Article by Jay Hamburger for the Park Record (February 3, 2023)

Some in the greater Park City area see a second Winter Olympics in the state as an event that could bring transportation improvements and upgrades to the mountain resorts.

But the opinions collected during a series of gatherings in 2022 centered on the Games efforts illustrate there are also worries about the long-term impact another Olympics could have on Park City.

Mountain Mediation Center, which City Hall and the County Courthouse last year tapped to conduct what were dubbed community conversations, compiled the written comments and submitted them to the government leaders as part of a wider report centered on the work in 2022.

It appears there is the possibility of hosting a Games in 2030 or 2034. It is not clear when the International Olympic Committee will select the locations for those two years, but Salt Lake City is seen as a top contender for one of them. The Park City area would play a major role in a second Games, as was the case during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and leaders in Park City and Summit County have started to engage the community in discussions.

The Mountain Mediation Center released the comments without names attached but with ZIP codes identified. The comments were made in response to a question asking about what someone wanted to most communicate to City Hall and the County Courthouse about a future Olympics.

Some of the comments included:

• “Use the pressure of hosting the Olympics (looking good internationally) on state and national elected leaders to push projects that will benefit locals long after the games. Examples such as improvements to infrastructure, transportation, housing and changing antiquated state laws regarding women/minority representation,” written by someone in the 84036 ZIP code.

• “I do not believe the modern weather will be able to continue to support our current winter sport industry let alone an Olympic event,” written by someone in the 84096 ZIP code.

• “Please don’t let the lower income, housing insecure populations suffer. In fact, it would be great to see everyone have a chance to experience the Olympics in some way. All those that help us deal with the impacts of a quick and large influx of guests,” written by someone in the 84060 ZIP code.

• “Having the Olympics here will only benefit those in a certain wealth bracket. All of our local issues will be magnified (housing issues, transportation struggles, finding enough workers, water shortages). The impact that the 2002 Olympics had on our growth in turn greatly affected our environment negatively. Not sure we could handle the aftermath of a 2nd one . . . ,” written by someone in the 84098 ZIP code.

• “Let’s do it. It was a marvelous experience in 2002. We can figure out how,” written by someone in the 84098 ZIP code.

• “Regardless of all the financial benefits, burdens, issues and challenges associated with hosting the Olympic Games, they provide a unique, once in a lifetime experience for the youth and the population as a whole of our community for the ones who are willing to participate and keep an open mind about this opportunity. There are only a few communities which are given the chance to experience this event,” written by someone in the 84060 ZIP code.

• “Today’s problems are tomorrows Olympic problems,” written by someone in the 84060 ZIP code.

• “That it’s not fair or right to have all the same people involved in the first Utah Olympics who grew their own personal wealth and brands off the Games be the ones championing a current bid and essentially forcing even bigger versions of the same unintended consequences down our throats because it seems like the fun and Park City thing to do. The idea of a green Olympics is a fallacy. So too is the notion that businesses need the boost in 2022. If these same ski and Olympics cheerleaders can’t ideate or advocate for policy that would result in a future games leaving Summit County better off than it is right now, then we really don’t need a future games. Or at least we don’t need a raucous party or Olympic village or more artificial increases to housing prices in Park City,” written by someone in the 84060 ZIP code.

• “It’s an opportunity to unify, at a time where there’s so much division,” written by someone in the 84098 ZIP code.

• “Our most vulnerable citizens can never experience the joy of the Olympic events. In addition, they will be evicted from their homes during the Olympics,” written by someone in the 84098 ZIP code.

• “(Don’t) forget about locals, especially our underserved communities. Low income families should not be put at risk — either with shelter, food, or any other resource. It is imperative to prioritize our community,” written by someone in the 84060 ZIP code.

—

Click here to read this article on the Park Record website

The post Varied Input from Olympic Conversations appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Jay Hamburger for the Park Record (January 26, 2023)

For some in Park City and surrounding Summit County, the prospects of a second Winter Olympics in the state spur concern about the possibility of losing the character of the community.

