The Olympic organizers and their cheerleaders are always anxious to ascribe only positives for Utah from hosting the Olympics, while conveniently ignoring the costs associated with their successes. Too much of a good thing can result in continual and expanding complications that have not adequately been addressed since the last Olympic “successes” — increased transportation congestion and demands, pressures on air quality, education disparities, increasing housing costs, health care affordability, increased water consumption and increased homelessness — just to name a few.
All these costs were caused at least in part because the 2002 Olympic promoters wanted to put “Utah on the map” for increased popularity and prosperity. They achieved their goal. They were successful. But, demonstrated by the recent Tribune article (“More growth is coming with or without the 2034 Olympics”), they refuse to acknowledge the costs associated with their successes.
Gov. Leavitt and Speaker Wilson are now zealously making the argument that without the expected successes of the forthcoming 2034 Olympics, Utah’s quality of life will not adequately be protected, while simultaneously refusing to admit that the 2002 Olympic successes had costs associated with them for which Utah is still paying a steep price. Utah should beware, Olympic successes have undeniably become the enemy of its quality of life and values. The wise can see it and readily admit there is a price to pay for Olympic successes. The zealous refuse to acknowledge it while trying to gaslight the warnings of the wise, as abundantly highlighted by Tribune’s revealing article.
Stuart Reid, Ogden
