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Show Ill® .F OCUS: CONVOCATION THE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL• SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY• WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1996 THE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL• SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY• WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1996 FOCUS: CONVOCATION lllll Salt Lake City bid brings firsts in Olympic history Impact of 2002 Winter Olympics on southern Utah is Convo topic Among those is Salt Lake's advance preparation By JENNIFER MORLEY ASSISTANT EDITOR On June 16, 1995 in Budapest, Hungary, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch announced Salt Lake City as the host city for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. A roar of cheers rose from the other side of the world, in downtown Salt Lake City, where a crowd of nearly 60,000 had gathered at the City-County Building-creating the largest celebra.t ion Salt Lake City had ever witnessed. After 30 years of work, five national campaigns to the United States Olympic Committee and three international campaigns to the IOC, Salt Lake's Olympic dream had come true. On February 9-24, 2002, Salt Lake City will host the XIX Olympic Winter Games with over 2,000 athletes from approximately 85 nations competing in approximately 75 medal events, which will be taking place in 10 sports venues. With Salt Lake's Olympic Bid come several firsts in Winter Olympic history. N ever before has a city been so ready to stage the Winter Olympics so far in advance. Never before has a city the size of Salt Lake City been named as host to the Winter Olympics; and never before has a city been named as host to the Olympic Winter Games by such a large first-vote margin (Salt Lake City, 54; Sion, Switzerland and Ostersund, Sweden, 14; Quebec, Canada, 7). Turn-of-the-century immigrants from Norway and Sweden blazed the Olympic trail with their ski jumping Mike Korologos, a member of Salt Lake City's Olympic Organizing Committee, will speak at 11 a.m. in the SUU Auditorium exploits, but the serious business of attracting the Olympic Winter Games to Salt Lake was launched in 1966 when the city sought the 1972 Games. Mostly a publicity stunt, that was the first of five attempts at grasping the Olympic rings. Although Salt Lake won the nomination from the United States. Olympic Committee, the IOC selected Sapporo, Japan. In 1973, Salt Lake made a second attempt but lost the U.S. Olympic Committee nomination for the 1976 Games to Denver, Colorado. Denver withdrew in 1974 and On Tune 16, 1995, nearly 60,000 people gathered at the City-County Building in Salt Lake became the U.S. downtown Salt Lake City to hear the announcement of the host city for the 2002 candidate city, but lost the Olympic Winter Games. international race to Innsbruck, Austria. In June 1995, Salt Lake City presented the IOC a mature Salt Lake's third try was in 1985 when it competed bid that included an infrastructure that was in place, eight against Anchorage, Alaska; Reno, Nevada; and Lake Placic of nine required venues either in place or under New York to become the U.S. candidate for the 1992 or construction, a population base of more than one million, a 1994 Olympic Winter Games. Anchorage won that race bt sound budget, a commitment to expanding winter sports then lost to Albertville, France (1992) and Lillehammer, and a deep desire to welcome the world to its doorstep. Norway (1994). Salt Lake's long awaited dream was finally realized when on June 16 the IOC named the city as the host of the 2002 In 1991, Salt Lake was the U.S. candidate to host the Winter Olympics. 1998 games but lost by four votes to Nagano, Japan. SU professors have mixed feelings about Olympics By TIM ROBINSON CAMPUS EDITO R The significance of the 2002 Winter Olympics to non-Wasatch Front communities, and specifically southern Utah, will be one of the issues discussed at tomorrow's Convocation lecture at SUU. Mike Korologos, public information director for the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee, will speak on "2002 Winter Olympics: Impact and Implications to Southern Utah " at the free 11 a.m. Convocation in the SUU Auditorium. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. "Most people know that there will be major impact on such places as Salt Lake City, Ogden, Park C ity, and Provo; but there are plenty of questions about what the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics will mean to the rest of the state," Lana Johnson, director of lectures and special projects at SUU, said. "Mr. Korologos, who has been intimately involved in the movement, should be able to project some answers," Johnson added. Korologos worked for many years at the Salt Lake Tribune, where he served as assistant to the executive editor, and at the Evans Group; a marketing comm unications company, where he was executive vice president and public relations director. His articles on skiing and travel have I appeared in a variety of national and international publications. In addition, he was the 1992 Utah Ski Association Ski Journalist of the year. He is an honorary member of the Alf Engen Ski School in Alta, Ut., in recognition of his 'Most people know that there wm be major impact on such places as Salt Lake City, Ogden, Park City and Provo; but there are plenty of questions .a bout what the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics will mean to the rest of the state,' said Lana fobnson, SUU's director of lectures and special projects. donations/subsidies, 6 percent; and coin and stamp programs, 2 percent. Projections by the Utah Governor's Office of Planning and Budget foresee $ 1.724 billion in additional output from