The Utah Olympic Exploratory Committee on Thursday made the recommendation that Salt Lake City “should bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics,” according to a front-page piece by Mike Gorrell of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. The recommendation was made to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, contending the state is "ready, willing and able" to stage the Games again. The committee “urged Herbert and Becker to position the city and state to go for the Winter Games the next time the U.S. Olympic Committee puts forth an American candidate.” The pair is “expected to decide by mid-November how to act upon the recommendation.” The USOC has “more confidence than it’s had in years that the Games will come back to U.S. soil before too long” with the resolution of its dispute with the IOC about revenue distribution. Utah Sports Commissioner Chair Steve Price indicated that “none of Salt Lake City’s competitors for a Winter Games -- Denver, Reno-Tahoe and Billings, Mont. -- can come close to matching what Utah has to offer” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 10/19). Becker has said that public enthusiasm “alone is not a good enough reason to pursue what he called a ‘very serious, expensive undertaking.’" Becker spokesperson Art Raymond said the mayor is "definitely taking a very close look at it" (DESERET NEWS, 10/19).
