79 percent of Utahns support the 2034 Olympic bid

Olympic rings in in front of the International Olympic Committee Building in Lausanne, Switzerland. Photo: International Luge Federation // Facebook

The IOC's Future Host Commission has commissioned its own poll to measure local support for the Games

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A new poll released Tuesday confirms Utah residents continue to strongly support the Salt Lake City 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid. A staggering 79 percent of Utahns polled said they support welcoming the Winter Games back to the state in 2034.

The poll was conducted by the Future Host Commission, a group assembled to gather information for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board, who will be making their final decision on the 2034 Games coming back to Utah.

Nearly half of the adults questioned, 48%, expressed strong support for bringing another Olympics to Utah and 31% said they’re somewhat supportive. A total of 14% were somewhat or strongly opposed. Another 7% said they didn’t know how they felt. The poll was conducted by HarrisX for the Deseret News and the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics over a three day period earlier this month.

International Olympic Committee leaders are expected to decide Wednesday whether to advance Utah’s bid to a final vote by the full IOC membership in July.

Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games that’s behind the bid told the Deseret News he is thrilled with the poll results. He called public support “the foundation to hosting the Games. Whether it’s bidding or actually hosting, it’s the public that makes that happen.”

Part of the reason for the sustained support, Bullock said, is because the 2002 Winter Games were so successful. He added that the Olympics are seen as “a wonderful cause in a divided world,” using sport “to try to unify the world as much as it can.”

IOC’s Future Host Commission praised Utah during its visit to Utah in April. The commission’s findings have been submitted to the IOC Executive Board that meets Wednesday through Friday in Switzerland.