The Park City area more than a month ago could have already learned whether there is a need for infrastructure improvements for the 2034 Winter Olympics.
And by then, there could have also been information available about the economic impact the Games may bring. But as work continues on the Games, the timing of one step that was seen as key in the Park City area remains unclear.
City Hall, the County Courthouse and the Park City Chamber/Bureau last summer were preparing to tap a consultant to draft a 10-year plan to prepare for the upcoming Winter Games. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park — the three competition venues in the Park City area — were also involved.
The request for proposals was issued in late July, just days after the International Olympic Committee awarded the Games of 2034 to Salt Lake City, and the submission deadline was Aug. 30. The Chamber/Bureau shortly afterward indicated the hiring of a consultant would be delayed.
The tourism organization at the time said there was “tremendous” interest in the request for proposals, but unspecified “clarifying questions” played a role in the decision to delay the effort. The Chamber/Bureau said then it was best to “revisit the scope of work and re-issue the RFP at a later date. A more comprehensive and refined scope of work will ensure that we receive the deliverables that are most productive for our community.”
But six months later, it is not clear what sort of timeline the Chamber/Bureau and the others involved in the original request for proposals will follow, even as the broader Winter Olympic work in the state is advancing. The board of the organizing committee was named in mid-February and announcements of the rosters of groups that will operate under the umbrella of the organizing committee are pending.
In response to a Park Record inquiry, the Chamber/Bureau this week said it was “holding off on any further discussions around the RFP until we know more about the next steps from the organizing committee.”
The Chamber/Bureau added it was “very excited about the announcement of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.” It is not known when the organizing committee will outline the information sought by the Chamber/Bureau before it would potentially proceed with the request from last summer for proposals or draft a second one to release.
The Park City area will have an outsized role in the Games, as was the case during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park are identified as competition venues. The area will also be crucial to the transportation, security and celebration plans.
The hiring of a consultant was expected to be an early but important step for the Park City area. Although it is likely staffers at City Hall and the County Courthouse will eventually be assigned broad Games-related duties, the consultant’s work would have provided a foundation of sorts for the community.
The request for proposals from last summer called for the tentative noticing of an award of a contract in the middle of September. The work would have been completed by Jan. 15.
The plan would have addressed a wide range of issues the community will eventually encounter as it readies for the Games. Some of the topics it would have covered included:
- Assessing “the need for new or upgraded sports venues, accommodations, transportation systems, and other critical infrastructure.”
- Analyzing “the potential economic impact of hosting the Winter Olympic Games on the local economy.”
- Creating “a timeline and roadmap for implementing the action plan over the next 10 years.”