Former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt said one of the most important lessons he drew from his time as Utah’s chief executive is to lead on transformational issues, one must look for decisions that will result in “cascading consequences.”
He compared them to gears on a clock. Turning the largest gear will spin the smaller ones with ease.
“If you really want to transform society,” he said, “you have to look at the big gears.”
Perhaps one of most impactful “gears” that could transform Utah’s future is Salt Lake City’s now likely chance of hosting the 2034 Winter Games. The city was selected as a 2034 preferred host in November, and with no serious contenders, Salt Lake is close to formally locking down the Games. A final vote on the bid is expected to be announced in Paris on July 24, Utah’s Pioneer Day.
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The International Olympic Committee is coming to Utah this week to tour proposed event venues. Next, the Future Host Commission is expected to submit a report to IOC leaders, who will then decide whether to send Salt Lake City’s bid to a final vote, the Deseret News reported.
A 2034 Winter Games would mark the second time the Olympics has come to Utah. Leavitt was governor when Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Games — and it’s one of the “legacy” issues Leavitt highlights in his recently released memoir series detailing the lessons the former governor learned from his time in office. Leavitt hopes it will help policymakers tackle some of the biggest issues facing Utah today.
On Friday, Leavitt — along with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and other Utah officials — joined a panel hosted by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, the Hinckley Institute of Politics, and the Deseret News at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City.
The discussion, moderated by Deseret News Executive Editor Doug Wilks, was part of a forum titled “What’s Past is Prologue.” It unpacked generational issues from Leavitt’s memoir that are seemingly coming full circle and resurfacing in new ways for Utah’s government leaders.
The Olympics, Leavitt said, is an “obvious” example. The 2002 Winter Games wasn’t just a 14-day event, it ushered in a new era for Utah. It put the state on the international stage, spurred major growth, attracted tech business leaders, and accelerated transportation infrastructure, including a massive rebuild of Interstate 15 and construction of FrontRunner and Salt Lake County’s TRAX system.
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“The Olympics is a 17-day activity, then it’s over,” Leavitt said. “That isn’t the value of the Olympics to the state. The value … is the 10 years in advance of the Games, during which there is a huge amount of back pressure that will allow you to get a lot of things done that you could never get done in their absence.”
The Olympic rings and downtown Salt Lake City are pictured Feb. 10, 2002, during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Now, with another opportunity to host the Winter Games in 10 years, Leavitt said Utah must act now, not only to use the next decade to prepare, but also brace for and shape the change the Olympics is sure to usher in for the state — another new era.
The discussion focused on what “big gears” Utah must move to make a 2034 Winter Games a generational success. The panel included Leavitt, Romney and other past and current state leaders involved in either the 2002 Olympics or the 2034 bid. They included:
Fraser Bullock, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and current president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, which is bidding for the 2034 Winter Games.
Former Utah Sen. Lane Beattie, who helped plan the 2002 Winter Games. He also formerly served as the president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce before his retirement in 2018.
Rep. Jon Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, who is serving as one of the legislative members of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.
Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, one of the legislative members of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.
Mitt Romney: Utah leaders must launch immediate effort for federal funding
Romney, participating remotely in the discussion on a TV screen, said Utah leaders must launch an “immediate” effort in Washington, D.C., to generate “energy and passion” for a 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City — as well as lay the groundwork now for federal funding to support security and transportation, which the federal government will be tasked with but has not yet funded.
Romney said security for the future Olympics will probably cost billions — perhaps $3-4 billion — but by then he warned Congress will likely be confronting “some very tough financial times,” pointing to frustrations with the federal government’s spending and national debt.
“I’ll tell you, if Salt Lake goes to the government and says we need $3-4 billion dollars for security and transportation, that may not be a welcome request, and it may not be granted,” Romney warned. So he urged Utah and California leaders — ahead of a 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles — to urge Congress to start putting aside funding every year to prepare for national special security events and transportation for an Olympics.
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“So instead of asking for $3-4 billion down the road, we’re able to get $200 million or $300 million year after year going into special accounts,” Romney said.
Romney also said Utah leaders should frame the 2034 Games not as a “big gift” to Utah, but an opportunity to “serve the world.” Like they did with the 2002 Olympics, he said leaders should put Utah’s volunteerism at the forefront and ask Utahns to be part of solving problems.
