The much-anticipated bid was awarded to Utah as a crowd cheered at an overnight watch party in downtown Salt Lake City Wednesday. A delegation from Utah traveled to Paris to attend the announcement in person.
This will be the second time the state will host the Winter Games. Events are planned in and around Salt Lake and across the Wasatch Back.
Olympic and Paralympic cross-country skiing, biathlon and Nordic combined athletes will compete at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center.
Soldier Hollow General Manager Luke Bodensteiner said the venue is ready to host the world’s best.
“That’s one of the unique things about the bid,” he said. “We’re ready now to be able to host these Games. The venues like Soldier Hollow have had continuous investment and reinvestment in them over the course of the years since the 2002 Games.”
Soldier Hollow has regularly hosted major competitions in the years since, including this winter’s International Biathlon Union World Cup.
New renovations and expansions have further prepared the facility for another Olympics.
“At this point, really it’s just about maintaining the quality that we have and refining the facilities,” Bodensteiner said.
Heber City Mayor Heidi Franco said the community is ready to help support the Games.
“The valley wants to cheer on and welcome these athletes,” she said. “Being able to welcome these Olympic athletes here is just part of our nature to be good neighbors and to try to achieve excellence in our own lives.”
She said Heber is investing in new amenities and infrastructure, in part to support the Games.
“We have world-class beauty here, we have world-class opportunities, and we are ready to welcome the world,” she said.
And Bodensteiner said in the next decade, he’s excited to get the community involved. About 500 youth participate in programs at Soldier Hollow, some of whom aspire to represent Team USA in 2034.
“It’s a unique position for us to have 10 years now to go through the process of planning these Games,” he said. “That gives us a leg up on the logistical and operational aspects, but I think it also gives us just a great runway to get our communities involved, give kids the opportunity to participate in the sports and be a part of the Olympic movement. And we’ll put every one of those 10 years to good use.”
