The event was attended by the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Utah Governor Spencer Cox, as well as young athletes, to officially present Utah's bid at a Strategic Board Meeting for the Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 Olympic Winter Games.

The bid submission marks a milestone in the process of bringing the Winter Games back to Utah 32 years after hosting the 2002 Winter Games. Four-time Olympian and committee co-chair Catherine Raney Norman noted the support of Utah Governor Spencer Cox. "A couple of months ago we were at a press conference and the governor said this is kind of Utah's golden age," she said.

"For us, our job is to make sure that we have the best games possible and that we take advantage of all the different assets that we have. Today was a really important and decisive step in continuing to present Utah as a candidate for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games," the former figure skater added.

Several sports-related bills are currently making their way through the Utah legislature, including proposals related to baseball, hockey and the Utah State Fairpark. Raney Norman said these plans could strengthen the Olympic bid. "No matter what happens, the next few years are going to be really dynamic and our job is to make sure we deliver the best Games possible," the key official concluded.

"This is a moment we will always remember as a special time to launch our bid for the Games and hopefully receive an award in just a few months," said Fraser Bullock, President and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games.

Governor Spencer Cox expressed his pride in the aspiring athletes and the sports culture that has been built in Utah since the state hosted the 2002 Winter Games. The governor believes it will "make Utahns proud" and the polls back him up. According to the Deseret News-Hinckley Institute of Politics, more than 80% of Utahns support the bid.

Although the bid has been submitted, the local committee still has a number of hurdles to overcome before it can be named host. It has until 29 March to submit its contractual assurances, which are no less important for such events. 

These include financial guarantees from the federal, state and local governments to ensure that the cost of the event, which will be close to $2.45 billion, will be covered if private funds from the sale of sponsorships, broadcast rights and tickets fall short.  

Another important guarantee relates to accommodation. The bid committee has secured around 21,000 of the 24,000 rooms required and is expected to meet this requirement, as well as signing a joint marketing agreement with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, before the deadline.

According to bid chief Darren Hughes, the venue and hotel contracts have already been finalised. However, he said there were still a few loose ends to tie up, mainly in the areas of advertising, marketing and media rights. 

The committee will also welcome members of the IOC's Future Host Commission, who will tour potential venues from 9-13 April before possibly deciding on Utah's bid to host the Winter Games. The final decision will be made at the end of July 2024.