A steering committee that will play a key role in the 2034 Winter Olympic effort includes a list of people with ties to the Park City area, providing the community early influence in the work toward hosting a second Games in the state.
The Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on Wednesday named the steering committee members. The figures from the Park City area represent government, the winter-sports field and business. Some have been notable names for years.
Mayor Nann Worel was named to the steering committee and was tapped as the vice chair of a Host Communities Committee, with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall as the chair. Worel’s presence on the steering committee and the Host Communities Committee ensures that a representative of the municipal government itself has an important post in the Games organizing structure.
“I am honored to represent Park City as vice chair of the Host Communities Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. While there is a decade-long road ahead, this is an exciting step in laying the foundation for what will undoubtedly be a successful Games,” Worel said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to collaborating with outstanding community leaders, athletes, and experts — while also listening to our residents throughout the journey to ensure these Games reflect the spirit of our community. I’m excited to get started tomorrow!”
Another steering committee member connected to Park City is Colin Hilton, the president and CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. The foundation oversees the Utah Olympic Park, the Utah Olympic Oval and the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, which were venues during the Games in 2002 and are identified as competition locations for the Games in 2034. Hilton also was a high-level staffer in the organizing committee that staged the Games in 2002 and, afterward, was a staffer at the Marsac Building. Hilton will chair a committee that will be tasked with issues related to sport and venues.
Nathan Rafferty, the president and CEO of Ski Utah, was named to the steering committee. He is a Park City resident. Winter Olympic skiing champion Ted Ligety, who hails from Park City, and Winter Paralympic champion monoskier Chris Waddell, a longtime Parkite, were also named.
The others with links to Park City are CHG Healthcare CEO Scott Beck, packaging company Packsize CEO David Lockwood, and Matthew Prince, the CEO of cybersecurity firm Cloudflare. Prince owns The Park Record with wife Tatiana Prince and will lead a committee dedicated to technology and innovation.
The steering committee does not include representatives of the governments of Summit County or Wasatch County, where competition venues are also planned.
The naming of the steering committee followed shortly after the seating of the organizing committee’s board. That group included several people with links to the Park City area but not the wider area representation that is included on the steering committee. The Park City area, with three competition venues, holds a large role in the overall Games. It will be crucial to the transportation, security and celebration plans, as was the case in 2002.
Fraser Bullock, the executive chair and president of the organizing committee, noted the broad background of the people named to the steering committee on Wednesday. He said the group will meet with the board of the organizing committee on a quarterly basis. The steering committee will hold an advisory role.
“The steering committee will play a vital role in the years leading up to 2034,” Bullock said. “It allows us to bring in a broad range of expertise and perspectives across many topics that will be paramount to our success.”