Park City leaders on Tuesday are scheduled to consider authorizing what is known as a guarantee letter related to the efforts to host a Winter Olympics in the state, a document that would essentially outline in broad terms commitments by City Hall to assist in the staging of a Games.
The authorization of a guarantee letter would be an early formal step by the municipal government as Salt Lake City and the wider region continue the talks about staging a second Games, perhaps in 2030 or 2034. The Park City area is a key component of the overall bid, with Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park identified as major competition venues. The area would also be crucial to transportation, security and celebration planning.
Park City’s current slate of elected officials and earlier ones have generally backed the concept of a second Olympics, but the discussions are becoming more detailed with the International Olympic Committee needing to make decisions about the hosts of the Games in 2030 and 2034.
The three-page guarantee letter drafted by City Hall, addressed to IOC President Thomas Bach and proposed to be signed by Mayor Nann Worel, indicates Park City “stands ready to help facilitate” a range of issues within the city. The points in the guarantee letter cover a list of logistical matters and broader topics. A City Hall report drafted in anticipation of the meeting describes guarantee letters as documents that “confirm information and obligations from public authorities and other organizations.” The letters are designed to “enhance” the bid, the report says.
City Hall said there are no municipal financial commitments associated with the guarantee letter.
The language in the proposed City Hall guarantee letter includes:
• the “Non-discrimination towards persons with reduced mobility; that national and international accessibility standards will be applied for the Games and that accessibility will be fully integrated into the planning and construction phases of any new venue.”
• “The delivery of (i) power, (ii) telecommunications infrastructure, (iii) fixed and mobile telecommunication capacity as well as (iv) frequencies, in an appropriate level and quality to meet the needs of the Olympic Games, accompanied by corresponding support services.”
• “The secure and peaceful celebration of the Games, and to provide all the required services to this effect, including efficiently preventing and addressing any type of security threats related to the Games, including with regard to physical and cyber security (concerning without limitation accredited persons and all Games-related information and telecommunication services and infrastructure) . . .”
• “The protection of the health and safety of Games participants, media, other accredited persons, and spectators (including in case health and safety are threatened due to a pandemic or other major health crisis, terrorism or other forms of violence, natural disaster, or any other cause of major importance); Park City’s responsibility for all aspects of medical and health services related to the Games; and the ability for team physicians to treat their national delegation within Park City if necessary during the period of the Games.”
• “The protection of Olympic Properties within Park City through adequate and continuing legal protection of Olympic Properties within Park City in the name of the IOC; appropriate legislation to ensure the protection of the IOC’s rights and interests in relation to the Games (such as, without limitation, regarding protection against unauthorized street trading, unauthorized ticket resale, unauthorized live sites, and public viewing events, unauthorized broadcast or retransmission of Games images, ambush marketing, and counterfeit merchandise; and securing of advertising space); and procedures and remedies allowing for timely resolution of disputes.”
• “The respect of the Olympic Charter, including the IOC Code of Ethics in all activities related to the organization of the Games, acknowledging the prohibition of any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
• “The assurance that human rights shall be protected and respected in all activities related to the organization of the Games. Any violation of human rights will be remedied in a manner consistent with international agreements, laws, and regulations applicable within Park City, and in a manner consistent with all internationally recognized human rights standards and principles, including the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, applicable within Park City.”
The meeting on Tuesday is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Marsac Building. The elected officials are slated to take public input prior to a potential vote. More information about the meeting is available on the City Hall website, www.parkcity.org. The direct link to the agenda is: https://granicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/parkcity/2fdc464c44400a5c2e393b236013cc7e0.pdf.