(ATR) A committee is formed in Salt Lake City to bring the Winter Olympics back to Utah, date uncertain.
The announcement at the state capitol included gushing praise for the impact of the 2002 Winter Games and pledges that Utah is ready to host the Olympics again.
But leaders of the bid did not say which Games they will seek. The next winter host decision is for 2030, a process that is already underway. Sapporo, Japan, host of the 1972 winter Games, is the only officially declared candidate for 2030.
Salt Lake City is waiting for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to make a decision about which Games to seek. In 2018 the USOPC named Salt Lake City as the choice for the next U.S. winter bid when the time is right. Denver was the other candidate.
"This committee is an important next step for Utah, as the state of sport, to show that we continue to be ready, willing and able to play host to a future Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games," said Utah Governor Gary Herbert.
The new committee will be chaired by Cindy Crane, retired president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power. Former Salt Lake City 2002 COO Fraser Bullock will be president and CEO.
Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission, and Colin Hilton, president and CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation will be the vice chairs. Both men have been actively involved in preserving and promoting the legacy of the 2002 Games. They say 800 events have been held in Utah since 2002 as a result of the Olympics.
The board includes Olympians like Apolo Ohno, Eric Heiden and Derek Parra. U.S. Biathlon CEO Max Cobb is another member.
Retired NBC Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol is one of the board members as is Olympic marketing expert Michael Lynch. Rob Cohen, who led Denver's try for the U.S. nomination, was invited to join the new board.
Banker Spencer Eccles, now retired, who was a big player as a board member for the 2002 Games, is one of just a few board members with that experience.
USOPC chair Susanne Lyons, CEO Sarah Hirshland and bid relations chief Chris Sullivan are on the board. None of the three IOC members from the U.S. were named.
"We are thrilled to work with this extremely talented and knowledgeable group as we collectively refine our vision for a U.S. bid, and we know that when the time is right to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games back to Utah - Salt Lake City will be ready." said Hirshland.
It’s up to the USOPC to make a determination on when to advance a winter bid. While 2030 is the next winter host to be selected, an Olympics in Salt Lake City that year may pose complications with marketing plans for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
"In 2002 Salt Lake City took great pride in welcoming the world," said Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who took office last month. She was a 22-year old college graduate when Salt Lake City last hosted the Games.
"We are ready to welcome the world again as a returning host of a future Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Our beautiful city has so much to offer our worldwide guests, including the added benefit of our existing Olympic facilities and infrastructure. I feel very strongly about our bid potential," said the mayor.
Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games Board of Directors
Chair: Cindy A. Crane, Retired President & CEO, Rocky Mountain Power
Honorary Chair: Gary R. Herbert, Governor, State of Utah
Honorary Chair: Erin Mendenhall, Mayor, Salt Lake City
Honorary Vice-Chair: Stuart Adams, President, Utah Senate
Honorary Vice-Chair: Brad Wilson, Speaker of the House
Vice-Chair: Jeff Robbins, President and CEO, Utah Sports Commission
Vice-Chair: Colin Hilton, President and CEO, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
President and CEO: Fraser Bullock, Managing Director, Sorenson Capital
Executive Committee
Andy Beerman, Mayor, Park City
Maame Biney (Olympian)
Carine Clark, Technology Entrepreneur
Max Cobb, Chair/USOPC National Governing Bodies Council/President and CEO, U.S. Biathlon
Reverend France Davis (Salt Lake City Mayor Designee), Pastor Emeritus, Calvary Baptist Church
Dr. Bethami Dobkin (Salt Lake City Mayor Designee), President, Westminster College
Spencer F. Eccles, Chairman Emeritus, Wells Fargo Intermountain Banking
Dell Loy Hansen, Founder and CEO, Wasatch Group
Bob Henrie (Governor Designee), R & R Partners
Sarah Hirshland (USOPC Designee), President and CEO, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
David Huntsman, President, Huntsman Foundation
David Layton, President and CEO, Layton Companies
Susanne Lyons (USOPC Designee), Chairman, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
Crystal Maggelet (Governor Designee), CEO, FJ Management, Inc
Al Mansell, Former President, Utah State Senate
Steve Miller, Vice Chairman, Larry H. Miller Group of Companies
Wayne Niederhauser (Utah State Senate Designee), Former President, Utah State Senate Designee
Peter Mouskondis, President and CEO, Nicholas & Company
Catherine Raney Norman (Olympian), Past Member, USOPC Athletes' Advisory Council
Abby Osbourne (Speaker of the House Designee), Chief of Staff for Speaker of the House, Utah House of Representatives
Steve Price, President and CEO, Price Real Estate
Jim Sorenson, Jr., Vice Chairman, Sorenson Development
Chris Waddell (Paralympian), One Revolution Foundation
Jenny Wilson, Mayor, Salt Lake County
Additional Board Members
Scott Anderson, President & CEO, Zions Bank
Jeremy Andrus, CEO, Traeger Grills
Shannon Bahrke (Olympian)
Mike Bailey, Shareholder & Attorney, Parsons Behle & Latimer
Ron Bigelow, Mayor, West Valley City
Kym Buttschardt, Roosters Brewing Company and Restaurant
Mike Caldwell, Mayor, Ogden City
Rob Cohen, Chairman and CEO, The IMA Financial Group/Board Member, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation
Dick Ebersol, Former Chairman, NBC Sports
Lisa Eccles, President and COO, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation
Tony Finau, PGA TOUR, USA Ryder Cup and USA Presidents Cup
Christian Gardner, CEO, Gardner Company
Kevin Gates, Owner, La Caille
Natalie Gochnour, Director, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute
Marc Harrison, President and CEO, Intermountain Healthcare
Eric Heiden, MD (Olympian), Heiden Orthopedic Group
Brett Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer, Ken Garff Automotive Group/Former CFO, Salt Lake Olympic Committee
Ron Jibson, Former President and CEO, Questar Corp.
Mayor, City of Provo
Becky Kearns, Community Development Consultant, Zions Bank Corporation
Michael Lynch, 3 Emerald Marketing
Derek Miller, President and CEO, Salt Lake Chamber
Apolo Ohno (Olympian)
Derek Parra (Olympian), Sport Director, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
Noelle Pikus Pace (Olympian), Get My Goal Consulting
Nathan Rafferty, President and CEO, Ski Utah
Davis Smith, President and CEO, Cotopaxi
Ryan Smith, CEO, Qualtrics
Chris Sullivan, Vice President, Bids and Protocol, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
Ruth Watkins, President, University of Utah
Chris Wharton, Chair, Salt Lake City Council
Bob Wheaton, Former President and COO, Deer Valley Resort
Reported by Ed Hula.
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