Salt Lake City is preparing to welcome the world once again for the 2/34 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Building on the legacy of the 2002 Winter Olympics, which sparked global unity and pride, efforts are currently underway to prepare for the upcoming return of the Games.
Mayor Mendenhall serves as the chair of the Utah 2034 Host Communities Committee. This committee is responsible for planning and ensuring the 2034 Games provide benefits to all host communities by managing local aspects, economic opportunity, and community engagement in collaboration with the Organizing Committee.
Salt Lake City will function as the central hub for the 2034 Games. Key locations include the Salt Lake City International Airport for welcoming visitors, the Delta Center for hockey, and the University of Utah, which will host the Olympic Village for athletes from all countries and disciplines.
Other designated venues include Rice-Eccles Stadium for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and the Salt Palace Convention Center, which will house the International Broadcast Center, Main Press Center, and curling events. Downtown Salt Lake City will also be fully activated, serving as the location for the Medals Plaza as well as Snowboard Big Air and Freestyle Skating Big Air.
The 2034 bid focused on several key pillars: championing youth and families, driving sustainability, utilizing the same venues used in 2002, and introducing the first-ever Athlete Family Village to provide housing and services for the families of international athletes.
The journey to secure the 2034 Games included several milestones, beginning with the creation of an Exploratory Committee in October 2017. In July 2024, the International Olympic Committee officially awarded the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City-Utah following a final presentation in Paris.
The estimated cost to bring the Games back to the state is $4 billion, which will be privately funded. The Games are projected to generate more than $6 billion in economic impact for Utah.
Salt Lake City maintains a strong Olympic legacy, having hosted 175 international winter sports events since the 2002 Games. On average, more than 30 countries and 1,100 international athletes train in Utah each year for the Olympics and Paralympics.
