Olympic organizers are holding off on a push for more local support for the 2002 Winter Games until a federal investigation into the bribery allegations surrounding the Salt Lake bid is complete.
Just what's being withheld was not entirely clear from the discussion Thursday morning at a meeting of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee Management Committee.SLOC President Mitt Romney spoke of releasing a statement that he believes will define the goals of the Olympics for Utahns, something he hopes they "will find to be powerful and motivating."
But Romney said reports that the federal investigation could be wrapped up this summer affects that release. "Clearly, those reports do influence the timing of reports to the public."
His comments came during his regular update to members of the SLOC Management Committee. It was the first time the U.S. Department of Justice investigation had been publicly discussed in any detail by SLOC.
"I thought it was important for our board to understand we are a very different organization than the bid committee. It's important for the public to understand that, too," he said.
Romney said the investigation is supported fully by the organizing committee and noted it costs several million dollars in legal fees to cooperate with requests for information.
The FBI is looking into possible criminal activities by the Salt Lake Bid Committee as a result of the more than $1 million in cash, gifts, scholarships and other inducements given to members of the International Olympic Committee.
Surprisingly, Romney said the vote-buying scandal is not affecting his efforts to sign much-needed sponsors. "The truth is, I don't see much of an impact today," he said.
The corporations being approached to spend millions of dollars for the right to associate themselves with the Salt Lake Games see the difference between the bid and the organizing committee, Romney said.
He said action will be taken against anyone at SLOC linked to the scandal by the investigation. The organizing committee is not worried about fallout, he said. "We can stand by the truth."
Romney said the organizing committee's "highest priorities stand in contrast to the bid committee's lapses," citing commitments to ethical conduct as well as fiscal responsibility and restraint.
SLOC is now "the most open and community-linked of any private or not-for-profit institution" Romney said he has ever seen.
"That distinction is clear," he said. But that message much be reinforced by organizers. Last month's unveiling of the bear, hare and coyote that will serve as mascots for the Games helped, as will upcoming events.
SLOC is not participating in a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign being launched later this month by the U.S. Olympic Committee. The USOC had hoped for financial help from Salt Lake organizers.
Also Thursday, the SLOC Management Committee approved adding five new events to the 2002 Games, including men's and women's skeleton sliding, women's bobsled, cross-country sprint and one in speed-skating.
The net effect on the budget is a $200,000 boost from the additional ticket sales, according to Cathy Priestner Allinger, director of sport for SLOC.