A super-majority of 87 percent of Utahns support Salt Lake City hosting a future Winter Olympics, a recent UtahPolicy.com poll finds.
That’s nearly nine-out-10 Utahns. You rarely find that majority in the state agreeing on anything.
Utah has been picked by the U.S. Olympic Committee as our nation’s host city for the 2030 Winter Games or later.
As just about everyone knows, the city and state hosted the successful 2002 Winter Games.
The Salt Lake Olympic Committee shrugged off a pretty big scandal, reorganized, and under the leadership of Mitt Romney – now a U.S. senator from Utah – hosted a very successful Games, even making money.
UtahPolicy pollster Dan Jones & Associates finds that 87 percent of Utahns “strongly” or “somewhat” support the city hosting a future Winter Olympics.
Only 11 percent are against Utah hosting the Games, and 2 percent didn’t know.
(Under International Olympic Committee rules only a city may be awarded Games, although these days – as in Utah’s 2002 bid – the state played just as large, or an even bigger, role than did the city itself.)
The 2002 venues – like ski jumps, speedskating oval and bobsled tracks – are still good, although some updates will have to be made.
Local ski resorts would host the downhill events, and the cross-country events could still be held at that Olympic Park, as well.
So after all the fun of the Games in 2002, it’s clear many Utahns would like to have that experience again.
When you get nearly 90 percent approval on any subject, you aren’t going to find any demographic/political group being much out of that supermajority.
And DJA finds that both men and women want the Games again.
All age groups want the Games.
Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, moderates and liberals, and all religious faiths want the Games again.
DJA polled 882 adults from Jan. 3-15. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent.
