Winter Olympics: 2002 to 2034
Central Question
What can Utahns learn from hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics to prepare to host the 2034 Winter Olympics?
Chris Lewis, Governor's Olympic Photo Collection
Mark Hedengren, Governor's Olympic Photo Collection
Photo by Andy Miah
Introduction
Salt Lake City, Utah, was the host of the Winter 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has recently been selected as the host city again for the Winter 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This opportunity is an exciting honor—and it comes with a lot of responsibility! Read this background information to learn more about the Olympics and what hosting them again means for Utah.
Vocabulary
- International Olympic Committee (IOC): the governing body of the Olympic Games. The IOC organizes the Olympics, Paralympics, and Youth Olympics, including selecting hosts for the Games, promoting the Olympic spirit, and working to keep the Games safe and sustainable.
- Future Host Commission: an IOC committee that works with potential future Olympic hosts. There is a Future Host Commission for the Winter games and another one for the Summer games.
- Bid: An Olympic bid is an offer to host the Olympics. Cities and regions hoping to host the Olympics will usually have bid committees who help put the offers together and promote them to the IOC.
- Venue: a place where events happen.
A Brief History of the Olympics
In 776 B.C.E., the first Olympics were held in Southern Greece at a place called Olympia. For over a thousand years, the Greeks held these events every four years. Any free Greek male could participate in the competitions. Beginning in 1896, countries throughout the world began to hold modern versions of these games.
The Winter Olympics
The first Winter Olympics was held in 1924, and since 1994, they have alternated with the Summer Olympic Games, occurring every four years. Athletes from all over the world come together to compete for gold medals and glory in dozens of winter sports.
Popular Events:
- Figure skating
- Snowboarding
- Downhill skiing
- Cross country skiing
- Biathlon
- Bobsled
- Ice hockey
- Curling
Hosting the Olympics
The process for becoming an Olympic host can be long! Here’s how it works:
- Several years before the Olympics, potential hosts enter into talks with a Future Host Commission from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
- If the talks with a city go well and it looks like the city can realistically host a good Olympics, the Future Host Commission may recommend the city to the IOC as a “Preferred Host.”
- The IOC continues to work with the city on plans until they are ready to formally vote on the host.
- If the IOC votes in favor of the city, they are officially selected as Olympic hosts. Host cities have a lot of work ahead of them as they prepare for the athletes, journalists, and spectators to come by the thousands. Venues, hotels, and transportation all have to be ready to support the world’s biggest sporting event.
Recent Olympic Hosts:
- Sochi, Russia: Winter 2014
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Summer 2016
- PyeongChang, South Korea: Winter 2018
- Tokyo, Japan: Summer 2020
- Beijing, China: Winter 2022
- Paris, France: Summer 2024
Salt Lake City and the 2002 Olympics
Back when Utah was trying to become an Olympic host the first time, the process for choosing a host city was very different. Potential hosts actively campaigned against each other, and the competition was intense. Cities spent millions of dollars on their bids.
Utah’s first road to a successful bid was complicated. Salt Lake City was almost chosen for the 1998 Olympics, but Nagano, Japan was selected instead. Pressure was high to get the 2002 games. After Utah was selected, reports came out about corruption in the bidding process. It was shocking: the Salt Lake bidding committee had bribed at least 14 IOC members in exchange for their votes. Many of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee team’s members resigned, and felony charges were filed against two top leaders (who were later let off).
That scandal threatened the Salt Lake Olympics. For the Olympics to succeed, they needed new leadership, so Utah’s governor called in Mitt Romney (then a respected businessman). Under his leadership, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee worked to restore trust and manage money well. In the end, while they weren’t perfect, the 2002 Olympics were a success in many ways (as you will see in the source archive).
Winter 2034
That 2002 success eventually led Utah’s government to try and host another year’s Olympics in Salt Lake City. Since 2012, a bidding committee worked consistently to secure another chance to host. On July 24, 2024, Salt Lake City was announced as the host for the 2034 Winter Olympics.
However, just because SLC has hosted before does not mean that hosting will be easy! Looking back to the successes and struggles of the 2002 Olympics is one way Utah can start preparing to ignite and celebrate the Olympic spirit once again in 2034.
References and Resources
To learn more, explore the following links:
Background Video
Source Archive
Video: 2002 Design Focus
Salt Lake Olympic Bid Bribery Scandal
"Behind the Scenes at the Olympics"
2002 Marketing Success
Video: Figure Skating Scandal
"2002 Games: Riveting Sport and an Angry Backlash"
"Salt Lake City 2002: From Adversity to Success"
“Remembering the 'Mormon' Olympics That Weren't”
Video: “Top 4 Successful Olympic Host Cities”
"Not Every Utahn is Excited"
Mitt Romney's Reflections
Poll: Utahns' Approval of Hosting Again
2034 Budget Estimates
"Utah's Decade of Opportunity"
This lesson can be adapted to fulfill either a Utah Studies Core Standard or a 4th Grade Social Studies Core Standard. Find the resources for both classes below.
7th Grade:
UT Standard 4.6: Students will evaluate the impact of tourism on Utah’s economy and geography, such as the development of tourism industries, state and national parks, and events, including the 2002 Olympics.
4th Grade (requires more adaptation):
Standard 4.5.2: Make a case for the lasting historical significance of an event in recent Utah history (2000–present), and create an argument for including it in a historical text.