Utah 2034 Team Will Observe Milan Cortina Games, Local Officials Included
The Utah 2034 organizing committee planned to send a large delegation to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina to study operations, technology and back of house logistics, a move intended to accelerate local preparations. The possible 80 person delegation is expected to include staff, venue leaders, municipal officials and partners, with Park City officials likely to participate and bring back lessons that could shape Summit County planning.
On December 2, 2025 the Utah 2034 organizing committee announced plans to observe the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics as part of an early multiyear preparation process. The delegation is intended to inspect how venues operate, how technology is deployed, and how back of house logistics are managed, with the committee describing the exercise as critical to translating international experience into local practice.
Officials said the delegation could include up to 80 people, drawing from committee staff, venue leaders, municipal officials and other partners. Park City leaders expect to participate in the observer program. Local elected officials have expressed interest in attending as a fact finding exercise, seeing direct observation of another Games as a way to inform budgets, infrastructure priorities and operational plans here in Summit County.
The committee has also rolled out an early 2034 wordmark as a first step in branding and public engagement. Those moves underline a posture of long term planning, where Utah is seeking to learn from established hosts and to begin aligning local agencies months and years ahead of any site specific design or construction decisions. Observing Milan Cortina offers an opportunity to compare approaches to transportation, venue operations, volunteer organization and technology integration under live event conditions.
For Summit County residents the observer program carries practical implications. Lessons learned abroad could influence scheduling, traffic plans, emergency services coordination, and bidirectional partnerships between municipal departments and private contractors. Early engagement may reduce costly surprises later, but it will also prompt decisions on funding, staffing and community consultation sooner rather than later.
Beyond local logistics, the move reflects a broader international practice of knowledge transfer among host candidates and organizers. By studying another Games up close, Utah aims to adopt proven practices and avoid common pitfalls, while adapting international standards to the cultural and environmental conditions of the Wasatch range. The coming months will show which elements of Milan Cortina influence planning here, and how Summit County balances legacy, community needs and global expectations as preparations continue.
