(ATR) Hundreds of people turned out for the relighting of the caldron for the Salt Lake City Olympics Feb.8, the 10th anniversary for the opening ceremony of the Winter Games.
Still in place at Rice Eccles Stadium, the 100 foot high caldron did not light on cue for TV coverage of the event. It came ablaze a few minutes after a pair of torchbearers tried to kindle the flame from its base. Originally the flame was to burn for three days this week. Instead it was lit for all of ten minutes.
On hand for the ceremony were leaders of the 2002 Games such as Fraser Bullock, COO for SLOC, DeeDee Corradini, mayor of Salt Lake City during the bid for 2002 and Rocky Anderson, mayor in 2002 as well as members of the SLOC Board of Directors.
Not there Wednesday night: U.S. presidential candidate and ex-SLOC President Mitt Romney. He spent part of the anniversary in Atlanta for a rally and fundraiser, where he mentioned his leadership of the Salt Lake City Olympics – but did not mention the anniversary in his remarks.
Romney is due to turn up Feb. 18 in the Olympic City for events that will mark the climax of the celebration. An Olympic Winter Sports festival will be held in The Gateway, a retail center that lies just across the street from the arena where figure skating was held in 2002.
A gathering for full-time SLOC staff takes place late in the afternoon,followed by the Stars on Ice show at what is now known as Energy Solutions Arena. Prior to the Olympics it was known as the Delta Center.
Billed as tribute to Salt Lake City 2002, the show features skaters from the Games including Sarah Hughes, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. As many as 10,000 tickets could be sold for the event says Bulloch, who helped organize the celebration.
Romney will speak at the ice show, his appearance to be non-political, says Bullock.
"We’re delighted to have him take a break from the campaign to be here. It’s not a political speech at all. It’s all Olympics," says Bullock.
"He was our leader. To have him be here with our staff, the volunteers, the public – it was the final piece of the puzzle needed to complete the celebration," says Bullock.
There are not likely to be any more anniversaries for the 2002 Games for some time to come. Bullock says after a one-year celebration, another at the five year mark, the 10th is the last.
But with an exploratory committee looking at another bid from the Utah capital, there’s a chance one day for a new string of Olympic anniversaries.
Written by Ed Hula.
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