Utah has spent $46m of $53m Olympic venue grants, lawmakers told

The Division of Facilities and Construction Management, or DFCM, briefed the Legislature's Transportation & Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday about Olympic facilities. Andy Marr, the DFCM executive director, said the agency was asked to report on what the state has invested and what it plans to invest.

"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."

The Legislature appropriated roughly $53 million in grants for venue upgrades. So far, $46 million has been spent, leaving about $7 million. The money has gone to expansion and upgrades at Utah Olympic Park, upgrades at Soldier Hollow and new signage at all venues for the 2034 Winter Games. It is also being spent on improvements at Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, the Weber County Sports Complex and the Maverik Center in West Valley City.

Maverik Center cost still being calculated

Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, pressed DFCM on the Maverik Center, which is slated to host figure skating. "I assume that we're going to need funds for the Maverik center going forward," Wilson said. "Do you have any ideas what we're going to be looking at for the Maverik Center to use for the Olympics?" Colin Hilton, chief executive of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, which operates some venues, told lawmakers the figure was still being calculated.

After the briefing, Hilton told FOX 13 News that venue upkeep may cost $50 million more. He said the work was being done economically and frugally. He compared Utah with Lake Placid in upstate New York, which he said received $900 million of improvements to do the same thing. "For doing things for less than $100 million in our state? We're doing really well," Hilton said.

Why the state is paying

The Utah 2034 Committee for the Games is raising private funds to run the Olympics and Paralympics. Taxpayer funds are still going to infrastructure because many venues are publicly owned, and the state faces costs for transportation, public safety and other needs to stage the Games. Unlike many other cities, Utah has not let its venues fall into disrepair, and they are still in use decades after the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Hilton said the community uses the venues. "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," he said.

Economic case

Hilton argued the Games are an economic boost. Visitor spending at Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation sites is about $132 million annually, he said, and the state is projected to get $6 billion over the 10-year run-up to the Games.

Background

The IOC awarded Salt Lake City the 2034 Winter Games at a session in Paris. The city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, and its sports venues from then still exist. Catherine Raney-Norman, chair of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, told Reuters before the award that polling showed over 80% public support and that the bid did not depend on new buildings. She said the Winter Olympics have grown by about 40% since Salt Lake City last hosted, with more sports and disciplines, but the existing venues could handle the extra events.