But others see another Games as something that could galvanize the community and build pride.

The wide-ranging views of the efforts to host a Winter Olympics, perhaps as early as the event of 2030, are illustrated in a report that was released in recent days amid the continuing talks about a Games.

Leaders in Park City and Summit County desired the input as the International Olympic Committee continues to consider options for the Games of 2030 and those of four years later.

The especially noteworthy sections of the report cover what Mountain Mediation Center labels concerns about the Games and the hopes for an Olympics. The report provides generalized lists of the topics the crowds brought up during the community conversations in 2022.

The topics largely track the issues the Park City area has been attempting to address for years, since even prior to the Winter Olympics in 2002. The people who provided input appear to have been concerned about the impact of a second Games on topics like growth, traffic and the environment. Those sorts of issues have driven much of the conversations in the Park City area since at least the 1990s.

It has been expected for some time people in the Park City area would offer such disparate opinions about a second Olympics that it would be difficult to center on any singular hope or concern. Even more than 20 years after the Games of 2002, when the Park City area hosted upward of half of the competitions, there are split feelings. Many look back to the Games with pride and a sense of accomplishment, but others see the Olympics of 21 years ago as having exacerbated long-running concerns about growth, traffic, affordability and the impact of the tourism industry.

The meeting on Tuesday was a rare joint session between the elected officials in Park City and Summit County addressing the Olympic efforts. Both jurisdictions would be heavily involved in the planning for a Games and the staging of the event. The Olympic issues generally stretch through both Park City and Summit County, meaning the opinions outlined in the report are relevant to the leadership at the Marsac Building and the County Courthouse.

The elected officials during the meeting mentioned a series of topics, but the gathering did not appear to be the venue for a detailed discussion about the Games. Both Park City and Summit County are expected to individually continue to hold Olympic-related meetings.

Some of the comments by the elected officials on Tuesday touched on the possibility of leveraging a Games as community improvements are pursued, and a desire for further details about the demographics of the people who are participating in the Olympic talks.

Concerns outlined in the report include the possibility of “increasing socioeconomic disparity” and the idea there could be a “Post-event housing boom.” Hopes include “Planning for an Olympics will be a catalyst for a greener Utah” and “Improve transportation between Salt Lake City and Park City.”

Others include:

• a concern about losing community character, such as the area could ultimately be “No longer a small town,” “No longer a ski town” or “No longer a historic town.”

• a hope that Games-related funds can be “used to build structures for the Olympics that can later become affordable housing.”

• a concern that “Locals with long-term housing needs will be kicked out in favor of short-term rental profits.”

• a hope that planning for a Games “will be a catalyst for a greener Utah,” such as through “motivated green decision making” and the protection of land from development.

• a concern that “Developers, resorts, & realtors are the only ones who will receive benefits.”

• a hope that a Games can “inspire the next generation of athletes.”

It is not clear when the International Olympic Committee will select a host for the Games of 2030. The Lausanne, Switzerland-based organization has paused the process as it considers the longterm future of the Games, including the impact of climate change. A decision was expected in 2023, but the pause could lead to a delay in the selection.

The Park City area would play a major role in a second Olympics, as was the case in 2002. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park are identified as important competition venues in the plans for another Games. Park City would also be key to transportation, security and celebration planning.

—

Click here to read this article on the Park Record website

The post Wide Range of Opinions Yielded from Olympic Conversations appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

MMC’s Community Conversation series consisted of 8 Conversations, held in Park City, Heber, Coalville, Kimball Junction, and virtually. The Conversations occurred from mid-September into the beginning of November. Participants attended to discuss their hopes and concerns about a potential 2030/2034 Utah Winter Olympics.

The final report summarizes the Conversation planning and marketing process. The report also compiles a generalization of attendee’s thoughts about a future Utah Olympics and the other voices they suggested need to be heard as the City and County continue to seek input.

