Utah committee proposes venues for possible 2034 Winter Olympics

SALT LAKE CITY — As a preferred host for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games, representatives from Utah must propose which existing Olympic venues they’d use during the 2034 competition.

And, they need to propose a few new venues.

Today, the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games has done that. 

Most of the proposed venues are what you’d expect — the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, the Utah Olympic Park in Park City and Soldier Hollow in Midway.

New venue ideas include a downtown location for big air, which is new to the Winter Olympics. It’s only been around since 2018. According to a press release from the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, big air “generally takes place on a towering portable scaffold structure … flexible in its location.”

Here’s the podcast of our interview with Deseret News reporter Lisa Riley Roach

 

The Salt Lake City-Utah committee has proposed Block 85 for the big air location, the site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games Medals Plaza.

Another proposed addition is the Salt Palace Convention Center, for Olympic and Paralympic curling. 

The Salt Lake City -Utah Committee for the Games CEO Bullock Fraser said in a press release: ” “The Salt Palace offered a sustainable approach with a temporary facility and the opportunity to expand seating without permanent new construction.”

Along with curling, the Salt Palace would also contain the main media center for the games. 

The committee also said the Rice-Eccles stadium would host the opening and closing ceremonies. 

Related reading:

• LISTEN: Utah Clean Energy on the Olympics and Utah’s air quality
• Bill would give lawmakers more oversight of Utah’s Olympic bid
• Utahns agree: Bring the Olympics (and world) back to Utah

Follow @SimoneSeikaly