Main Street was one of the attractions during the 2002 Winter Olympics and it will almost certainly draw the crowds when the Games return in 2034, though the specifics of the street’s eventual Winter Olympic role are not known.
Utah 2034, the committee organizing the Winter Olympics, this week released a document called the Games Plan, covering numerous topics related to the upcoming work in the region. The Games Plan uses the term “live sites” as it addresses the celebrations that will be planned alongside the competitions.
The document provides limited details about the possibilities of the live sites, but the inclusion is notable nonetheless.
Live sites are typically centralized locations where crowds gather to celebrate large special events like an Olympics. They usually involve entertainment, sponsor installations, photo opportunities and other attractions. Live sites also are oftentimes free to attend, meaning people with or without tickets to the actual special events can be part of the excitement.
Park City is expected to be one of the central hubs of the 2034 Games. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park are identified as competition venues. The community will also be crucial to the transportation, security and celebration plans. Main Street is widely expected to be an important element to the overall plans for the Park City area.
The efforts to date have been at a high level, with the bid committee that secured the Games and the organizing committee addressing tasks like creating the conceptual venue map, the fundraising work and relationship building. The Games Plan released this week continues that work but also broaches topics that will be important as various parties begin considering the early details.
The passages in the Games Plan noting live sites include:
- “Collaborate with Utah communities to design celebrations and live sites that welcome everyone to experience the spirit of the Games.”
- “Collaborate with cities and commercial partners to deliver a statewide network of live sites and city celebrations that extend the Games experience beyond competition venues and provide free or low-cost access to Games viewing and celebration. Public live sites provide unique opportunities for communities and commercial partners to showcase how they interpret and interact with the Games and its brand.”
The organizing committee this week said there is not a precise timeline for the operational elements of the Games, such as the design of the live sites. Operational elements like live sites are anticipated to be crafted in 2030 and 2031, the organizing committee said.
It seems certain the eventual planning for live sites would involve heavy consideration of Main Street for one of the locations. The shopping, dining and entertainment strip is a natural gathering spot during large events, offering a quaint, scenic backdrop for crowds. It is also within walking distance to the venues at Park City Mountain and Deer Valley, and on bus routes that will be important during the Games.
Main Street has been a traditional anchor during large events like the Park City Kimball Arts Festival and Sundance Film Festival as well as for celebrations such as Independence Day and Miners Day.
The street was also the location of a pedestrianized celebration zone during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The celebration zone 24 years ago was wildly popular, drawing more than 500,000 people. There were temporary sponsor setups like a Coca-Cola pin-trading building and a Chevy Hot Zone, the Budweiser Clydesdales wowed the crowds and there were fireworks in the evenings. Main Street during the Games in 2002 likely provided a preview at some level of a sort of live site that could be considered for 2034.
Any discussions in Park City about live sites, perhaps one on Main Street, would ultimately need to address a wide range of issues. The organizers of a live site on Main Street, as an example, would have to ensure there remains access to businesses, residences and lodging properties. There would likely be some sort of restricted vehicular access to the neighborhood surrounding Main Street. The programming — possibly temporary sponsor installations, concerts and video boards — would need to be devised. Logistical matters, like deliveries to businesses and access to the Main Street post office, would also require planning.
Some of the interest groups that would be involved in the discussions include business owners in the Main Street core, the workforce, Old Town residents and the organizing committee itself.
The Park City municipal government is in the early stages of preparing for the Games and sent a delegation to the Winter Olympics in Italy in February. The travelers learned about aspects of the planning and execution of a Games, including the celebrations. The Alpine community of Cortina d’Ampezzo, an internationally known mountain resort, was of special interest since it in some ways resembles Park City.