Utah's olympic and paralympic legacy
America's choice
Salt Lake City, host of the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, has been selected by the United States Olympic Committee as “America’s Choice” for a future Winter Olympic and Paralympic bid, further solidifying Utah as The State of Sport.
Utah's Continuing Olympic Legacy
Salt Lake City’s 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games engaged hundreds of thousands of spectators and over 2.1 billion global broadcast viewers. The Games provided a significant economic boost to the state, legacy and its brand, and impact is still felt today. Rooted in an athletes-first philosophy, Utah’s sports culture continues to attract athletes from around the world to train and compete in a welcoming atmosphere. The Olympic and Paralympic spirit and its values are part of the fabric of Utah’s community.
The world-class venues built for the Games have seen continual use and upgrades. Since 2002, over 50 international World Cup or World Championship events have been held in Utah, supported by a pool of skilled volunteers. For example, the 2019 World Championships in snowboard, freestyle and freeski attracted 1,800 athletes and staff from 40 nations and engaged 500 local volunteers.