Whenever a destination makes the decision to host a sporting event—whether it’s the Olympic Games or a lower-profile competition—there’s usually discussion of the event’s direct economic impact and oftentimes a discussion of the long-term legacy of having hosted the event.  While economic impact is something that can be measured fairly quickly, evaluating the true legacy of an event takes much longer. That’s because years must pass before you can make an informed judgment as to whether or not the event has had a long-term beneficial impact for the host destination.

As the world prepares for the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, it’s appropriate to look at the legacy that was left by that event the last time it was staged in North America: the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Utah. According to tourism officials in Salt Lake City, Park City and Ogden, Utah, their three cities demonstrate the transformational impact of hosting a major sporting event. The most visible of those changes was probably the general infrastructure improvements made as a result of the 2002 Games (including new hotels, improved ski resort amenities, a revamped freeway system, a new light-rail service for the Salt Lake Valley and new passenger train service connecting Salt Lake and Ogden).

But, according to those officials, the long-term impact includes other less visible effects. The tourism officials cite a sustained increase in the number of people who visit Utah each year (20.4 million in 2008 versus 17 million in 2000), growth in Utah “skier days” (4,259,000 in 2007–2008 versus 2,984,000 in 2000–2001), and a tourism infrastructure that generated $7.1 billion in spending in 2008 versus $4.25 billion in spending in 2000. Perhaps most importantly, the tourism industry in Utah now provides 113,030 jobs versus the 100,674 jobs it provided in 2002.

According to tourism officials, Utah has also become a training ground for winter athletes thanks to the access they have to world-class venues, coaches and high-level competition. From an event perspective, according to the Utah Sports Commission, the state has hosted more than 350 sporting events since 2002, which have generated more than $1 billion in economic impact, and the state continues to host major sporting events at both Olympic and non-Olympic venues.

Officials also point to the legacy of economic growth and prosperity that translates into ongoing economic development for the state. In the years since hosting the 2002 Games, several outdoor-recreation companies (including Rossignol, Descente and Amer Sports, parent company of Salomon, Atomic and Suunto) have relocated to or expanded their operations in Utah. The national governing body for speedskating also relocated to the state following the 2002 Games.

The elected officials of destinations considering bidding for sporting events large and small would do well to consider Utah’s experience and the coordination that exists there between the statewide Utah Sports Commission and the convention bureaus representing Utah cities. The lessons learned in Utah speak volumes regarding the potential benefits that can be derived from hosting sporting events and can be applied to communities and events of all sizes.

Tim Schneider
Schneider Publishing Company

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