Utah
Utah has a new Olympic organizing committee. Here's what's next for the 2034 Winter Games
Now that the organizing committee that will be responsible for staging Utah’s 2034 Winter Games is in place, what’s next?
Plenty of plans surfaced at Friday’s formal announcement of the leaders of the new organizing committee. Bid leader Fraser Bullock is the executive chair and president of the board, and a former Utah House speaker, Brad Wilson, the CEO and vice chairman.
Here’s what the panel of participants at the news conference held in the Utah Capitol’s lavish Gold Room had to say about Utah’s next Olympics.
What tops the to-do list?
- Gov. Spencer Cox: “As the governor, my job is to think about all the things that can go wrong in ‘34 and make sure they don’t…. We’re looking at security issues. We saw what happened in New Orleans recently on a major night of celebration and then having the Super Bowl at that venue not long after that, the lessons that we’re learning there…. We’re talking about potentially millions of people coming… the security aspects of this really weigh heavy on me…. On a more positive side, though, thinking bigger. We’re not done dreaming. We have nine years to dream and I think we ought to get creative about our transportation issues.
- Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall: “I am excited to get together with the host communities. We are chomping at the bit to share our ideas across the state that are bubbling up at the grassroots level. And I think about the youth in our communities who are going to start to see themselves on the slopes, in the chute, on the ice in 2034. I think about the small businesses I’m hearing from who could become international business because of the opportunity of the world coming to Salt Lake City and the state of Utah.”
- Utah Senate President Stuart Adams: “We have an opportunity for infrastructure. We know that we’re not going to build another freeway through Farmington…. We know FrontRunner is the answer. We have a real opportunity to upgrade our public transit system. We need to double-track FrontRunner and move it up from 79 to 150 miles per hour…. Air taxis. Wouldn’t it be cool to have landing sites at each of the venues…. The other thing I’d like to see happen is just catch that Olympic spirit. We have a great spirit of community. Let our public, our neighbors and friends, be able to….volunteer and be involved.”
- House Speaker Mike Schultz: “Think about the opportunities that Utah has for transportation…. Not creating something just for the Olympics but something that goes well beyond the Olympics, that our state can continue to benefit. The one project I keep thinking about is the rebuild of I-15 through Salt Lake County…. That never would have happened at the moment at time it did had it not been for the (2002) Olympics…. Everybody is coming to the state right now saying we need something for the Olympics…. It’s our job to go through the process to make sure the real true priorities got to the top.”
What Utah’s leaders want from another Olympics?
- Cox: “It’s no secret to anybody here how much Utah loves the Olympics and how excited we are for 2034. How incredibly important the Games coming back to Utah, welcoming the world to the state of Utah again will be in 2034 for our economy, for all of us. Utah is leading the way and this world needs more Utah.”
- Schultz: “I love Utah…. I love our history. I love our people. I love our potential. But more than anything, I love our values in the state of Utah. And I cannot wait to once again show the world who Utah is and what makes us so special…. The 2034 Games are more than just a global sporting event. They’re a chance to showcase Utah and strengthen our communities all across the state and inspire the next generation.”
What are people outside of Utah saying about the 2034 Winter Games?
- U.S. Olympic and Paralympics CEO Sarah Hirshland: “I think it’s only fitting that on Valentine’s Day I say to all of you in Utah, we feel the love. Team USA feels the love. We are so grateful to the state, the city, the surrounding cities and community leaders. Frankly, the history and the legacy of the ‘02 Games is something that we feel every time we come to town…. The unification that we’re going to see, the achievement that we’re going to see, we’re grateful to Utah for putting us back on that stage and in that spotlight.”
When can Utahns sign up to volunteer at the Olympics?
- Organizing Committee CEO Brad Wilson: “We will do exactly what happened in 2002. We will use the volunteers in this state in a way that’s unprecedented…. Watch for information. There will definitely be a time and a season for that. We’re nine years away so we’re not quite ready to accept volunteers. I know, my phone has been lighting up for the last 20 minutes — lots of volunteers already.
It’s on nights like these that I’m reminded of the ravine that divides the NBA from all other levels of basketball. This Summer League tilt was sloppy on both sides, and not many fringe players earned an NBA contract tonight, by the looks of it.
This matchup has always been about the number-one pick AJ Dybantsa and the number-two pick Darryn Peterson. Rivals since high school, these two are in an eternal struggle for the designation of being “number-one”. They wanted to be the best in their high school class. They wanted to be the first off the board in the NBA Draft. Rest assured, these two will be battling for Rookie of the Year honors by the season’s end.
