Today the Utah Olympic Exploratory Committee (UOEC) presented Governor Gary R. Herbert and Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker a 36-page report with their recommendation to pursue a bid for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This recommendation is based upon the decision of the US Olympic Committee (USOC) to consider submitting a Winter Games bid in 2026.

The Governor and Mayor will now review the content of the report and determine by mid-November whether or not the State and City should move forward in pursuing the bid.

“We (the UOEC) have taken this responsibility very seriously in recommending to the Governor and Mayor our next steps,” said Lt. Governor Greg Bell, lead Co-Chair for the UOEC. “Our research considered all aspects, from public opinion, hospitality and venues, to transportation, finances and competitive analysis. We already have first-class Olympic level venues. Because of this, we can host the Games in a world-class manner for much less investment than any U.S. city we know of.”

“The legacy of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games is still being realized today, 10 years later.  This legacy has continued with the hosting of approximately 400 sporting events since 2002,” said Steve Price, Co-Chair of the UOEC, President of the Utah Sports Commission Board of Trustees. “The Olympic legacy will not only continue but be expanded well into the future with another Winter Olympics in Utah”.

“The cost to put on the Olympic Winter Games has dramatically escalated over the past 30 years,” said Fraser Bullock, advisor to the UOEC, Co-Founder of Sorenson Capital. “With the infrastructure already in place, Salt Lake City is in a unique position to host excellent Olympic Winter Games in a fiscally responsible manner and with a high certainty of great success.”  

The full report and recommendation can be found on the Utah Sports Commission website or by visiting, http://bit.ly/WEyuX0 .