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House adopts resolution enabling sale of Winter Sports Park if Utah secures 2002 Olympic bid
Summary
The House adopted a second substitute of Senate Joint Resolution 17 to allow sale of the Winter Sports Park and related facilities if Salt Lake City wins the 2002 Olympic bid; the resolution creates a foundation to hold and operate facilities and earmarks media funds, but members expressed concerns about future liability, property tax treatment and the contingent nature of the deal.
The Utah House adopted a second substitute to Senate Joint Resolution 17, a measure enabling the sale of Winter Sports Park facilities and associated venues conditioned on Salt Lake City winning the 2002 Winter Olympics bid.
Representative Tanner, who led floor discussion, said the resolution would permit the state to sell Olympic facilities and receive approximately $99,000,000 of media funding, of which $59,000,000 would be returned to the state and to municipalities that paid and will continue to pay sales tax. Tanner emphasized the sale is contingent on Salt Lake City obtaining the Olympic bid in June 1995 and described the plan to place the facilities in a foundation that would eventually operate them: "In the event that Utah does not obtain the Olympic bid, the deal is off."
Opponents pressed a range of questions on liability and long‑term cost to taxpayers. Representative Osterholm, citing oversight committee work, said the state’s attorney general’s office "was never in the loop during the negotiations of this current contract and sale," and warned that despite contract language seeking to limit state liability, the state could still face claims from contractors and others years after construction. Members also questioned who would pay property taxes on the land and facilities if they were conveyed to private operators; sponsors responded that donated land is being used and that the foundation would own and manage facilities after the Games.
Supporters said the resolution would advance Utah’s Olympic bid and preserve opportunities for youth sport development and long‑term facility use. The House recorded a roll call approving the second substitute; the measure will be transmitted back to the Senate for further consideration.
