NBC5 In Depth: New York explores 2042 Olympic bid
New York explores bringing Winter Olympics back to Lake Placid in 2042
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. —
More than four decades after Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics, New York is exploring whether the Adirondack community could once again welcome the world’s top winter athletes.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced an exploratory effort looking at a potential bid for the 2042 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
The proposal would take a different approach from the 1932 and 1980 Games, which were centered in Lake Placid.
Instead, New York is considering a two-city model that would combine Lake Placid and New York City.
Lake Placid could host many of the snow and sliding events, while New York City could accommodate arena events such as hockey and figure skating.
Hochul visited Lake Placid in August, touring Olympic venues and the Olympic Museum and meeting with athletes.
The governor’s office says the concept would build on infrastructure that already exists in the Adirondacks while taking advantage of New York City’s arenas, hotels, transportation network and media presence.
Lake Placid’s Olympic legacy
Lake Placid has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, first in 1932 and again in 1980.
The community continues to host major sporting events, including World Cup competitions, national championships and international events.
New York state says Olympic Authority venues in the region recorded more than 1.2 million visits during the most recent year.
The state also says its Olympic facilities have received more than $750 million in investment under Hochul’s administration.
Those venues include the Olympic sliding track, cross-country facilities at Mount Van Hoevenberg, Whiteface Mountain and the Olympic Center.
The existing infrastructure could give Lake Placid an advantage in a potential bid because the region would not have to build an entire Olympic city from scratch.
A two-city Olympic plan
Under the concept being explored, Lake Placid would serve as the hub for many outdoor winter events.
New York City could host events requiring large indoor arenas, including hockey and figure skating.
The state says the two locations could complement one another, combining Lake Placid’s Olympic history and winter sports infrastructure with New York City’s large venues and transportation network.
Lake Placid’s history includes one of the most famous moments in Olympic history.
During the 1980 Winter Games, the U.S. men’s hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in what became known as the “Miracle on Ice.”
The rink where that game was played remains part of Lake Placid’s Olympic legacy.
Questions remain
Despite the excitement surrounding a potential return of the Games, significant questions remain before New York could move forward with a formal bid.
Lake Placid has a population of roughly 2,200 people, and hosting an Olympics would bring thousands of athletes, officials, media members and spectators to the region.
Transportation, housing and infrastructure would all need to be evaluated.
The potential environmental impact on the Adirondacks would also have to be considered.
The state’s exploratory committee is expected to examine those issues, along with the potential cost of hosting the Games and what additional investments would be necessary.
Hochul has said local communities will need to be part of that process.
Not a formal bid — yet
For now, New York is only exploring the possibility.
The exploratory committee will determine whether a 2042 bid is feasible, what it would cost and whether the state could put together a competitive proposal.
If New York ultimately decides to move forward, it would then enter the broader Olympic bidding process.
The 2042 Winter Olympics are still 16 years away.
For now, Lake Placid’s Olympic venues continue to host athletes and international competitions while New York considers whether the community could add another chapter to its Olympic history.