As the World Cup tournament highlights, giant sporting events serve as major tourist attractions and economic boons for the hosts. In the winter of 2034, Utah will get its second chance to host the Olympic Games. Utah last hosted in 2002, and the games proved overwhelmingly successful: not only selling 1.5 million tickets and generating more than $6.5 billion — one of the most profitable Olympics ever — but also showing the world the beauty and recreational opportunities inherent to Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. With Utah preparing to welcome the world again, the state again faces pressure to present itself in the best possible light — environmentally, economically, and socially.
The Great Salt Lake’s Role in Winter Snow
This next Olympics presents a challenge that only lurked in the distant background in 2002. To succeed in 2034, Utah needs to make headway in its efforts to save the Great Salt Lake. Utah’s snowpack relies heavily on the lake due to the lake‑effect phenomenon — when cold air passes over the lake, picks up moisture, and releases it as snowfall. The lake’s salinity prevents it from freezing, which keeps this moisture cycle active throughout the winter. The lake effect adds as much as 10% of Utah’s seasonal snowpack, making the lake a crucial contributor to the “greatest snow on earth.”
This connection between the lake and Utah’s snowpack becomes even more significant when considering the demands of hosting the Olympics. Reliable snowfall is essential for ski resorts, competition venues, and the overall winter experience that Utah markets to the world. Hosting the winter Olympics requires more than venues; it requires snow on the slopes. The Games create a powerful motivation for the state to invest in environmental restoration.
Ecological and Health Risks
But the environmental stakes go far beyond winter sports. The Great Salt Lake has already shrunk enough to expose over 50% of its lakebed, which threatens surrounding ecosystems and biodiversity. The lake supports millions of migratory birds, brine shrimp industries, and unique shoreline habitats. As the lake recedes, the dried lakebed fuels toxic dust storms—delivering arsenic and other heavy metals into our bodies as we inhale. These dust events pose serious public health risks, not just limited to lung and breathing conditions, but also extending to increased risks to multiple kinds of cancer and heart failure.
With millions of people arriving from around the world for the 2034 Games, visitors will want to experience Utah at its best — clean air, healthy ecosystems, and the iconic landscapes the state is known for. If we have not addressed our own water use—the most important factor in the lake’s decline—the Olympics will highlight our failure and hurt Utah’s tourism for decades to come.
The Olympics have become more than a sporting event. They act as a catalyst for environmental action, a motivator for state investment, and a reminder that Utah’s natural resources are central to both its identity and its future. The 2002 games spurred investment in light rail, Frontrunner, and our International Airport. The Games offer a rare moment when global attention, state funding, and public interest align, creating an opportunity to prioritize environmental restoration that might otherwise be delayed or overlooked.
The Race to Save the Lake
We need to work to make sure that our public leaders make the 2034 Olympics serve as a turning point. The Games highlight the interconnectedness of tourism, ecology, and public health, and they underscore how major events can drive meaningful environmental change. Utah’s success in 2002 proved that the state can host the world with excellence. Now, with the Great Salt Lake facing unprecedented challenges, the 2034 Games can provide the incentive needed to ensure Utah’s natural environment and its future. We need to turn our full attention to the race before the games—the race to become the first community ever to save a declining saline lake.
