Venues of the 2002 Winter Olympics
When it originally opened, it boasted the longest gondola in the United States, as well as a double chairlift, a J-bar lift, base and summit lodges, and a nine-hole golf course.
Temporary stadiums were erected at the end of each run with spectator standing areas on each side, creating a combined capacity of 16,500 persons.
[17] The Peaks Ice Arena is located 43 miles (69 km) south of downtown Salt Lake City, in Provo, Utah.
Originally, county leaders wanted the speed skating oval built somewhere in Provo, or on the campus of Utah Valley Community College; others suggested the Games' closing ceremony be held at Brigham Young University's Cougar Stadium.
After Salt Lake City won the 2002 Olympic bid in 1995, planning began again for what venue Utah County would host, and an ice sheet was decided upon.
[20] After construction had already begun, the SLOC decided to host hockey events at the new arena rather than using Utah Valley State College's McKay Center.
The completed arena cost $12.4 million to build, included two ice sheets, had seating for over 2,000 spectators, and was 110,000 square feet (10,000 m2) in size.
[25] Snowbasin is located 33 miles (53 km) northeast of downtown Salt Lake City, in Weber County, Utah, and is one of the oldest continuously operating ski areas in the United States.
[29] Following the end of World War I and the Great Depression, numerous small ski resorts were developed in Utah's snow-packed mountains.
[33] Soldier Hollow is located 53 miles (85 km) southeast of downtown Salt Lake City, in the Wasatch Mountain State Park near Midway, Utah.
[18] Soldier Hollow was chosen by the SLOC as an Olympic venue in October 1997 over several other possible locations including Sherwood Hills near Logan, Utah.
Because of its distance from Salt Lake City and other large population centers of Utah, a special "Western Experience" was created at the venue's spectator plaza to give visitors activities to do between competitions.
The Western Experience included music and entertainment, a mountain rendezvous, pioneer reenactments, cowboy camps, a wild mustang exhibit, and American Indian displays.
618 steam-engine would pull an eight-car train carrying the passengers to the Soldier Hollow depot, where they disembarked and continued to the venue entrance on a horse-drawn sleigh.
If Salt Lake City won its 1995 bid for the 2002 games, Olympic revenues would be used to cover the oval and build an ice sheet in the center of the track.
Between twenty-four masts, twelve on each side of the building, steel cables nearly 400 feet (120 m) long and 3+1⁄2 inches in diameter were strung, suspending the roof above the oval.
Once it was completed, the building would be the size of four football fields, and housed two hockey-sized ice sheets in the center, the 400-meter speed skating track.
While construction was progressing on the track, Salt Lake City won its 1995 bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympics, and plans were developed to expand the park.
The construction of starting houses on the track, chairlifts, storage buildings, new access roads, pedestrian bridges, parking and sewer and water lines were part of the plan.
After the Utah Jazz moved next door to the newly constructed Delta Center, the majority of the Salt Palace was demolished, including the arena.
It had a total capacity of 20,000 people, and more than 15,534 miles (25,000 km) of fiber-optic cable installed in Salt Lake City allowed the MMC to hand 2 million inbound calls a day.
The site of the Medals Plaza is now a parking lot owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is still used for temporary events.
On August 11, 1999, the same day the plaza's location was announced, a tornado hit downtown Salt Lake City, killing one man at the site.
Nevertheless, the SLOC accepted the Church's offer because they were willing to help pay the costs, and the parking lot was an entire city block in size, which would allow a largest number of spectators.
The stage, which was centered directly in front, was kept hidden by a metal curtain known as the Hoberman Arch, and flanked by two large 22 by 30-foot (9.1 m) video screens.
[70] Every night following the presentation of the medals, an Olympic Celebration Concert would be held, and a small fireworks display would mark the end of activities.
The 2002 Olympic Village was located 4 miles (6 km) east of downtown Salt Lake City, at Historic Fort Douglas, on the campus of the University of Utah.
[71] Several Army reserve units that were still located at the fort had to be moved to nearby military installations, such as the Ogden Defense Depot and Camp Williams before work on the village could progress.
During the 2002 games, the Olympic Village housed the athletes, coaches and other officials, many of the historic buildings in the fort housed services for the athletes including 24-hour dining facilities, a fitness center, an internet center, a bank, dry cleaning, mail services, a photo shop, salon, nightclub, and interfaith chapel.
The square also housed the Sponsor Showcases and featured live music, food, drinks and other activities, including the Olympic Celebration Series concerts.