“What made (the 2002) Olympics so successful was that people began to realize this was an opportunity for us to help serve the world. This was about service. It was about giving, not receiving,” Romney said, urging leaders to not shy away from the challenges. “Acknowledge the difficulties. … Travel’s going to be hard. It’s going to be intrusive. Acknowledge those things.”
Romney said he’s happy to see Utah leaders talking about the issue now. A 2034 Winter Games is sure to “bring the world’s attention to Utah, for good or bad, and I think we’re going to see the best,” he said. But he also urged leaders to think about whether they really want it to bring “more growth.”
“I’m not sure we want more growth,” he said, noting it’s “not necessarily a bad thing” when a state’s population growth tapers. “I think we have to ask ourselves, ‘Do we want to continue to grow the state?’ I know it’s great for developers … but how much growth do we want to have?”
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How to harness Utahns’ support for hosting Olympics
McKell agreed Utah leaders need to start formulating a vision now about how it wants Utah to change in wake of the Olympics.
“It’s time to have that discussion,” McKell said. “I don’t think we know exactly as a state what we want to accomplish, right now. And I think we need to decide. We need to harness government at all levels … we need to decide what is the legacy, what do we want to accomplish.”
Another “big gear” a 2034 Winter Games could turn and help transform Utah’s future, the panel discussed, is acting as a remedy to today’s polarized political climate.
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“We have a divisive society today in many ways. How do we overcome that?” Bullock said. He pointed to recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics polls that show over 80% of Utahns support hosting another Olympics, and said Utah can coalesce that support and bring people together through volunteer efforts during the Games.
“We’re going to host the world together, as a community. And then utilize that not only at the local level but at the national level and at the international level — an opportunity for unity to celebrate human achievement under the umbrella of sport,” Bullock said. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity for the next 10 years.”
Bullock said last time, when Utah hosted the Olympics in wake of the 9/11 terrorist attack, “we became a healing opportunity for the world.”
“There will be something important that we will be doing at some point along this journey,” he said. “That’s the opportunity. … For us to do something special, for not only our community but the entire world.”
The Utah News Dispatch, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: [email protected]. Follow Utah News Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.
A pair of Big 12 teams that have diverged from their preseason expectations meet up as No. 17 Colorado plays host to Utah on Saturday. Let’s check in with the new prediction for the game from an expert analytical football model that projects scores and picks winners.
Colorado was picked to finish No. 11 in the Big 12 standings back during the preseason, but has moved into second-place in the conference with a 5-1 league record and controlling its destiny in the championship picture, and thus the College Football Playoff race.
Utah was the preseason Big 12 title favorite, but slid to 1-5 in conference play and ranking 108th among 134 FBS teams in scoring production, with 22 points per game.
What do the analytical models suggest will happen when the Buffaloes and Utes square off in this Big 12 matchup?
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For that, let’s turn to the SP+ prediction model to get a preview of how Colorado and Utah compare in this Week 12 college football game.
The models are siding with the Buffaloes over the Utes, but by a very slim margin in this game.
SP+ predicts Colorado will defeat Utah by a projected score of 26 to 22 and will win the game by an expected margin of 3.4 points in the process.
The model gives the Buffaloes a 58 percent chance of outright victory over the Utes.
SP+ is a “tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency” that attempts to predict game outcomes by measuring “the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football.”
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How good is it this season? So far, the SP+ model is 292-263-8 against the spread with a 52.6 win percentage after going 30-19-1 (61%) last weekend.
Colorado is an 11.5 point favorite against Utah, according to the updated lines posted to FanDuel Sportsbook for the game.
FanDuel lists the total at 46.5 points for the game (Over -110, Under -110).
And it set the moneyline odds for Colorado at -450 and for Utah at +340 to win outright.
If you’re using this prediction to bet on the game, you should take …
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If you do, you’ll be in the company of a majority of bettors, who expect the Buffaloes will dominate the Utes by double digits, according to the latest spread consensus picks for the game.
Colorado is getting 58 percent of bets to win the game and cover the big point spread.
The other 42 percent of wagers project Utah will either take out the Buffs in an upset, or keep the final margin under a dozen points in a loss.
Colorado is top 25 nationally by averaging out 10.5 points better than its opponents this season when adding up the points in the wins and losses.
Utah is 1 of 3 teams in FBS that comes in with a perfect 0.0 point margin in its games in 2024.
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Those margins have diverged over the last three games of the season.
Colorado has been 17.3 points better than the competition in that span, while Utah has been 3.3 points worse than opponents over that time.
Things even out a little more depending on the venue.
