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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡
“We are off and running. We have an organization, we have a board with committees, we have a management team in place. We are off and running, and it’s going to be such a great journey over the next nine years.”
That’s Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 President Fraser Bullock during Monday’s SLC-Utah 2034 Steering Committee meeting in Salt Lake City, sharing details of the fledgling organizing committee effort now underway.
A series of Board committees were introduced, led by a six-member Executive Committee with many familiar faces:
● Fraser Bullock, Chair
● Sarah Hirshland, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
● Chris Kinney, athlete (bobsled)
● Steve Starks, SLC-Utah Board Vice Chair
● Gene Sykes, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
● Lindsey Vonn, athlete (alpine skiing)
Eight more committees were introduced, covering Ethics, Finance, Host Communities, Impact & Legacy, Nominating & Governance, People & Compensation, Sport & Venue and State of Sport. These will begin meeting immediately.
The organizing committee itself has started up, with offices in downtown Salt Lake City and eight staff members introduced, covering the key area of operations & planning, legal, international relations, finance, development, community relations, communications and athlete relations.
A six-step approach to the project was also shared by chief executive Brad Wilson:
● 2025-27: Transition from the bid to organizing
● 2028-29: Strategy, planning and stakeholder engagement
● 2030-31: Games planning at the functional department level
● 2032-33: Readiness build-up and testing
● 2034: Games operations, through March
● 2034: Dissolution and legacy, from April on
The working “purpose statement” is “Inspiring Impact and Unity,” incorporating four core values of Integrity, Collaboration, Service and Fun, the latter an element not always seen in organizing committees of prior Games, but an important element for success.
SLC-Utah 2034 is being funded via private donations for the time being; it will not have any national marketing rights until after the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games have concluded.
A “listening tour” of Utah communities is being started to ensure a viable understanding of what this project is, and the expectations and hopes of those where venues will be sited as well as those not directly involved. The first meeting will be in Ogden on 19 May.
The Steering Committee is an advisory group, but separate from the organizing committee’s Board, which met separately on Monday.
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During a post-Board briefing with reporters, it was noted that the $163.05 million bid budget target for private donations to the organizing committee has been expanded to a target of $300 million through 2034.
Bullock explained, “We raised it to $300 [million], we believe that’s achievable … we want to raise money early and we think the reception … from people in Utah is very strong. So we think it’s possible.”
A modest $28 million is expected to be spent in the first three years.
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Early in the Steering Committee meeting came a report from U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland, who commented on behalf of herself and USOPC President Gene Sykes on today’s hot-button issue of U.S. government cooperation on access and visas:
“Gene and I spent a good bit of time over the last month in Washington and had a lot of discussion with the State Department, and representatives from The White House directly, who have done nothing but embrace all that we’re doing – Team USA, LA28, Utah ‘34 – they are very excited for what’s to come over this next decade for the country.
“They understand the importance of it. They understand some of the challenges, particularly immigration, visas, access for athletes and individuals – certainly always a big concern for the international community – can I get the access I need in a timely way?
“And the Administration has been incredibly supportive and said all the rights thing, given us all the right assurances, to say ‘we want to be a great host country and we’re going to set up everything to ensure that we do that,’ and they’re working incredibly closely with us to do that.
“So I just wanted to offer that to you, and especially to the athletes on the call who are out in your communities. We’re feeling confident; there is always work to be done, but we know we have the support, both of the Administration and The White House directly, as well as the State Department, and have great contacts with consular services that are making really good progress to ensure that not just the Games, but all of the world championships and world cups and events which Utah hosts, I think, more than anybody, will have the support they need for individuals to be able to get the access and the support from our country that they need.
“So, we’re feeling really positive and hopeful about that.”
That not a chance from what she and Sykes have said repeatedly, but nevertheless will be welcomed amid the continuing national and international political turmoil.
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