving, active venues instead of white elephants, the commission said it appreciated the development of the state’s youth sports programs and the enthusiasm of the public for the Games. According to one poll, more than 80% of Utahn’s approve of the state hosting a second Olympics, with 55% strongly favoring their return.

Still, Christophe Dubi, the Olympic Games executive director, had some words of caution for local organizers.

During an opening news conference Wednesday, he worried aloud about the state’s ability to maintain that lofty approval rating for the Games after the euphoria of being selected as a host wears off. Then, during a forum with business and community leaders Thursday, Dubi urged Bullock and his team to not rush its planning of the Games.

“Do not organize the games as of yet,” he said. “You have all it takes, that we know. You have the venues and you have the people. Once you have that, you have the ingredients to deliver the Games and it is urgent not to start too early. We can do that later. We can focus on Games operations later.”

Dubi clarified Saturday that he believes the bid committee should work on social programs and initiatives that will impact the community now rather than getting caught up in the details of whether hockey games will be held at the Maverik Center or, if it becomes home to an NHL team, the Delta Center. It has 10 years to future that out, he noted, and much can change in a decade.

With all the compliments the commission lauded on Salt Lake City, it seems the would also have an excellent chance of being included in a Winter Olympic rotation. The idea was floated by the IOC during a board meeting last year as a way for the global sporting event to contend with climate change.

Stoss did not commit to the state’s participation in a rotation, if the IOC decides to go that direction. However, he did say the IOC believes Utah can be a viable Winter Games host through at least 2050. Beyond that, it is possible that despite the best planning by local Olympic organizers, finding mountains with enough snow to host events could be difficult.

Much like finding a real white elephant.

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