According to data from the University of Utah’s Kem Gardner Policy Institute, Utah’s population in 2034 will be around 4.1 million, which is nearly double compared to 2002 figures. That means nearly half the state’s residents will not have experienced the Winter Olympics last held in Salt Lake City in 2002.
Gardner Institute Director Natalie Gochnour says the growth creates an opportunity for the state to “cement the Olympic legacy for generations to come.”
The report says Utah's population is also expected to be older and more racially and ethnically diverse in 2034.
Former Park City Mayor Dana Williams, who took office days before the 2002 Winter Games, says he believes the state is more prepared for hosting in 2034.
“I don’t think the outcome or the effects will be as great as they were last time, because we have all of the infrastructure in place,” Williams said.
While the 2002 Olympics boosted Park City’s brand on the world stage, it also brought unintended consequences.
“It’s kind of fermented the loss of working and middle-class people here,” Williams said. “We were on a trajectory already in terms of becoming more and more popular, things getting more expensive. But that just shot us into space in terms of the amount of people coming here and the pricing of things.”
As Park City prepares to host the world again, the former mayor says preserving the town’s charm and sense of character should be a top priority.
“At this point in time, a lot of that is kind of under siege,” Williams said. “We keep having these ideas around here of creating more and more of a Disney-esque feature to our town, and that needs to be fought.”
One thing the Olympics can help with is infrastructure. As part of the 2002 Winter Olympics, several projects around the state received assistance. Those include the construction of Park City’s Old Town Transit Center, the widening of Interstate 15, and the installation of the TRAX light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley.
The Gardner Institute report notes that since 2002, over 100 miles of new light rail track has been installed. The Salt Lake City International Airport has also got a major revamp since the last Winter Games.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other state and local officials have expressed interest in using the 2034 Olympics to help fund public transit infrastructure.
The International Olympic Committee is scheduled to vote to award the 2034 Winter Games around 3:30 a.m MT early Wednesday morning. Salt Lake City is widely expected to be named host, as it is not facing any other competing bids.