To read the minutes from the joint meeting, and to access MMC’s final report, click here.

The post The Utah Olympic Bid Final Report appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

The candidates running for Seat D are incumbent Chris Robinson and Holly McClure.

The candidates running for Seat E are Canice Harte and John “Jack” Murphy.

The question and their responses are below.

Representatives from the County Courthouse and City Hall have started a community conversation and listening series about Utah’s Olympic bid. Officials hope a 2030 or 2034 Winter Games would provide access to funding to advance areas such as transportation and housing. Please describe one step you would take to ensure Summit County is prepared for a future Olympics and two other priorities heading into a possible Games. 

Robinson: I was privileged to serve as a trustee for the 2002 Olympics. They were a huge success. We garnered international attention and respect.

A second Winter Olympics comes at a different time and circumstance. We are firmly planted on the world map and we don’t need more notoriety.

Unlike many host cities, our 2002 Olympic legacy is alive and well. Our venues are still very viable and have trained hundreds of young Olympians.

The best way to prepare for another Winter Games is to complete the conversation and listening series and to arrive at a shared community compact on why we want to host another Olympics and our goals for doing so. This compact should outline how the Olympics will serve as a catalyst for funding and implementing some of our heavy infrastructure lifts.

Once (if) we have agreed upon a community compact, we should create: (i) a Summit County/Park City organizational structure to shepherd the process and to negotiate the outcomes we desire, and (ii) detailed plans for what we as a community need in order for the Games to be a win-win for all involved, especially for our residents who at present are suffering from event fatigue.

McClure: I’m no fan of Olympic bids. As far as I can tell, they cost taxpayers billions of dollars before and after the games, with no benefit. The trend of the past several years is one where cities have been declining to make bids to host for this very reason. The Olympic Committee sells hosting as a boon to both infrastructure and tourism, yet the evidence demonstrates that tourism actually declines in games years. Even if tourism did increase — are we suffering in Summit County from a lack of tourism? Further, the infrastructure put in place to support the games has ongoing maintenance costs that last in perpetuity. Most cities struggle to afford this. Beijing has been famously scavenging its beautiful “nest” coliseum for construction materials because its regular use doesn’t generate enough income to cover the maintenance costs.

That said, I am not running for County Council to impose my personal ideas upon the people of Summit County. If elected, I would participate in the listening sessions and would serve our residents faithfully in the capacity that they desire, but they should be aware that I would not personally champion an Olympic bid.

————————————

Harte: We need to deepen our efforts around community outreach and listening sessions. Hear where people sit on the issue, lessons learned from 2022, what the priorities of the community are and how we can bring our collective ideas to fruition.

A priority will be to extract as many benefits as possible that will remain after the games are finished. How we move people around during the games can help us to address some of our critical transportation issues. But this must be done within a broader context of approved and planned development so that we’re looking at the needs and goals of our county and incorporating that as much as possible into transportation upgrades needed for the Olympics. Another priority is making sure the games are accessible for all Summit County residents – particularly our service industry and essential workers who are the backbone of our community. Finally, the environmental impacts of the Olympics are a key consideration that must inform decisions made around transportation, housing, waste management, etc. We have the potential to be a leader in this area while also advancing our own goals around carbon emissions and sustainability.

Murphy: 

• Summit County benefited from the 2002 Olympic Games (I agree with Doug Clyde on most of his assessment)
• Majority of benefits are a one-time event, literally and figuratively
  • additional Olympics hurt small businesses and local community
  • exacerbate our deteriorating quality of life
  • lower tourism
  • stipends for lowered tourism flow to companies that host not:
  • small and local businesses
  • locals

—

Click here to read the rest of the SEAT D article on the Park Record website

Click here to read the rest of the SEAT E article on the Park Record website

The post Olympic Conversations Referenced in Candidate Interviews appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Trevor Redd Smith for Town Lift (October 12, 2022)

PARK CITY, Utah — TownLift previously reported on the Park City Olympic Community Conversations that were designed to mediate productive community discussions about the possibility of another Winter Olympics in Utah. Park City will now hold two additional town halls on the subject to learn more about public sentiment surrounding Olympic bid.

