U.S. Justice Department Deputy Chief Peter Clark stated
that it "does not intend to indict" the SLOC in "connection
with" the bid scandal surrounding the 2002 Olympic Games,
according to Amy Shipley of the WASHINGTON POST, who writes
that Clark's letter "provided a boost to an organization
already in the midst of a resurgence after months of
condemnation and financial difficulties." SLOC President
Mitt Romney said that SLOC officials can now "turn their
full attention to preparing for the Games while spending
less money on legal matters" related to the scandal. Romney
added that the SLOC spent $3M in "cooperating with the
federal investigators" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/26). In Salt
Lake City, Linda Fantin writes that the decision "brought
relief to organizers here and abroad." Romney said,
"Clearly it lifts a cloud" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 5/26).
HALFWAY HOME: In Salt Lake City, Mike Gorrell writes
that the SLOC "already is halfway to its goal of raising"
$183M from ticket sales to the Games. Sponsors "have
applied to buy" more than $90M in tickets, either individual
seats or luxury boxes at various venues. With ticket-
revenue projections "holding firm," Romney informed IOC
execs of his "increasing confidence our Games will break
even." The SLOC "still must secure" sponsor commitments for
about $83M to "balance" its $1.32B budget. Gorrell also
noted that much of Romney's presentation to the IOC Exec
Board yesterday in Brazil "focused on two possible
approaches to increasing the capacity and interactive
potential" of the SLOC's Web site. The SLOC "could turn the
site over to an outside sponsor or could build it up
internally with the help of more specialized sponsors." But
Gorrell writes that the SLOC "must be careful that its
emerging venture does not run afoul" of the IOC's contracts
with broadcast-rights holders (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 5/26).
