It seemed likely by the fall of 2022 that Utah would be selected to host a second Winter Olympics, perhaps the Games of 2030 or those of four years later.

The blueprints for a Winter Olympics involved many existing facilities and there was overwhelming public support as a bid committee sought a Games.

Leaders in Park City and Summit County, though, wanted to learn about the community’s leanings regarding a second Games, holding a series of community conversations in person and online between September and November. The events, led by Mountain Mediation Center, drew nearly 140 people combined as the attendees spoke about hopes for a second Winter Olympics, as well as their concerns.

The exercise yielded a report in November of 2022 that now provides an intriguing look at the thinking of Parkites and people elsewhere in Summit County as they dwelled on the prospects of a Games.

The International Olympic Committee in July awarded the 2034 Winter Olympics to Utah, with the Park City area having a large role in the concept. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park are identified as competition venues for 2034 while the area will be critical to the transportation, security and celebration plans.

The award of the 2034 event was widely expected by the time of the IOC meetings in Paris on the eve of the Summer Olympics in the French capital. Park City and Summit County will shortly shift from the bid process to the planning for the Games. City Hall and the County Courthouse will with near certainty gather more public input about the Games in coming months, but the conversations in 2022 provide at least a benchmark of sorts illustrating the range of opinions about a Games.

Much of the input that was gathered in 2022 seems to remain relevant today, with many of the topics raised during the conversations being broad in nature and touching on issues that leaders are aware must be addressed during the upcoming Olympic work. There were comments about the Winter Olympics as an event, but there was also input, perhaps more telling, about the potential impact on the community of a second Games. There were also comments that reflected the current state of Park City as attendees appeared to begin linking community challenges of today and a future Games.

Some spoke about what they saw as the losing of character of the community, such as Park City no longer being a small town, a ski town or a historic town. There were worries about the possibility of a worsening disparity between socioeconomic classes with a second Games, the impacts on seniors and minorities and how the housing situation, already difficult for rank-and-file workers, could be influenced.

But others saw a second Games as something that could build pride in the community, provide monies for a range of improvements, inspire young athletes and further the area’s environmental efforts.

Concerns raised during the community conversations, as presented without names attached in the Mountain Mediation Center’s report in November of 2022, included:

• “Government will overlook the needs of the community in favor of growth/economics.”

• “Focus on making money, development, and growth hurts the community.”

• “Those who come will only be focused on business/money and not on community values.”

• “Developers, resorts, & realtors are the only ones who will receive benefits.”

• “How do we show equity and inclusion as we plan for the Games?”

• “Are the Games transactional or inspirational?”

• “What can be done now to ensure we will still have a winter for the Olympics?”

• “Locals with long-term housing needs will be kicked out in favor of short-term rental profits.”

• “Building athletic infrastructure to meet Olympic needs, but not community needs.”

• “Is the transportation infrastructure necessary for the Games the same infrastructure the community needs post-event?”

Some of the hopes that were raised during the community conversations, also as presented in the Mountain Mediation Center report:

• “Build community pride & bring the community together.”

• “Opportunity to engage with different cultures and learn from them.”

• “Many residents volunteered for/worked for/participated in the 2002 Olympics and have remained in Summit County.”

• “Funding can be put to the best use … used to build structures for the Olympics that can later become affordable housing.”

• “Bring in money and attention.”

• “Increase/attract diversity.”

• “Planning for an Olympics will be a catalyst for a greener Utah.”

• “Inspire the next generation of athletes.”

• “Improve transportation between Salt Lake City and Park City.”

• “Opportunity to increase sustainable transportation.”