By Nick Zaccardi

The Winter Olympics and Paralympics are returning to Salt Lake City, which was elected host of the 2034 Winter Games on Wednesday.

IOC members voted to award the Games to the Utah capital, which was also the most recent U.S. host of the Winter Games in 2002. They also awarded the 2030 Winter Games to the French Alps region on the condition of an expected final government approval.

For Salt Lake City, Wednesday’s election was the culmination of a six-year process. It began with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee choosing it as its next Winter Games bid back in 2018.

Then last November, the IOC announced that Salt Lake City was recommended for “targeted dialogue” about hosting the 2034 Games, overseen by the IOC Future Host Commission.

After successful talks, the IOC Executive Board announced in June that it recommended IOC members to vote on Salt Lake City’s election at this week’s session in Paris, two days before the Paris Olympic Opening Ceremony.

“I think Salt Lake City would be ready to start the Olympic Winter Games tomorrow,” IOC Future Host Commission chair Karl Stoss said last month, lauding the area’s readiness.

SEE MORE: How to watch the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics: TV and stream schedule

As for the 2030 Games, the French Alps region (including Nice) is now in line to become the official host once a government guarantee is delivered. The current French government situation – separate from the Games – does not allow that to be done formally yet.

French Olympic Committee President David Lappartient expressed confidence that the approval will come once the government situation is settled. 

The Games delivery guarantee deadlines are Oct. 1 (for it to be signed by the Prime Minister) and March (ratified by the French parliament).

French President Emmanuel Macron added his full support as part of the French Alps 2030 presentation group at the IOC session on Wednesday.

“We will deliver,” Macron repeated.

Like Salt Lake City, the French Alps bid was recommended for targeted dialogue last November and for a vote last month.

Under recent Games host bidding reforms, the IOC can enter targeted dialogue with what it deems a “preferred host” candidate rather than holding a traditional bid race with multiple candidates all the way through a final IOC members vote.

The next Winter Games in 2026 will be in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.

Salt Lake City will host the Winter Games six years after another U.S. city (Los Angeles) hosts the Summer Games. That’s the same gap as in 2002, when Salt Lake City hosted after Atlanta had the 1996 Summer Games.

Like in 2002, the Salt Lake City venue plan has the University of Utah’s football stadium holding Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Utah Jazz arena for figure skating and short track speed skating and many skiing and snowboarding events in Park City, a 45-minute drive east of the state capital.

Every competition venue will be within a one-hour drive of the athletes’ village at the University of Utah.

Additionally, for the first time, there will be an athletes’ family village at the Games (near the athletes’ village).

“Utah loves the Games and what they mean to the world,” Fraser Bullock, the Salt Lake City 2034 President and CEO and Salt Lake City 2002 COO and CFO, said at the IOC session. “It has been our dream to be here back in front of you almost ever since we submitted our final report for the 2002 Games.”

Source: wralsportsfan.com