While many Utahns were looking to make a buck off their homes or property during the Olympics, a Summit County developer temporarily gave up his land for nothing.
And we're not talking about a small parcel of ground here. Mike Nielsen allowed the U.S. Army to commandeer two square miles he owns on a ridge east of Jeremy Ranch.
Because radar towers at Salt Lake City International Airport don't cover the Wasatch Back, Olympic security officials needed a site for a temporary installation. Nielsen was more than happy to oblige even though he wasn't all that hot on Utah hosting the 2002 Winter Games.
"They told me that they would pay me. I didn't feel good about that," he said.
The Joint Forces Command and the Utah Olympic Public Safety Command recently recognized Nielsen's contribution with awards for meritorious service. He also received a special commemorative coin from an Army general.
The modest Nielsen, who owns a housing development called The Ridge at Red Hawk, said the gesture was just his way of helping the Games. He also cleared snow from roads leading to the area so troops could get there easier.
The Army set up its equipment just after Sept. 11. It remained in place through the Paralympics.
Allowing a group of soldiers to occupy your land did provide some side benefits.
Nielsen was able to get a close-up view of military activities on the peak. After passing a security check, the Army allowed him into its operations trailer equipped to summon F-16s in the event of an emergency.
The Jeremy Ranch resident also obtained permission to bring a Boy Scout troop to the ridge to watch a Blackhawk helicopter perform a low fly-over.
"It was way cool," he said.
Nielsen wasn't completely sold on Utah hosting the Olympics prior to the start of the Games. The horror stories about traffic and the bombing in Atlanta made him apprehensive.
But after seeing the military in action, watching the athletic competition on TV and helping in "a small way" to make the 17-day event successful, Nielsen said he came away "110 percent for it."
E-mail: romboy@desnews.com
