WELCOMING THE WORLD, 1990-1995
A
flame, symbolic of the coming Olympic games, flared outside the City-County Building on 16 June 1995, lit by gold medalist Tommy Moe. As the Tabernacle Choir burst into a rousing rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner," the fever that had long driven valley boosters and government officials peaked with the announcement in Budapest, Hungary, that Salt Lake City would host the 2002 Winter Games. The nod from the International Olympic Committee came on an unprecedented first vote, excitedly received by Salt Lake City mayor Deedee Corradini, Governor Mike Leavitt, and Olympic Committee chair Tom Welch, present with other Salt Lakers amid the throng. Polls showed that slightly more than half of Salt Lake County residents favored "welcoming the world" to the valley. The effort had gained support from organizations ranging from the AFL-CIO to the LDS church; it involved numerous donors and had been shepherded by Salt Lake City mayor Palmer DePaulis and former governor Norm Bangerter for much of the previous decade. The sporting events were not at issue so much as the steady spotlight shed on Salt Lake County
