| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
 |
| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
|
| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
|
| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
|
| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
|
| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
|
| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
83% give thumbs up to the Olympics
Copyright 2002 Deseret NewsBy Dennis Romboy
Deseret News staff writer
Utahns like the Olympics. They really like the Olympics. And they would do it all over again.
A new Deseret News/KSL-TV poll found an unprecedented 83 percent of residents — now with the benefit of hindsight — favor Salt Lake City hosting the 2002 Winter Games.
Survey results dating back nine years were nowhere near that lofty level, though apprehension about the big unknown faded as "O-Day" neared. By recent comparison, 75 percent fell into the "somewhat favor" or "strongly" favor categories in a poll just before the Feb. 8 opening ceremonies.
For many, apparently seeing was believing. Even skeptics were won over the past two weeks.
"Everybody had this doomsday attitude," said Sugar House resident TaNauna Bunch while wandering the Olympic Medals Plaza on Saturday with her husband and three boys. "Now that (Olympic organizers) have done it, they say it wasn't that bad."
Only 12 percent oppose staging the Games, according to the Dan Jones & Associates poll of 400 Utahns statewide. The Feb. 19-20 survey has a plus or minus 4 percent margin of error.
The latest favorable number — which is 30 points higher than the all-time low of 53 percent in September 1997 — could be read as an approval rating now that the Olympics have come and gone, save today's gold-medal hockey game and closing ceremonies.
The Salt Lake Organizing Committee appears to have put on stellar Games. Few traffic jams. No major security gaffes. Satisfied spectators and partiers, both drinkers and teetotalers. Top-notch venues for memorable athletic feats. Mostly happy journalists, aside from Denver's Woody Paige.
The most heated controversies — judging and officiating in ice sports — were beyond SLOC's control.
State Olympic officer Lane Beattie credits Utahns with making the Games work.
"The preparations have paid off. The quality of the venues have paid off," he said. "But all that could have failed had our citizens not caught the fire."
Longtime Salt Lake Games critic Steve Pace said organizers threw a good party but didn't show the true Utah. Revelers got away with things like drinking a beer in public that they didn't before the Olympics and won't afterward.
"I think what we had was a picture of unreality during the Games," he said.
Whether the Olympics pay off financially remains to be seen.
By the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's best estimates, its $1.3 billion budget will break even. Utah taxpayers ponied up $59 million for Olympic venues, and there are critics who believe the Games will ultimately cost residents more. Should that happen, the rave reviews would sour.
Euphoric Utahns apparently haven't given much thought to dollars and cents yet. They are, however, thinking about wanting to do this Olympic thing again sometime.
The poll shows 77 percent favor Salt Lake City hosting the Games in the future, given the opportunity. Only 19 percent wouldn't be up for a repeat.
Bunch and her husband Scott would welcome a second go-round.
"We love it," she said.
"You betcha," he added.
The Bunches see the experience as something like having relatives visit: It's great while they're here, but there comes a time when they must leave, though they're always welcome back.
"We need a little bit of a rest, but it's OK," Scott Bunch said.
It will probably be a Rip Van Winkle-like rest. Another chance will be a long time in coming, if at all. Beattie guesses it would be at least two decades.
"I don't think you can host another Olympics and get someone to pay for them again," Pace said.
Given all the pre-Olympic hubbub about Salt Lake City staging the "Mormon Games," many visitors were surprised at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' low-key approach. Street proselytizing was left to other groups.
Utahns in the Jones survey overwhelmingly — 86 percent — disagree that the label will be hung on the city. Only 11 percent think otherwise.
"I think people will see it for what it is and how good it is," said Layton resident Francis Rosado.
Again with the benefit of being able to look back, 68 percent of residents say there were more excited to the see the Games begin than to see them end, the poll shows. Meantime, 20 percent said they are looking forward to kissing the Olympics goodbye.
"I'm definitely glad to see it over," Pace said, "because I'm still nervous the bad guys are coming to do something."
E-MAIL: romboy@desnews.com
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February 24, 2002
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