Single-event tickets now available

Olympic ticket buyers wanting something a little less than the full package of Winter Games tickets can now snatch up single-event tickets without having to buy the big ticket packages, Mitt Romney announced Monday.

Romney, Salt Lake Organizing Committee president, announced that SLOC has broken up its larger ticket packages, which had previously included open and closing ceremony tickets along with three other events. These packages cost several thousands of dollars.

To make the packages more affordable, SLOC has broken the bigger ones to "light packages." Light packages include a hot-ticket event like figure skating with a lower-demand ticket like preliminary rounds of ice hockey.

"You can buy a single-event ticket today, such as figure skating, which was not possible yesterday," Romney said.

Actually, those who already purchased premium ticket packages can access the light packages exclusively on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, the light packages will be made available to the general public.

Romney said SLOC has few tickets left, but they include great seats. Romney also said that out of 167 event sessions, nine are sold out, meaning 158 event sessions are still available.

In addition to selling tickets online at the Salt Lake Organizing Committee Web site, ( www.saltlake2002.com), some select tickets will be auctioned at eBay to the highest bidder.

To bid on a pair of tickets, users must first register with eBay. A link to the bidding and a list of tickets currently available can be found on the SLOC Web site.

Bidding for each pair of tickets lasts 10 days. New pairs of tickets to bid on will become available several times a week.

Tickets can also be purchased by calling 1-800-TICKETS or at Smith'sTix across Utah.

Public ticket sales began one year ago with prices ranging from $20 to as much as $885 for a seat at the opening or closing ceremonies at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium

All proceeds above the face value of the tickets are used to fund the Paralympics in March.

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