Governor, Salt Lake City mayor headed to France to argue Utah’s case for hosting the Olympics

SALT LAKE CITY (Utah News Dispatch) — Who will big nan 2034 Olympic games? A group of high-profile athletes and elected officials are headed to France later this period to make nan lawsuit for Utah.

On July 24, nan International Olympic Committee, aliases IOC, will make its announcement from Paris — but first, it will perceive a 30-minute position from Utah’s Olympic delegation.

“We’re truthful excited astir that,” said Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of nan organizing committee. “We’ll person a awesome practice from Utah there.”

Bullock said Tuesday to a room afloat of Olympians past, coming and aspiring, unit pinch nan Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for nan Games and reporters.

The position will see 7 group — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, President of nan U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Gene Sykes, erstwhile Olympic speedskater and committee chair of nan Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for nan Games Catherine Raney Norman, Olympic champion and alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, Paralympic nordic skier Dani Aravich and Bullock.

A fewer high-profile elected officials from Utah will besides beryllium there, including Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton; House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper; Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson; Park City Mayor Nann Worel and Rep. Jon Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove.

Most of nan travel is funded done backstage donations, Bullock said. However, elected officials will beryllium walking astatine nan taxpayers’ expense.

A cardinal taxable of nan position is “elevate,” Bullock said — elevating nan community, elevating sports, including a attraction connected younker engagement, and elevating nan game’s experience.

Part of nan second is what Bullock calls nan “Athlete’s Family Initiative,” which is an effort to support nan games accessible to families of Olympains by making tickets affordable and hosting an athlete’s family village.

“We’re going to speak from nan heart, because Utah loves nan games,” Bullock said.

Bullock said they will besides touch connected nan game’s maestro plan. A cardinal trading constituent is that each nan venues are wrong an hr thrust of nan village.

“That doesn’t happen, almost anyplace other successful nan world,” Bullock said.