SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers were briefed on how much it may cost to "freshen up" venues for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
During a briefing Tuesday before the Utah State Legislature's Transportation & Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee, the state's Division of Facilities and Construction Management updated lawmakers on Olympic venues.
"We were asked to provide a report to the committee on Olympic facilities and what we’ve invested and what we plan to invest in the future," said Andy Marr, DFCM Executive Director.
While the Utah 2034 Committee for the Games is raising private funds to run the Olympics and the Paralympics, there will still be some taxpayer funds spent on infrastructure. For example, many of the venues are publicly-owned facilities and there will be costs for transportation, public safety and other needs to stage a successful Games.
Unlike many other cities, Utah has not had its venues fall into disrepair. They are still in use, decades after the 2002 Winter Olympics.
"The community comes out and uses them and that’s a very different thing in our state where yes, the elite athletes use them but it’s a community recreation center for our youth," said Colin Hilton, the CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, which operates some of the venues.
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The Utah State Legislature appropriated roughly $53 million in grants for venue upgrades. So far, $46 million has been spent on things like expansion and upgrades at the Utah Olympic Park; upgrades at Soldier Hollow; and new signage at all venues for the 2034 Winter Games. Money is specifically being spent for improvements at the Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, the Weber County Sports Complex, and the Maverik Center in West Valley City.
But that may not be enough as Utah seeks to build up to the 2034 Olympics.
"I assume that we’re going to need funds for the Maverik center going forward," asked Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan. "Do you have any ideas what we’re going to be looking at for the Maverik Center to use for the Olympics?"
Hilton told him Tuesday that it was still being calculated. (The Maverik Center is slated to be the figure skating venue.)
Afterward, Hilton told FOX 13 News it may cost $50 million more for venue upkeep.
"We’re doing this very economically and very, quite frankly, frugally," he said. "In upstate New York, and Lake Placid, that just received $900 million of improvements to do the same thing. So for doing things for less than $100 million in our state? We’re doing really well."
Hilton argued that it's an economic boost in the state. Visitor spending to Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation sites is about $132 million annually and the state is projected to get $6 billion in a 10-year run-up to the Games, he said.
