SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It’s official. The U.S. Olympic Committee has chosen Salt Lake City as its candidate city to bid for a future Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

While it wasn’t specifically stated that Salt Lake City will bid for the 2030 Games, it was stated by former COO for the 2002 Games Frazier Bullock at a press conference that the process for bidding will ramp up about two years before the announcement is to be made. The selection for the 2030 Olympics is due by 2023.

USOC selects Salt Lake City for potential 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games bid >> https://t.co/llqSJdsVrN

— U.S. Olympic News (@USOlympicNews) December 14, 2018

“We are truly humbled to be the choice to represent the United States in a bid for a future Olympic Games,” said SLC Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “This decision affirms Salt Lake City as the capital of winter sports in America, and the tremendous amount of work we have done to continue our Olympic legacy for future generations.”

Now that Salt Lake, which hosted the 2002 Winter Games, has been chosen by the USOC to host a future Olympics, the city will enter the process towards becoming the host city as outlined by the IOC

Learn how to submit a modern invitation.

First, Salt Lake will enter the invitation phase, something which was new to the process in selecting the 2020 host city.

Representatives from Salt Lake City will likely attend a workshop in Lausanne, Switzerland, where they will share ideas and materials for their vision of the games.

Following the invitation phase, Salt Lake City will be invited to become an official host city.

The candidature process will be next and is a three step process.

Stage 1: Vision, Games Concept, Strategy

First, Salt Lake City will build a strategic analysis, where the vision, concept and legacy of the potential games will be materialized with help from the IOC. There is an emphasis on sustainability, something that Biskupski mentioned frequently when meeting with the press following the announcement.

Stage 2: Governance, Legal, Venue Funding

Next, it will be important for Salt Lake City to have the necessary legal and financial systems in place and ready to submit to the IOC. When hosting the games in 2002, Salt Lake City famously boosted a positive financial, something that become rare of late for Olympic cities.

Stage 3: Games Delivery, Experience, Venue Legacy

Finally, Salt Lake City will be analyzed on its ability to deliver a successful games with a focus on the athlete experience. One interesting aspect discussed by Biskupski was the possibly hosting ice hockey at outdoors venues, something not before seen in an Olympic games.

Submit a proposal to the IOC

After completing the candidature process, Salt Lake City will enter the host city election and have the opportunity to make its proposal to the IOC.

Following a final presentation to the IOC, the members of the committee will vote by secret ballot and elect the host city.

No timetable has been set for the beginning of the process, but Bullock stated that work would begin on the various projects would begin immediately.