The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is stepping in as a major hometown backer of the 2034 Winter Olympics, rolling out a support package that includes a substantial financial gift, prime downtown land, and what could be an army of volunteers.
Church leaders announced the offer at a media event in Milan, as the world focuses on the 2026 Winter Games. The pledge opens up Block 85, a central downtown parcel, for use as an Olympic venue and medals plaza, and makes nearby church-owned property available for event parking and staging.
Bishop Sean Douglas, second counselor in the church’s Presiding Bishopric, told reporters the church will put money, real estate, and volunteer power on the table to bolster organizers and local leaders. Church representatives said land close to proposed Olympic sites could help relieve parking and staging pressure in the city core, while member volunteers would be encouraged to serve in roles that fit the church’s emphasis on service and hospitality. The details were reported by KSL.
What the church is offering
Douglas framed the move as far more than a simple donation, saying the real impact comes from “the hearts and extraordinary commitment of our member volunteers,” which he argued makes the contribution uniquely valuable to the Games. Church spokespeople described the package as the continuation of a long relationship with the Olympic movement that reaches back to Salt Lake City’s hosting duties in 2002. KSL reported the comments from the Milan event.
Block 85 and the downtown plan
Block 85, a surface lot northeast of the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City, is already a key piece of the Salt Lake City-Utah venue blueprint. It has been tagged in that plan as the likely site for big-air skiing and snowboarding and for the medals plaza.
The block played a similar role in 2002, serving as an entertainment and medals hub. Organizers now want it to be a signature downtown stage again in 2034, according to the SLC-UT 2034 venue announcement. SLC-UT 2034 laid out the roster of proposed locations.
Organizers call it a boost
Salt Lake City, Utah, 2034 leaders say the church’s offer strengthens both the bid’s community partnerships and its nuts-and-bolts plan for venues and operations.
“Our venue partners represent a modern, sustainable approach to sport,” SLC-UT 2034 President Fraser Bullock said, pointing to a strategy that leans on existing facilities and community resources instead of new permanent construction. That framing and the broader venue map come from the organizing committee’s public materials. SLC-UT 2034 provided the outline.
Funding, volunteers, and logistics
On the money side, organizers have already landed major private donors through the Podium34 campaign, which secured more than $200 million in founding commitments to jump-start the Games’ budget. The church’s pledge is expected to become a meaningful addition to that private support for 2034.
Officials say the overall plan relies on private fundraising, International Olympic Committee contributions, and ticket revenue, rather than broad new permanent builds or state tax dollars. Adding church-owned parking near downtown venues and tapping a large volunteer pool could help ease traffic, crowd flow, and other game-day pressures in the city center. As reported by Deseret News, Podium34 has been an early cornerstone of that private funding push.
Past ties and next steps
The church has signaled this kind of cooperation before. Leaders met with IOC officials and reiterated their support after Salt Lake City was selected as the 2034 host in July 2024, and the First Presidency said the church stands ready to welcome athletes, volunteers, and visitors.
Organizers now plan to fold the church’s package into venue planning, parking strategies, and volunteer recruitment as they refine a compact, existing-venues model for the Games. In a news release, the Church Newsroom summarized those meetings with IOC officials and the First Presidency’s statement.
