There are more than nine years before the 2034 Winter Olympics open.

And leaders in local government and the tourism industry in the Park City area are signaling they want assistance in preparing.

City Hall, the County Courthouse and the Park City Chamber/Bureau have launched a search for a consultant to create a plan for the Games that will be designed to cover a decade. The three identified competition venues in the Park City area — Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park — are also involved in the effort to tap a consultant.

The deadline for submissions is Aug. 30. The request for proposals seeks a consultant “to develop a comprehensive 10-year action plan aimed at preparing our community to host the Winter Olympic Games.” The parties want the plan to encompass a wide range of issues, including planning for the Games, infrastructure considerations, logistical elements, the impact on the economy and the environment.

“Hosting the 2034 Winter Olympic Games once again presents unique opportunities to showcase our community on the global stage, enhance local infrastructure, increase quality of life amenities, and promote economic vibrancy,” the request for proposals says.

The scope of the work is broad. The parties want a consultant to address numerous issues that will be raised with the Games, including identifying “strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to hosting the Winter Olympic Games.” The consultant will be tasked with assessing the current infrastructure as well as “the need for new or upgraded sports venues, accommodations, transportation systems, and other critical infrastructure.” Another key assignment will be to craft a “timeline and roadmap” for the implementation of the plan over the next decade.

Some of the other topics the consultant will be expected to cover include:

  • Developing “strategies to minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability.”
  • Analyzing “the potential economic impact of hosting the Winter Olympic Games on the local economy.”
  • Developing a financial plan
  • Identifying “potential risks and challenges associated with hosting the Winter Olympic Games, including threats to security and safety.”

The consultant will also be asked to gather additional input from the public about the Games, using engagement tools like surveys, public meetings, workshops and focus groups.

The parties want a final report, with recommendations and the plan covering the next 10 years, before Jan. 15. Submittals are scheduled to be evaluated from Aug. 31 until Sept. 13, with a notice of an award of a contract tentatively slated for Sept. 16. It was not clear early in the week what sort of price tag may be attached to an agreement with a consultant.

The effort to draft a consultant is an early, and likely important, example of cooperation between City Hall, the County Courthouse and the other parties. The sides have appeared interested in collaboration through much of the discussion about hosting a second Games in the state, and a joint effort like the one underway to hire a consultant could ultimately be seen as a key step at the outset of the preparations.

The Park City area will have outsized importance to the Games, as was the case during the Winter Olympics in 2002. The three competition venues will be expected to keep the community on the event grid throughout the Games. The area will also be crucial to the transportation, security and celebration plans.

The International Olympic Committee in July awarded the Games of 2034 to Salt Lake City. The decision had been anticipated for months. Although Park City and Summit County leaders had been discussing the prospects of a Games, the actual awarding of the event moved the talks from the bidding stage to the planning for the Olympics.