- The Utah 2034 Olympic Committee visited Milan to learn from the 2026 Winter Games.
- Chairman Fraser Bullock emphasized creative thinking for hosting a successful 2034 Olympics.
- Utah representatives studied infrastructure, mobility and venue management at Italian Games.
MILAN — While nearly a third of Team USA's more than 200 athletes competing in the Winter Olympics have Utah ties, Utah's future Olympic hosts are also making a strong showing in Italy.
Not to compete, but to learn.
The Utah 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Committee has been invited to Milan and other cities hosting the 2026 Winter Games to observe how the Italians are preparing, with the goal of bringing those ideas back home.
Utah 2034 Chairman Fraser Bullock said the committee is focused on thinking creatively as it prepares to host the world.
"Let's dream big," Bullock said. "Let's think of new ideas and things to make this exciting for everybody."
About 80 members of the Utah 2034 Committee, along with state, county and local officials, are attending the Games in Italy.
Transportation leaders from UDOT and UTA are attending to study mobility and infrastructure ideas. Representatives from Park City, Summit County and Ogden are also there to see how host cities outside of Milan are handling competitions and community celebrations. Ski Utah and other Utah ski industry leaders are also taking a look at the mountain centers and what can be learned from venue managers.
Some Utah 2034 members will even take part in the Olympic torch relay.
Others are participating in the International Olympic Committee's "Observer Program," which provides future host committees with an inside look at how the Milan-Cortina Olympic Committee operates behind the scenes.
Bullock said the large Utah presence shows the state's commitment to hosting successful Games.
"It's really different groups of people," Bullock said. "Like it's our venue operators and owners. They want to go there. They're paying their own way, but they want to see the Games. They can already feel that it's coming. So, they want to see what's being done over there. They can learn from that. It's always great to learn, so having more people go is great."
The goal, organizers said, is to make sure Utah is ready when the world arrives in 2034.
