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Lake Placid and NYC Form Committee to Study Hosting Future Winter Olympics
The exploratory committee will assess venue options and climate reliability, while officials say New York’s first realistic target would be the 2042 Games.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday the formation of an exploratory committee to assess a potential joint Winter Olympics bid involving Lake Placid and New York City, evaluating the feasibility of a dual-hosting format.
Lake Placid previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, the year of the "Miracle on Ice," and a climate change study identifies it as one of few former hosts expected to maintain reliable weather by 2050.
Ashley Walden, President and CEO of the Olympic Regional Development Authority, will lead the committee, which will spend approximately one year conducting the feasibility study before determining if New York State officially enters the bidding process.
This proposed dual-hosting model mirrors the approach used by Milan and Cortina for this year's Games; Governor Hochul expressed support for returning the Olympic flame to New York, though the committee's formation does not guarantee an official bid.
The earliest realistic opportunity for New York to host would be 2042, as future Games are already slated for Salt Lake City in 2034 and the French Alps in 2030, with Switzerland the preferred bidder for 2038.