Olympics
It is official: the 142nd IOC Session has elected French Alps 2030 as the host of the XXVI Olympic Winter Games and Salt Lake City, Utah, as the host of the XXVII Olympic Winter Games. The official announcement was made this morning in France during the IOC session in Paris.
The Olympic Winter Games are returning to France for the fourth time, with France having hosted in 1992 in Albertville, in 1968 in Grenoble, and in 1924 in Chamonix. For 2030, the Winter Games will be spread out across the French Alpine regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. The 2030 Winter Olympics are proposed to be held from February 1–17, 2030, while the Paralympics be held from March 1–10, 2030.
Salt Lake City previously hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 2002. Utah’s capital earned 83 out of 89 votes at the IOC session, having been named the preferred choice in June. “We are back, baby. The Olympics are coming back to Utah,” said Utah governor Spencer Cox, who was part of the presentation team in Paris. About 1,000 winter sports fans gathered in downtown Salt Lake City for the announcement at 3 a.m. local time. The crowd cheered as the official announcement was made and waved U.S. and Olympic flags.
What both Olympic bids had in common was the utilization of existing infrastructure. While Salt Lake City will be able to reuse all 13 facilities and venues from the 2002 Games, the 2030 Winter Olympics in France will be spread out its infrastructure across two Alpine regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. France will spread out accommodation across five Olympic villages, with none more than 30 minutes away from the competition site. Three venues from the 1992 Winter Games will be used again: La Plagne’s sliding track, the Courchevel ski jump, and Méribel’s Roc de Fer Downhill skiing course. The other proposed snow venues are located in La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand, Serre Chevalier, and Montgenèvre, while Nice will host the ice skating events and the closing ceremony.
Of the proposed French venues, 93 percent are existing or will be temporary, to minimize the environmental impact.
- Haute Savoie Zone: Cross-country skiing (La Clusaz), Biathlon (Le Grand Bornand), Olympic Village
- Savoie Zone: Alpine skiing (Courchevel, Méribel), Ski jumping (Courchevel), Nordic combined (Courchevel, Méribel), sliding sports (La Plagne), Olympic Villages (Bozel, La Plagne)
- Briançon Zone: Freestyle skiing and snowboarding (Serre Chevalier, Montgenèvre), Olympic Village (Briançon)
- Nice Zone: Ice hockey (two arenas), Figure skating and Short track speed skating, Curling, International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre, and Closing Ceremony
- Speed skating to be held outside of France (to be confirmed)
- Opening Ceremony venue(s) to be confirmed
