2034 Winter Olympic Venue Plan Released Before IOC Visit

Thirteen venues have been proposed to host events for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games announced Wednesday ahead of a visit next week by the International Olympic Committee.

The plan includes a core of existing venues along with bringing new events of ski and snowboard big air into downtown Salt Lake City. The IOC’s earlier feasibility study on the Salt Lake bid praised its 2002 legacy, including 100 percent use of existing venues that were used in 2002 and still maintained with all venues within an hour of the athlete village at the University of Utah.

“Our venue partners represent a modern, sustainable approach to sport,” said SLC-UT President and Chief Executive Officer Fraser Bullock. “They have continued contributing to Utah’s sports legacy with ongoing programs and regular updates. And the ability to bring big air into downtown Salt Lake City will create great memories for athletes and spectators.”

The Future Host Commission will visit the region from April 9–13 for a series of venue inspections, meetings with government officials on both the local and state level and more. The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games officially submitted its bid to host the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in late February to the International Olympic Committee with an eye toward being officially announced as the host for a future Games on July 24 on Pioneer Day, the state’s official holiday, during the IOC Session in Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympic Summer Games.

Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Colin Hilton managed the venue partnership program. His organization also oversees the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah Olympic Park in Park City and Soldier Hollow in Midway.

“We have had great collaborative discussions with each of our venue partners and their respective communities,” said Hilton. “That spirit of partnership from our resorts, our commercial venues and our public arenas has been gratifying and is a hallmark of our bid.”

The venue plan includes all three Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation venues. It also features resorts, including Park City Mountain and Deer Valley Resort in Park City, along with Snowbasin near Ogden. Indoor arena facilities include the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Maverik Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo. Opening and Closing ceremonies are proposed at Rice-Eccles Stadium as it was in 2002.

A proposed downtown location for big air is Block 85, the site of the Medals Plaza in 2002. It is located in close proximity to the Delta Center and Salt Palace Convention Center and big air generally takes place on a towering portable scaffold structure, which is flexible in its location.

“Big air has been a remarkable event that has literally brought the sport to the people,” said Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation Chief Operating Officer Calum Clark. “Producing big air in the heart of Salt Lake City will be an iconic event destined to leave an indelible mark on the 2034 Winter Games.”

Another new proposed competition venue is the Salt Palace Convention Center for Olympic curling and Paralympic wheelchair curling. SLC-UT made the venue selection in concert with World Curling and will feature a temporary curling ice sheet and seating for 6,500 spectators. The nearly 700,000-square-foot Salt Palace venue will also house the Main Media Center.

“Curling has grown in popularity worldwide and certainly in America, with Team USA winning gold in 2018,” said Bullock. “The Salt Palace offered a sustainable approach with a temporary facility and the opportunity to expand seating without permanent new construction.”

SLC-UT 2034 and venue leaders are working with respective international sports federations to review venues. Discussions continue with each host venue community and Bullock also noted there will likely be changes over the next decade.

“Ten years is a long time and event locations will evolve based on ownership changes, new sports, or new venue opportunities,” he said. “Events in the Games have also increased nearly 40% since 2002, so we will have time to evaluate the best placement.”

The International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission invited Salt Lake to targeted dialogue for 2034 in late November with the French Alps region for targeted dialogue with an eye toward the 2030 Games. After the IOC Future Host Commission visit, the IOC Executive Board is expected to put Salt Lake City forward for election during its meeting June 12-14 ahead of the official announcement in Paris.

Hosting the Olympic Games in 2034 would make Salt Lake City the fifth city to host the Winter Games twice, joining Lake Placid, New York (1932 and 1980); St. Moritz, Switzerland (1928 and 1948); Innsbruck, Austria (1964 and 1976) and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, which hosted the 1956 Games and will co-host the 2026 Games with Milan.

Proposed Olympic Competition Venues

Alpine Skiing: Snowbasin, Ogden
Biathlon: Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
Bobsled & Skeleton: Utah Olympic Park, Park City
Cross Country Skiing: Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
Curling: Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City
Figure Skating: Delta Center, Salt Lake City
Freestyle Skiing: Block 85 (downtown), Salt Lake City (big air); Deer Valley Resort, Park City; Park City Mountain, Park City; Utah Olympic Park, Park City
Ice Hockey: Maverik Center, West Valley City; Peaks Ice Arena, Provo
Luge: Utah Olympic Park, Park City
Nordic Combined: Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway; Utah Olympic Park, Park City
Ski Jumping: Utah Olympic Park, Park City
Snowboarding: Block 85 (downtown), Salt Lake City (big air); Park City Mountain, Park City; Utah Olympic Park, Park City
Speed Skating: Delta Center, Salt Lake City (short track); Utah Olympic Oval, Kearns (long track)

Paralympic Competition Venues

Para Alpine Skiing: Snowbasin, Ogden
Para Biathlon: Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
Para Cross Country Skiing: Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway
Wheelchair Curling: Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City
Para Ice Hockey: Maverik Center, West Valley City
Para Snowboarding: Utah Olympic Park, Park City

Other Proposed Olympic and Paralympic Venues

Opening and Closing Ceremonies: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
Olympic Village: University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Olympic Medals Plaza: Block 85 (Downtown), Salt Lake City
Main Media Center: Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City