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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's capital city is literally turning gold this week as members of the International Olympic Committee tour the Beehive State ahead of its decision on whether to formally name Salt Lake City the host of the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
A handful of Salt Lake buildings with lighting at the top, such as 111 Main and Walker Center, switched their lights to a golden hue Tuesday evening, while the top of the Salt Lake City and County was lit a mixture of red, white and blue. Others left lights on with a golden hue.
In all, several buildings will remain "in the hue of Olympic gold" every night through Saturday, according to the Salt Lake Chamber. It's an effort to "showcase support for hosting another Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games" and to welcome in the IOC, according to the organization.
The list of buildings that will be illuminated gold this week includes:
- Capitol Theatre
- City Creek Center
- Delta Center
- Liberty Sky
- Salt Lake City-County Building
- The Gateway
- Grand America Hotel
- Walker Center
- Wells Fargo Center
- 95 State
- 222 Building
Chamber officials say they welcome residents to do the same.
"The business community is wholeheartedly in support of hosting the 2034 Winter Games and this is a great way to demonstrate that resolve," Derek Miller, president and CEO at the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance, said in a statement.
The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games officially entered targeted dialogue with the IOC in December, days after the organization selected Salt Lake City as the "preferred host" of the 2034 Winter Olympics. Utah's committee filed its formal bid to host the 2034 global event during a meeting at the Utah Capitol's Gold Room on Feb. 29.
The bid includes several venues in Salt Lake City and across the Wasatch region, many of which were used during the 2002 Winter Olympics. IOC leaders are scheduled to tour the venues and different pieces of Salt Lake City's infrastructure beginning on Wednesday before they make a final decision.
IOC officials are scheduled to tour Rice-Eccles Stadium and Delta Center on Wednesday before touring venues in Park City and Midway on Thursday. The group will tour Snowbasin Resort in Weber County and the Olympic Oval in Kearns on Friday before a final press conference on Saturday.
The visit is a part of the organization's process to understand how prepared a city is to host the Olympics.
Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, said he believes downtown Salt Lake City going "gold" is a nice touch while IOC leaders are in town, showcasing the city and state's enthusiasm for the event.
"What great enthusiasm from our Salt Lake City business community. We want everyone in our entire state to feel the energy of bringing the Winter Games back to Utah," he said in a statement.
Salt Lake City is the only city in targeted dialogue with the IOC over the 2034 Games. The organization could officially award Salt Lake City the event as early as July.
