Salt Lake City aimed for the 2034 Winter Games to prevent any commercial and logistical conflicts with the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
ADVERTISEMENTSalt Lake City has been officially chosen as the host for the 2034 Winter Olympics, following the International Olympic Committee's decision to award the event to the United States on Wednesday.
The capital city of Utah was the only candidate after the IOC gave Salt Lake City exclusive negotiating rights last year in the process that was fast-tracked for 2034.
Salt Lake City received final approval to host the Winter Games with an 83-6 vote by IOC members, bringing the event back to the city 32 years after it first hosted in 2002.
The 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games are remembered for a bid bribery scandal that surfaced in 1998, involving IOC members who sought and received favors from campaign officials. It led to sweeping anti-corruption reforms at the IOC.
For its second turn, Salt Lake City will have nearly 10 full years to prepare — the longest lead time for a modern Winter Games — amid ongoing concerns about climate change impacting snow sports and shrinking the pool of potential hosts.
Salt Lake City opted to target 2034 and so avoided potential commercial and logistical clashes with the 2028 Summer Games being hosted by Los Angeles.
In a separate decision earlier in Paris, the 2030 Winter Games was awarded to France subject to certain conditions.