Utah will seek to host the Olympics again, aiming for 2030, but would take 2026

Utah will bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2030 — but the state may get to make its case for welcoming the world again even sooner.

If the U.S. Olympic Committee decides by March 31 to pursue the 2026 Winter Games — and designates Salt Lake City as its “interested” city — advisers recommended Wednesday that Utah should establish a candidature committee to pursue the opportunity.

“We are in a great, tremendous position to host the Winter Olympics again,” Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said before the Utah Olympic/Paralympic Exploratory Committee voted unanimously to encourage Salt Lake City and the state to go for whichever Games is available. “We did it once. We can certainly do it twice.”

Utahns seem to agree, with 83 percent of residents statewide saying they support Salt Lake City seeking to host the 2030 Games, according to a new poll for The Salt Lake Tribune and the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics.

Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/sports/2018/02/07/utah-should-bid-for-the-2030-winter-olympics-exploratory-committee-says-and-consider-2026-if-the-us-decides-to-bid/