Utah's economy as a result of the Olympics. State and local governments are expected to r~alize about $108 million, primarily from sales, income, corporate, and fuel taxes. Venues for the Olympic events include the Delta Center in Salt Lake City (figure skating and ice hockey), the West Valley City Ice Arena (ice hockey and short track speed skating), the Oquirrh Park Oval in Kearns (speed skating), Salt Lake City's Cottonwood Heights Ice Arena (curling), Mountain Dell Park (biathlon, cross country, and Nordic combined events), the Utah Winter Sports Park near Park City (bobsled, luge, ski jumping, and N ordic combined), Park City and Dear Valley ski areas (slalom, giant slalom, freestyle, and snowboard competitions), and Snowbasin Ski Area at the top of Ogden Canyon (downhill and super G). "It is a little difficult to realize the immensity of this event," Johnson says. Approximately 10,000 representatives of the world's media are expected to be sending reports back to their readers or listeners or viewers." Korologos, a native of Salt Lake City, graduated from the University of Utah where he studied journalism and political science. When he's not skiing, golfing or traveling, he is writing magazine articles, his favorite pastime. 11 many contributions to skiing. He is also on the executive committee of the University of Utah's Ski Archives Program and serves on many other volunteer boards and committees. The $798 million budget for the Salt Lake City Games will be generated primarily from sponsorships, 43 percent; television rights, 39 percent; ticket sales, 10 percent; Most feel that hosting the 2002 event will bring good exposure to Utah, but fear the repercussions By MICHELLE CLEGG AND J. ARTHUR FIELDS SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Utah include new facilities and goodwill. "We have the nee· for public facilities," said Jensen, especially with Utah's growing population. A light rail system would certainly be a bonus if one is implemented to make the different site more accessible," said Stathis. "There will most definitely have to be some work done on the infrastructure in the Wasatch Front." ,; Among some of the renovations Stathis cited was Rice Stadium at the ~ University of Utah and sections of 1-15. which traverses the state. ~ However, Stathis said it would be ha1 ~ to gauge the impact of the games this f. south. ~ "It's hard to say how it will affect southern Utah." said Stathis, "I doubt that we will see any of the events this far south, but we might get some of the skiers who normally frequent the northern resorts. These folks may very well want to avoid all the hoopla and enjoy the slopes in peace down here. Cedar could very well benefit from this Hamlin has similar feelings. "I don't think there's going to be a great impact on southern Utah," he said. "All we're going to get (tourisq are passers through." If the Olympics happen to fail economically, however, Iron County will feel the effects. "I don't blame people in rural Utah for being opposed to it," said Jensen. 11 According to Thayne Robson, a University of Utah economist, "The Olympics will be a three week party." But not all Utah residents are sure they want to attend or even be invited. "I believe that in the short and long run the 2002 Winter Olympics will have a positive and long lasting effect on Utah as a whole," said Michael Stathis, assistant professor of behavioral and social sciences. "I'm in favor of it. I think it will be good exposure for the state," said Jim Jensen, assistant professor of accounting. Alan Hamlin, a professor of business, agrees but sees some potential harm. "The media could kill us because of our nature. We have got to accommodate them (foreigners). These people have different wants and needs." Stathis said that although many Utahns may become frustrated by the influx of people in the Salt Lake area, the benefits in the · form of federal funding will be here when the Olympics are nothing but a memory. "When I measure the pluses and the minuses, I see more pluses," said Jensen. Some of the additional pluses of holding the Olympics in c,, Among the negative aspects Stathis cited was the possible detrimental impact on the environment. In addition, he said that he would personally not want to be in the Salt Lake area during the games because of the crowds. Hamlin is also worried that the state will become overpopulated because of Utah's new-found fame. Stathis also wondered how the games would affect Winter Quarter at the University of Utah. According to Hamlin, the U of U would cancel classes for the three-week period. The vacant dorms will be used to accommodate Olympic guests.Another drawback of hosting the 2002 Olympics is it's business risk. "We, the taxpayers of Utah, are on the line for it," said Jensen. "It costs us all if it goes bad. Most Olympics don't make money." Hamlin agrees, "If the revenues don't come in, where is that money going to come from? There is no guarantee that we'll make money on this deal. It is not a certain thing." "Once the games start," Stathis said, "in spite of all the hassle and unpleasantness, I believe that it will generally be a neat experience." Jensen also believes that the games will be a good experience, but understands the opposing views. "You can make a good argument either way," he said. Hamlin is split on the debate. "I'm right in the middle of the road. It's a huge gamble, but if anyone can carry it off, it's us," he said. But in order for Utah to pull it off, a lot of support is needed from its citizens. Jensen said that the state would be smart to take advantage of its students at both BYU and the U of U. He said many of them have foreign culture experience and can help Olympic guests. "We've probably got the best volunteer ethic in the country," said Hamlin. |