Does Park City really want another Olympics?

Over the past few years we’ve written about why hosting another Olympics may not be a good idea. We cited an Outside magazine article that referenced the Olympic’s environmental damage, cost overruns, and money spent that could be used for other purposes. We’ve talked about Denver and why it rejected the games over traffic congestion in 1976. We’ve written about how a new Olympics may be an excuse to fulfill the Mountain Accord’s desire to build a tunnel from Big Cottonwood to Park City.

Yet, the drumbeat of an Olympic bid is getting louder. Andy Beerman has been named to the Olympic Exploratory Committee. The Park Record has written an editorial telling citizens to support another Olympic bid. The Salt Lake Tribune has penned article discussing whether Utah will get the Winter Olympics in 2026 or 2030.

We can’t deny the lure of being on the international stage again. Conceptually it sounds great. However, we wonder, is it really worth it?

In the run-up to most Olympics, cities spend years planning, developing infrastructure, and improving transportation in order to host the addition of millions of visitors. An area, and it’s people, typically become all-consumed with the event.

Another by-product of the Olympics is