News Release - For Immediate Release

Parker Malatesta, Park City Municipal
parker.malatesta@parkcity.gov
(435) 640-9194

January 7, 2026 

Park City Announces Olympic Delegation to Milan-Cortina 2026 

Park City, Utah – Park City Municipal will send three representatives to participate in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Observers Program. Mayor Ryan Dickey, Councilmember Tana Toly, and Acting City Manager Jodi Emery will represent the City in Italy as part of Utah’s coordinated participation in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) official Observers Program.

The Observers Program places host-community leaders on the ground during an active Olympic Games to study real-world operations, including transportation, venue logistics, public safety, and mountain operations, as preparation continues for the 2034 Winter Games. Park City – which played a central role in the 2002 Olympics and will do so again in 2034 – is participating alongside more than 80 elected and civic leaders from Utah.

“As Mayor, a member of the 2034 Steering Committee, and Vice Chair of the Olympic Host Communities Committee, it’s my responsibility to learn directly from communities hosting the Games,” said Mayor Ryan Dickey. “That firsthand experience is essential to making smart, disciplined decisions at home as we prepare for 2034.” 

The Park City delegation will participate in Wave 3 of the Milan-Cortina Observers Program, based in Cortina d’Ampezzo, with a focus on mountain operations, logistics, security, and competition delivery. The program includes structured site visits, workshops, and behind-the-scenes engagement with Olympic organizers and host-community counterparts.

Councilmember Tana Toly, who served as Park City’s liaison for the Olympic bid, will be focused on local benefits, regional partnerships, and economic vibrancy. Acting City Manager Jodi Emery, the executive leader of the City’s 350-person municipal workforce, will focus on operational readiness, community engagement, and coordination of City services.

“The IOC’s Observers Program gives community and resort leaders direct, practical insight into how the Games operate in real time,” said Utah 2034 Director of Government Relations Kelsey Berg. “Participants engage with organizers, explore venue communities firsthand, and bring those lessons back to Utah as we prepare for 2034.”

Park City’s participation in the Observers Program follows a long-standing practice by host communities, including similar trips undertaken ahead of the 2002 Winter Games and most recently for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where it was announced that Utah would once again host the Games.

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