Advertisement
Both stars were fully aware of the magnitude of this game, and both wanted to be the first to strike in the Thomas and Mack Center.
Dybantsa took his first touch all the way to the basket and forced up an off-kilter shot that missed everything.
Peterson took the ball the other way and forced up a top-of-the-key three-pointer that missed badly.
Dybantsa quickly picked up the slack, flipping an under-and-around lay-in and following that up with a good leading bounce pass through traffic to find a cutting teammate.
From there, the 1-2 combo settled in and let the game flow around them.
For the first time in a Utah Jazz uniform, Darryn Peterson walked among mortal men as a commoner. He had a very slow start in his Las Vegas debut, opening the night 0-for-3 from the floor and even whiffing on his first all-or-nothing foul shot. His steps were hurried, and he stood unstable before his first trip to the bench. Not quite so infallible outside of the mountain air in Salt Lake City.
Advertisement
AJ claimed the first quarter, dicing up the defense with fadeaways, dribble chains, and this vicious, inhumane slam that will dominate your social media feed for the next day or so.
Washington set the tone for some — should we say physical — defense out on the perimeter, and the officials gave the Wizards liberty to reside in Peterson’s chest for the majority of the game. The number-two pick couldn’t get himself into a rhythm as he’d step out of bounds, dribble off his foot, and sputter under the heat of the Wizards’ aggressive double-team scheme.
They were incredibly handsy from end to end, frustrating Jazz ball handlers as the whistles piled up at the other end.
Advertisement
AJ Dybantsa lives at the foul stripe — that’s his superpower — and he has since his days at BYU, where he led the nation in foul shots taken per game. Perfectly within his idiom, Dybantsa was 6-of-7 from the foul stripe — keeping in mind the experimental do-or-die free throw rule. Considering how much more physical the Wizards played at the defensive end, it’s a mystery how the Wizards managed to reside in the comfort of the bonus for the entire first half.
Neither player was efficient from the floor, but Dybantsa won the first half of this marquee matchup.
Dybantsa finished the first half with 19 points on 4-of-12 shooting.
Peterson lagged behind with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting and a pair of dimes.
The lead shrank to single digits, and what appeared to be a blowout in the first half — Washington led by as much as 20 — rapidly drew tighter in the second half. It had become a two-possession game before the clock hit 0:00 in the third quarter.
Advertisement
Both stars lived up to the bill in this one, clearly displaying their individual talents despite their efficiency not leaping off the box score.
Peterson’s tendency to cough up possession has to get straightened out. He’ll be a target for his whole career, so learning to handle and exploit on-ball pressure will be critical to maximize his effectiveness and keep his teammates involved.
Cody Williams stole the show a bit for the Jazz, despite a rocky opening to the night. Though he struggled to stop Dybantsa on the defensive end, he notched 16 points on great efficiency (6-11, 2-3 3PT) plus 5 rebounds. He’s not a ball-handler, despite the Jazz’s wishes, but thrived on a newly added stepback mid-range jumper tonight.
Dybantsa had a strong night, finishing with 27 points on 7-for-18 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Advertisement
The Wizards ultimately won this game behind the strength of their NBA guys, Tre Johnson and Will Reily, who combined for 41 to pair with Dybantsa’s 27. They also strongly benefited from Jamir Watkins, Darryn Peterson’s assignment fouling a grand total of 9 times (not a typo).
Peterson likewise fouled 9 times in this one, an ugly blemish on what was an unsteady night for the rookie. He finished with 24 points on 6-18 shooting and 2-7 from three-point land (thanks to a bank-shot heave at the final horn). Dybantsa will be crowned the winner of this head-to-head with Peterson thanks to better highlights and the team win, but neither player dominated, despite what X will likely tell you.
Washington defeats Utah with a final score of 92-88.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The man arrested for murder in the 2006 death of his wife at a Utah national park left behind a suicide note in his Las Vegas jail cell, according to a police report.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police released a public report on the death of David Vander Meer, 49, who was in custody on an out-of-state warrant.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office said in an affidavit that Vander Meer, a former youth pastor, was a suspect in the death of his then-wife, 28-year-old Bernadette Vander Meer, 20 years ago.
Bernadette fell to her death at Angels Landing in Zion National Park. Prosecutors said in their affidavit that they received new information implicating David, alleing that he began having a close relationship with a young girl when she was 14 and he was her youth pastor.
A fugitive task force took Vander Meer into custody in Summerlin, according to an arrest report, and he was booked into Clark County Detention Center on June 22.
In the report on his death, LVMPD said a corrections officer was conducting visual checks at about 9:30 p.m. June 24 when he noticed Vander Meer lying face down on the ground and unresponsive.
