Bullock: SLC will know in 2024 if it will host Games in 2030 or 2034
Jul 28, 2023, 9:00 PM
Canada, left, and France arrive at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. Frasor Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City organizing committee, tells KSL NewsRadio that we'll know sometime in 2024 if Salt Lake City will host the Games in 2030 or 2034. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City is America’s choice to host the next Winter Olympic Games, whether it’s 2030 or 2034.
Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City Organizing Committee, tells KSL NewsRadio that a decision on who will host the Games in 2030 and 2034 should come sometime next year.
He says the next step in the process is to be invited to “targeted dialogue.”
“Which means, they’ve said, ‘Ok, Salt Lake City, we want you for these Games 30 or 34,'” Bullock said. “And we’d like to begin negotiating all of the aspects of the hosting the Games.”
He says that step in the process could occur by the end of the year.
“And the actual award after everything is negotiated and laid out would be some time in 2024,” Bullock said. “I don’t see it at all going beyond 2024.”
2034 Games is preferred
He says Salt Lake City’s preference would be to host the 2034 Games, partly because Los Angeles has been awarded to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“We could do 30, we’d be delighted with 30,” Bullock said. “But 34 is our preference.”
Bullock says France and Sweden have made strong cases to host the Games 2030.
However, the International Olympic Committee only meets once a year in person. The 2024 Summer Games are in Paris, and the committee will meet in Paris. Due to an IOC rule, the committee may not vote on whether France will host the 2030 Olympics because they are meeting in Paris.
Bullock says the committee can host a virtual meeting at any time. So, the committee members could meet two weeks later, virtually, and decide whether to award the 2030 Games to France.
“So might there be a minor delay?” Bullock said. “Maybe just a little bit because of the IOC rules. It might come a little sooner. By 2024, we think is the time for a Games award.”
Bullock also says the IOC committee is getting close to having to make a decision on 2030.
“But they know they are running out of time for 2030,” he said. “They can’t postpone this very much at all.”
Listen to KSL at Night on most weeknights from 7 to 9 p.m.
Read more:
- Is Utah hosting the Olympics a burden to taxpayers or an investment?
- Salt Lake facing more competition for 2030 Winter Olympics