The new meetings are scheduled for October 27 from 12-1 p.m. and November 1 from 12-1 p.m. Participants can attend the meetings over Zoom.

Similarly to the first series of town hall meetings, the newly scheduled two will be mediated and hosted by Mountain Mediation Center.

—

Click here to read this article on the Town Lift website

The post Park City to hold two additional town halls on Utah Olympic Bid appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Jay Hamburger for the Park Record (October 12, 2022)

Jeff Lee, a Jeremy Ranch resident, lived in Salt Lake City during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and supports the efforts for this region to host a second Games.

But Lee has concerns about the prospects of another Olympics impacting the affordability of the Park City area, where housing is already the most expensive in the state. Lee was one of the attendees at a recent gathering at the Park City Library that was part of a series of events billed as community conversations about an Olympics bid.

In an interview at the event, Lee said he is worried another Olympics would lead to more properties becoming vacation homes in the Park City area. A Games could exacerbate longtime Park City challenges, he said, explaining that he is concerned about young people’s ability to afford to live in Park City in the future.

The comments by Lee seem to encapsulate some of the concerns of a wider swath of the Park City community nearly four years after the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee selected Salt Lake City as the nation’s bid city for a future Winter Olympics. The Park City area would have a major role in a Games, including competition venues identified at Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park.

The recent event at the library was the sixth such gathering. Organizers said the events typically drew between 15 and 25 people each. City Hall and the County Courthouse tapped the Park City-based Mountain Mediation Center to manage the gatherings.

Mountain Mediation Center prohibited The Park Record from taking notes during the event at the library. A representative from the organization said the gatherings will be summarized in a report that will be provided to Park City and Summit County officials by the middle of November.

One of the issues broached at the library gathering was the slow times for business during the 2001-2002 ski season before and after the Games that February. The group did not seem to dwell on any one topic and instead repeatedly moved between subjects. The group included people from Park City and the Snyderville Basin.

Leaders in Park City and Summit County for months anticipated some sort of organized public outreach about the Olympic bid, and the current series of gatherings is expected to be followed by additional opportunities to provide input in some fashion.

The International Olympic Committee is expected to select the host of the Winter Olympics of 2030 sometime in 2023. Salt Lake City sees the 2030 event or the Games four years later as possibilities.

—

Click here to read this article on the Park Record website

The post Opinions Shared During Recent Olympic Conversations appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Kimberly Flores for KPCW (October 10, 2022)

The post Parkites share excitement, concerns over hosting Olympics again appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Michelle Deininger for KPCW (September 12, 2022)

The post Park City, Summit County collecting resident feedback on future Olympic Games appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Trevor Redd Smith for Town Lift (September, 9, 2022)

PARK CITY, Utah – In a press release from September 7, the Mountain Mediation Center announced a community conversation series in partnership with Park City and Summit County municipal governments regarding a Winter Olympics in summit County. The conversation series, titled “The Utah Olympic Bid: A Summit County Listening Project,” will be intended to allow community members to voice their hopes and concerns in a small-group format.

The conversation series will occur on various dates starting on September 20 through October 6. Details about time, location, and registration can be found here. Spots are limited, and registration is required for participation.

Mountain Mediation Center’s involvement in the series as a nonprofit mediator echoes the mixed feelings community members likely have about another Winter Olympics in Summit County and the surrounding area. Memories of the 2002 Winter Olympics are still fresh in many people’s minds, for better or worse.

—

Click here to read this article on the Town Lift website

The post MMC partners with PC and Summit County for Olympics Conversations appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.