From Deseret News archives:

Olympic center in S.L.?

Researchers asking Crossroads shoppers if they like the idea

Published: Monday, Aug. 29, 2005 10:46 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Utah's Olympic legacy might be getting an official home in downtown Salt Lake City.

Displaying artist renderings of the center that show the LDS Temple just outside a glassed-in wall, a marketing research group is asking shoppers at Crossroads Plaza whether they'd be interested in Salt Lake having an Olympic Spirit Center, possibly similar to a massive, multimillion dollar entertainment complex in Canada.

As shown in the rendering — as it would appear from the north side of Crossroads — the center would be part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' downtown malls renovation project. The two adjacent downtown malls are owned by the LDS Church, and specific plans for their renovation have not yet been made public.

Presiding Bishop H. David Burton has told the Deseret Morning News, however, that he would like some sort of virtual reality or high-sensory Games venue to be part of the project. Mayor Rocky Anderson and other city officials agree downtown is the natural choice for the center.

Story continues below
Various possible sites have been discussed, including Regent Street downtown and possibly in conjunction with a new Real Salt Lake soccer stadium, Anderson said. "For an Olympic host city to have this kind of attraction would be such a great thing for our downtown. We have got to bring more things into our downtown that will attract families and will be something that young people will be attracted to and also to get away from the notion that night life has to entail alcohol. We need places for people that don't enjoy drinking."

The only Olympic Spirit Center in the world, located in Toronto, is a $33 million, five-story 52,000-square foot complex that offers interactive sports simulations as well as a retail store and a 200-seat restaurant and bar. Admission is about $17.50 in U.S. dollars for an adult and about $10 for a child.

The Canadian complex, sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, opened about a year ago and has been called one of Canada's top tourist attractions.

Shannon Fletcher of Lighthouse Research, the Riverton-based group conducting the marketing research at Crossroads, said the work "at this point is being done as a feasibility study." Fletcher referred questions to the company's client, Peter Kaanapu, who said the licensing agreement he and other investors have with the IOC "precludes us from making any public comments on our facility until it has been approved. . . . The IOC is very protective of their brand."

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Wow!, another good reason to stay away from pornography in ALL it's forms.

Contact the UHSAA then. Complaining on the Dnews website doesnt do anything

Whitt just said on ch 4 that Asiata is leaning toward coming back next year....

Demos' losses could rise

Vote Democratic-its easier than working for a living and paying your own bills!

You people are whack. It's been 6 GAMES! To the people saying that Fez and...

TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd

The MWC will play 2-3 big games per year. Alabama and Florida will play 6-7...

TCU moves into 4th place in BCS

I am a U fan and I don't give them much of a shot on the road where TCU...

Don't be a moron. RES has been refferred to as "The Turf" for years. "The...

TCU showdown has big implications

Is this the same Utah team that struggled against the 1-7 San Jose...

TCU showdown has big implications

All you TCU and BYU fans are jealous! This is going to be a close game and I...

Advertisements
Advertisement