Several sections are redacted, but police wrote that the officer performed chest compressions until medical personnel arrived. Vander Meer was taken to UMC, where he was pronounced dead just after 2:36 a.m. June 25.
Investigators wrote that because of “the nature of his case,” Vander Meer was placed into protective custody. He was seen sitting upright and awake at 9 p.m., and he had no known medical conditions. He also did not mention being suicidal during a mental health screening.
Inside the cell, police wrote that Vander Meer “left a hand written suicide letter and a hand written will in his cell which has been photographed and impounded.” The following paragraph of the report was redacted, and no further details on Vander Meer’s death were disclosed.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office has not yet released its official rulings on his cause and manner of death.
Bernadette’s parents, Richard and Laura Gudenkauf, told News 3 they long suspected Vander Meer played a role in her death.
“Because of the girlfriend,” said Laura. “I found insurance policies months later that he had, lots of them.”
It has been a long time since the Jazz last played a meaningful game I desperately wanted them to win, and it is unhealthy how excited I am for this matchup. After a solid three games in the SLC Summer League, the Jazz head south to Las Vegas, and as hot as the desert sun is sure to be outside, on the court, the Thursday night primetime game featuring the top two picks in the draft will be much hotter.
How to Watch the Las Vegas Summer League?
Who: Utah Jazz vs Washington Wizards
When: Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 7:00 MT
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
How to watch: ESPN, Jazz+
Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa
Summer league games do not matter in the record books, but this game is a statement-making opportunity for both AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Given the historical nature of this draft class, especially at the top, there is some real juice to this game that is atypical of most Summer League games. AJ has the chance to silence the noise that has swelled after Darryn’s remarkable performances in the SLC Summer League. Meanwhile, Darryn has the chance to ratchet up the noise and take the NBA world by storm with another solid performance against the Wizards. Can you imagine the narratives if Darryn were to come out and dominate AJ as he has through high school and college? In the words of the great Charles Barkley, I have two words for you… Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, must-see TV.
Ace Bailey looked really impressive in his 2.5 quarters of play in Salt Lake before missing games with back spasms. It is unknown whether or not he will be ready to go for the Vegas opener, but if he is available, he will probably be the one checking AJ Dybantsa on defense. His combination of length and athleticism could not only make things difficult for AJ on the defensive end but also expose his lackadaisical defense on the offensive end. If Ace is able to go, he will be looking to show the Jazz and the NBA that he is ready to take a leap in year two.
Which Jazz Big Man Will Stand Out?
Which big man will step up this game? In Game 1, we saw a lot of Kylor Kelley, who was a little less than impressive. Against Memphis, Jaxon Kohler, the Utah native, showed up and showed out against Cam Boozer. In game three, although the number of NBA-level players was few and far between, Jonas Aidoo stole the show with his rebounding and ability to play his role. Will we see one of those same three guys seize their opportunity, or will another guy like Micah Handlogten or Eric Dixon steal the show? We saw how vital a big that can roll and catch passes is for Darryn Peterson as a lead guard, playmaking-wise. It will be interesting to see who steps up to the plate to relieve pressure when he is blitzed and double-teamed.
SIDE NOTE: Adam Silver is LAME
No one should ASPIRE to be as boring as Adam Silver. After much excitement was made about Keyonte George making his unofficial coaching debut on Thursday night, according to Sarah Todd, the league has nixed that excitement and won’t allow Keyonte to be coaching on the sideline because who knows why…? I guess they were worried about the Jazz circumventing the salary cap to pay Keyonte or something. Anyways, I guess Will Hardy’s coaching TREE will have to wait for more branches to grow. Adam Silver remains evil in my book.
-
Politics16 seconds agoWATCH: Trump’s Energy chief reveals what escalating Iran tensions could mean for gas prices
-
Health7 minutes agoCoffee may have powerful effect on liver health, major study suggests
-
Sports10 minutes agoOba Femi vs Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam is a ‘generational matchup,’ WWE legend JBL says
-
Business22 minutes agoBillionaire exodus? California drew 10 times more venture capital than any other state this year
-
Entertainment25 minutes agoDisney Channel maximalism to pop-star glam: What fans wore to Hilary Duff’s L.A. show
-
Lifestyle30 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: It’s hot when a man drives to me. But would this new guy make the trek from the Valley?
-
Politics37 minutes ago
Black mold and $1 wages: Settlement forces immigrant detention centers to protect workers
-
Science40 minutes agoTrump administration seeks to limit federal funding that doesn’t ‘advance’ presidential policies
