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SALT LAKE CITY — Lt. Gov Deidre Henderson never went to any of the Winter Olympics events when they were taking place not terribly far away from her home in 2002.
Henderson remembers being excited about Utah being on the world stage, but she was also a young mother taking care of four children all under 7 at the time. She opted for hosting an opening ceremony viewing party at her home instead, which became even more memorable when one of her friends started going into labor during the event and had her little "Olympics baby."
These are lasting memories she has of the 2002 Games. And while she's never been to an Olympics event in person, she knows many people who also have positive stories about it.
"This is what the Olympics means to all of us. We all have a personal story," she said, reflecting on that moment 22 years later. "The Olympics is a part of who we are as anything else in our state. This is who we are."
International Olympic Committee leaders also had a positive experience with the 2002 Winter Olympics, which remains the highest-attended winter sports event ever. Karl Stoss, chairman of the IOC's Future Host Commission, said Utah "holds a special place in our hearts" because of how successful the Games ended up.
That 2002 success is one reason why Salt Lake City is now in line to host the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Members of the Future Host Commission met with the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games on Wednesday ahead of a multiday tour of Salt Lake City and Wasatch region facilities and infrastructure months after Utah's capital city was named the "preferred host" of the global event.
The festivities started with a get-to-know-each-other opening presentation at Rice-Eccles Stadium, which ultimately turned into more of a pitch meeting, as state, local and Olympic leaders sold Salt Lake City and Utah to the IOC. Key highlights include the proximity of all the venues, all of which will be within a one-hour drive from the designated Olympic Village at the University of Utah, and efforts to improve renewable energy in the region.
The Games would also focus on "unity" while the committee would work to find a way to improve the ability for families to join athletes at Olympic events, according to the committee.
A proposed budget and the economics of the event will be discussed later this week, according to Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee. Those figures will likely be released publicly in the coming months.
Stoss called the committee's presentation an "impressive demonstration" after hearing all the details and personal stories from the local delegation, adding that he believes Salt Lake City is "on the right track."
But what may help Utah the most is how 2002 played out.
"You have experience. ... In our opinion, that's a big advantage," said Einars Fogelis, president of the International Luge Federation, and representing other sports federations this week.
After the presentation ended, Stoss told reporters that Utah's ability to host the Games with no new venues and the proximity of the proposed venues are also important selling points that the Olympic committee values. He added that he could feel the "spirit" of the 2002 Games was still strong two decades later. Utah's enthusiasm for hosting the Games appears to be another big advantage.
The only question is how long that will last as the 2034 event is still a decade away.
"I think the greatest challenge you have is to maintain that enthusiasm over 10 years," said Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi, adding that he believes steps should be taken in the coming years to keep interest in the event alive.
Overall, Bullock left the opening presentation feeling good about Utah's chances.
He raised his arm toward the ceiling when asked if he could rate his confidence level.
"We could see how much they love Utah and how much they love the relationships that we've put together," he said. "We feel like we're in a great spot."
