SE5:EP11 - Winter Games Returning to Utah in 2034

It’s now official! The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are returning to Utah in 2034. The International Olympic Committee made the call on July 24. In this episode of Last Chair, we’ll explore the games to come looking at a few venues outside of the traditional skiing and snowboarding realm.

With all of the 2002 Olympic venues still in place and operating, the 2034 edition will require no permanent venue construction. The IOC welcomed this sustainable approach. In 2034, around a dozen venues will be used—all within an hour’s drive of the Athlete Village on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City.

The caretaker of many of the venues is the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. President and CEO Colin Hilton talks about the Utah Olympic Park, with its bobsled, skeleton, and luge sliding track, as well as the towering ski jumps. Hilton also oversaw the assembling of all venues for the 2034 bid and will give an overview of what we can expect.

One of the most popular Olympic sports today is biathlon – an unusual combination of cross country skiing and marksmanship. Utah native Vincent Bonacci, a member of the U.S. Biathlon Team, will talk about the sport, its uniqueness and why the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center is such a vital venue.

We’ll then head to the sliding track at the Utah Olympic Park – known as one of the fastest in the world. Utah native Kaysha Love will talk about how she went from a top-tier high school and collegiate sprinter to becoming one of the best bobsledders in the world in just a few years.

Finally, we’ll talk about winning Olympic gold with 500m long-track speedskating star Erin Jackson. A Florida native, Jackson talks about her transition from inline skating to ice, tells the story about her improbable journey to Beijing to win gold, and relates (with a smile) her weekend ski experience at Deer Valley Resort.