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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Salt Lake City leader and an entrepreneur both say the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver have the best potential to compare to the success of the Salt Lake Games in 2002.
They say the Canadians have been very proactive in making sure the 2010 games will be remembered -- with help from Utah.
Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, said, "Salt Lake literally set the benchmark for all Olympics, doesn't matter summer or winter."
Still, Beattie admits Vancouver could give the Salt Lake City Games a run for the money: Vancouver has been working on their games for nearly a decade.
"I consulted with Vancouver since our Olympics were over," he said.
Beattie has been to Vancouver several times, answering questions like, How do you bring the Olympic spirit to your state? And, Why were the Salt Lake Games so successful?
His answer: the people.
"There is something unique about Utah citizens and friendliness and welcoming the world," Beattie said. "People were excited about it."
Maxine Turner's company, Cuisine Unlimited, was the official caterer for the USA House during the Salt Lake Games and Torino Games.
"We volunteered our time and services, spoke to women's groups, professional organizations," Turner said. "They really looked to us as a source to helping small businesses within the province."
Turner says she's been impressed with how proactive the Vancouver Organizing Committee was in learning from Salt Lake's Games, and she's sure it will pay off.
"I really think they will be second to Salt Lake City," she said.
And Beattie's only advice to Vancouver: "Simply to welcome the world. There comes a time where all the planning is done, and things will go wrong, but they will have enough things go right."
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
