The IOC had a problem finding a host county for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
Congratulations to France and the United States as your countries are going to have the honor of hosting the Winter Olympics. The French Alps region of France will get the Winter Olympics nobody really wanted. The 2030 version of the international sports’ corporate bazaar and Salt Lake City, which is spending an enormous amount of taxpayers’ money on renovating the city’s arena and helping to fund an arena-village, is getting the 2034 Winter Olympics. In Utah, local organizers have been talking up just how much of an economic impact, to the tune of $6 billion, the Winter Olympics will have on Utah. The organizers have forgotten though the 2002 Winter Olympics when locals bailed and local businesses lost money during the corporate sports bazaar. Olympians stay in the Olympic Village and people who go to the events do not spend too much time shopping at local businesses. A study of the economic impact of the Summer Olympics in London, England in 2012 did not paint a bright picture of the event. The overall tourist numbers were down on previous summers and many retailers reported lighter than expected activity. Yes, London did get some new train routes but the city needed it anyway and would have added mass transit even if the International Olympic Committee’s big show did not come to town.
It is getting harder to find cities and countries that want the IOC’s event. The IOC thought Sapporo, Japan might want the 2030 event or perhaps Switzerland or maybe Ukraine before it was invaded. Salt Lake City organizers said they would take the 2030 event but really, they would rather have the 2034 Games. The IOC President Thomas Bach is getting annoyed that taxpayers do not want his show in town as he claimed that the awarding of the Olympics has become too politicized. The Games must go on.
Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics
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