- Utah Olympic leaders are studying Milan's operations to improve their 2034 Winter Games planning.
- The Utah Transit Authority is aiming for seamless transportation, learning from Milan's challenges with large crowds.
- State lawmakers and officials are also there to observe, to enhance policy decisions and enhance Games readiness.
MILAN — Inside Milan's massive Central Station, where marble floors meet towering ceilings, and thousands of travelers pass through each hour, Utah's Olympic planners are taking notes.
For the Utah Transit Authority, transportation is one of the most important pieces of the Olympic puzzle.
"It is beautiful to walk in here, but we all want a station where we can find our way easily and trains are on time. That's the most important thing for a traveler," said Jay Fox, executive director of UTA. "The Utah Transit Authority is going to be moving everybody in the Games."
Fox said watching Milan's system operate during the Olympics has been eye-opening.
"As big as I thought it was, it's even bigger," he said.
Fox said UTA's goal in 2034 is simple: He wants to make transportation feel effortless.
"We want transportation to be seamless, that you don't ever think about where you're going," he said.
Officials are paying close attention to how Italy handles moving large crowds between urban venues and mountain sites.
In Cortina, where some events are held, bus transportation has presented challenges. Many buses are often packed, forcing people to wait for the next bus, which then is often full as well.
"Having the opportunity to see mountain operations in Cortina is going to be very beneficial for us," said Andres Colman, UTA's chief operating officer. "I have a lot of questions, a lot of things I need to learn, to make sure we can do it seamlessly."
Colman has personal ties to the Olympics. He joined UTA just before the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
"Oh, the Olympics is the reason I'm at UTA," he said.
State lawmakers are also participating in the Observer Program, using the experience to better understand what Utah will need in the coming years.
"The Olympic Observer Program allows future host committees to observe what the current host committee is doing," said Rep. Jon Hawkins,R-Pleasant Grove.
Hawkins said seeing the preparations in person helps legislators understand how they can support the Games through policy decisions and funding.
"Especially around security," he said. "We just need to make sure that we're ready."
Utah Olympic leaders say the Games of 2034 will look very different from those held in 2002.
"There are 40% additional events compared to '02," said Colin Hilton, CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. "A lot of things have changed over the years in terms of how the Games operate at venues and a lot more hospitality spaces, a lot more (of) what we call fan engagement."
Hilton said even those who worked on the 2002 Games are learning new approaches.
"There's always things to learn from those who are hosting a Games," he said.
About 80 members of Utah's 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Committee, as well as Utah state leaders, are in Italy as part of the Olympic Observer Program.
The committee is also learning how Milan is managing venue operations, signage, and other critical systems during the Games.
Utah's planning efforts for 2034 have already drawn praise from international officials.
Last week, members of the International Olympic Committee told Utah organizers to slow down because they may be moving too quickly since they are so far ahead of schedule.
State and transit leaders say the feedback is encouraging, but they remain focused on improving.
"We are already very well prepared," said Fox. "What we're learning is really how to refine as opposed to how to do it."
