2034 Olympics: Salt Lake City to relight 2002 Winter Games' cauldron. TWITTER

Salt Lake City's bid, approved by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee in December 2018, emphasizes the legacy of the 2002 Olympic Games, years of event organizing experience, and substantial popular and institutional support. Consequently, the IOC invited Utah to the 'targeted dialogue' phase.

Barring an unlikely turn of events, Salt Lake City will therefore be an Olympic city again in 2034, with the final project now being formalised for the first quarter of 2024, ahead of the on-site visit by the Future Host Commission next April, the publication of the Commission's report in June and the designation by the IOC Session in July 2024. 

In addition, to celebrate the prospect of the return of the Winter Games, residents have been invited to a festive moment on Cauldron Plaza, near the Rice-Eccles Stadium,  on Friday  December 1 2023 from 18:00 to 18:30 local time, that is, Saturday December  2 2023 from 2:00 to 2:30 Central European Time. 

To mark the occasion, the monumental cauldron of the 2002 Olympic Games was reignited. Originally located in the centre of the stands at the Rice-Eccles Stadium, the 22-metre-high, 738-panel glass structure was moved outside the stadium at the end of the Games. 

It was then completely refurbished, including the installation of a new support with a cascading water feature, the replacement of the pipework and the installation of an energy efficient lighting system. 

Following the inauguration of the new location on 29 October 2021, a ceremony was held under the cauldron on 8 February 2022 to commemorate the 2002 Winter Games. 

Salt Lake City to host Winter Olympics again after 32 years. TWITTER
Salt Lake City to host Winter Olympics again after 32 years. TWITTER

Salt Lake City will be the fifth venue to host two editions of the Olympic Winter Games, following St. Moritz in Switzerland (1928 and 1948), Lake Placid in the USA (1932 and 1980), Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy (1956 and 2026 together with Milan) and Innsbruck in Austria (1964 and 1976, just 12 years apart). 

The official decision will be announced by the International Olympic Committee at its 142nd Session, to be held in Paris next summer during the Summer Olympic Games. It will be the ninth session to take place in the French capital after 1984 (the first one), 1901, 1903, 1914, 1922, 1924, 1955 and 1994.

In the future, the IOC will give priority to candidates with sufficient snow conditions and economic power to host the Winter Olympics. The organisation believes that after 2040, due to the dramatic effects of the climate crisis, only a dozen countries worldwide will be able to meet the necessary conditions.