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Cutting back SLOC postpones purchase of Winter Sports Park
Posted: Tuesday April 13, 1999 05:49 PM
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Olympic organizers will postpone purchase of the Utah Winter Sports Park for 90 days so they and the U.S. Olympic Committee can contend with the 2002 Winter Games' scandal-reduced budget. The park and a speedskating oval could be shut down for a year under the cuts Salt Lake Organizing Committee president Mitt Romney proposes as a hedge against a shortfall in the last US$300 million needed to finance the games' US$1.45 billion budget. Operation of those Olympic facilities -- the ski jump, bobsled, luge and speedskating venues -- would be cut by US$5 million, which is part of US$84 million in cuts Romney proposes. The cuts do not sit well with the USOC and athletes, who want the venues open for training during the next three years. USOC vice president Sandy Baldwin appeared Tuesday before the SLOC's finance committee to argue for the delay in the purchase. The committee voted to put the purchase on hold for 90 days, something the SLOC management could have done without a vote. "I don't think the magnitude of the cuts proposed is necessary at all," Baldwin said after the meeting. The USOC is convinced it and the SLOC will be able to raise US$300 million more from corporate sponsors. "You shouldn't cut it when it deals with athlete," Baldwin said. "If U.S. athletes do not do well in the 2002 Games, it will reflect on the games and training is part of that." The SLOC was supposed to close Thursday on the purchase of the park near Park City from the Utah Sports Authority, which built it with taxpayer money. The park was to be returned to state ownership after the games, along with US$99 million. Sports Authority director Randy Dryer proposed the 90-day delay so the ramifications of the US$5 million cut in SLOC's budget can be reconsidered. He will ask the executive board of the sports authority to endorse the delay Wednesday. On Monday, Romney said the SLOC also does not plan to contribute cash for USOC's US$9 million project to restore public trust in the wake of the Salt Lake bribery scandal. While Romney has ruled out a cash donation, he said he is still considering whether the SLOC can afford to give US$1 million in goods and services. He said he informed USOC officials of his decision last week.
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