Utah has been 2.3 points better than opponents when playing on the road, while Colorado has been 5 points better on average than the other team when at home.
Most other analytical models also favor the Buffaloes over the Utes in this Big 12 clash.
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That includes the College Football Power Index, a computer prediction model that uses data points from both teams to simulate games 20,000 times to pick winners.
Colorado has emerged as the favorite at home, coming out ahead in 75 percent of the computer’s most recent simulations of the game.
That leaves Utah as the presumptive winner in the remaining 25 percent of sims.
How does that translate into an expected margin of victory in the game?
Colorado is projected to be 9.8 points better than Utah on the same field in both teams’ current composition, according to the model’s latest forecast.
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More … Colorado vs. Utah prediction: What the analytics say
Colorado is second among Big 12 teams with a 24.4 percent chance to qualify for the College Football Playoff, according to the FPI’s metrics.
That model projects the Buffaloes will win 9.4 games this season.
Utah hasn’t factored in the playoff conversation for quite a while, but there’s still a chance it can make a bowl game this postseason.
The index gives the Utes a win total projection of 5 games and a 24.9 percent chance to become bowl eligible.
Vegas Golden Knights (10-4-2, in the Pacific Division) vs. Utah Hockey Club (7-6-3, in the Central Division)
Salt Lake City; Friday, 9 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Hockey Club host the Vegas Golden Knights after Nick Bjugstad scored two goals in the Utah Hockey Club’s 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Utah has gone 4-2-1 at home and 7-6-3 overall. The Utah Hockey Club serve 12.4 penalty minutes per game to rank first in the league.
Vegas is 2-3-2 on the road and 10-4-2 overall. The Golden Knights have a 10-2-2 record when scoring at least three goals.
Friday’s game is the second time these teams match up this season. The Golden Knights won the previous meeting 4-3 in overtime.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Guenther has seven goals and six assists for the Utah Hockey Club. Logan Cooley has scored goals over the last 10 games.
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Ivan Barbashev has scored eight goals with nine assists for the Golden Knights. Alexander Holtz has over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Utah Hockey Club: 3-5-2, averaging 2.3 goals, four assists, 3.9 penalties and 11.4 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 4.3 goals, 7.6 assists, 2.1 penalties and five penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Utah Hockey Club: None listed.
Golden Knights: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
SALT LAKE CITY—Karel Vejmelka has been putting on a show in goal for the Utah Hockey Club tonight, keeping Utah in the game despite constant pressure from the Hurricanes’ offense. With Vejmelka standing on his head, Utah’s offense finally broke loose, scoring three goals in less than three minutes to take a 4-1 lead over Carolina.
Utah Hockey Club (6-6-3, 15 pts) is hosting the Carolina Hurricanes (11-3-0, 22 pts) at Delta Center on Wednesday, November 13.
Nick Bjugstad Gives Utah Hockey Club First Period Lead Over Hurricanes
Despite being outshot 36-15, Utah HC has made the most of its limited opportunities. Five minutes into the third period, Michael Kesselring found Jack McBain in front of the net with a perfect pass. The fourth-year forward blasted a one-touch snap-shot past Pyotr Kochelkov in goal.
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Two minutes later, defenseman Mikhael Sergachev beat a suddenly shaky Kochelkov to put his club up by two.
As it currently stands, the Utah Hockey Club is fourth in the Central Division with a 6-6-3 overall record, far from panicking and about where most probably would’ve predicted they’d be this many games into the new season. However, with so many losses over the last few weeks and struggles on both ends of the ice, continued experimentation and changes are needed to figure things out.
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Three Highs, Three Lows For Utah Hockey Club After 13 Games
As one of Utah’s most seasoned veterans and someone who knows how to turn things around, defenseman Ian Cole, a member of the 2016 Stanley Cup Champion Penguins roster who flipped a nightmare season into a dream, shared that Utah needs to look at it from every angle and be open to necessary changes.
“Along the way here, we need to continue to make changes and be mature about it and say, hey, this is what worked, this is what didn’t work, we’re going to continue to do this, we’re going to change this, and we’re going to improve this,” Cole said regarding the situation.
“We need to take a step back, try to look at it as objectively as we can. I mean, some of the underlying numbers are really good, some of them aren’t good enough. So, what do we need to fix, what do we need to change, what do we keep the same, what do we improve on? These are all questions we’re trying to systematically answer and move forward.” he added.
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Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Find KSLSports.com coverage of the Utah Hockey Club here.
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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.
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