Olympic delegation from France visits Park City to discuss potentiality of future Olympics

Olympic flag flying at Deer Valley this spring after it was recently replaced from the one that flew there since 2002. The past Olympic venue was discussed to possibly host again by the visiting IOC members on Tuesday. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — On Tuesday, members of the French Olympic bid committee toured around Northern Utah, visiting past Olympic Venues in ongoing discussions regarding future Olympic venues.

In contrast to a visit a few months ago from French and American delegations, this trip did not allow the media to ask questions as they made official presentations behind closed doors.

The 2030 Games and the 2034 Games are being vied for by France and the United States, respectively. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which is based in Colorado, said last year that the latter would be better, citing the fact that the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics will, to a great extent, deplete marketing monies. Therefore, spacing Games out further would behoove American stakeholders.  

Fraser Bullock, President and C.E.O. of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, said exclusively to TownLift at a recent Utah Olympic Park World Cup, “It’s so exciting to have the World Cups back again here in Utah. It just gets your blood flowing about the perfect prospect of Salt Lake City and Park City hosting future Olympic Games.”

He made that quote while spectating a bobsled/skeleton event at the track at which USOPC representatives were in town last month to check on updates. 

The infrastructure of Park City and Salt Lake City sports spaces, i.e., the upgraded international airport, train systems, and highways, as well as bussing and lodging options, were among the visited areas.

Past Olympic Host Cities have not always maintained and expanded the above-mentioned facilities; often, quite the contrary, they have allowed structural degradation and deterioration. Credit is given to the citizenry of Utah for simply supporting the idea that is the Olympic Movement and agreeing to continue the work and the play involved in bidding for a second Games. 

Public party plans are taking shape via Utah local and state governments for the expected day of an IOC announcement on or around July 24, of which of the two competing nations might win the bid for which of the two years.

There’s an IOC Executive Board meeting at its HQ in Lausanne, Switzerland, June 12 – 14, and another one in Paris, July 20 – 22. Then, on July 22 – 24, as the IOC powers-that-be are all gathered in France on the eve of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, a 2030/34 announcement will most likely be made directly following the 142nd IOC Session while the whole world is watching.