| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
 |
| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
|
| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
|
| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
|
| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
|
| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
|
| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
This is the right place — to party
By Jerry D. Spangler, Donna Kemp Spangler
Deseret News staff writers
Utah may have struggled over the years with an inferiority complex. But on Friday night, the state made the "A" party list for the first time.
Several heads of nations, the secretary general of the United Nations and many of the world's top executives all accepted invitations to an an exclusive party for the 2002 Winter Games hosted by Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt in the Utah Fine Arts Museum.
"It's unbelievable," said Amy Hansen, who organized the event, which was hosted by the governor but paid for by corporate sponsors. "Heads of state, world leaders, cabinet members, all gathered in one place, in Utah."
President George W. Bush did not attend.
The party, which began hours before opening ceremonies and was scheduled to continue until midnight, was a joint venture between Leavitt, his "special projects" committee used for re-election purposes, and about 30 corporate sponsors, who picked up all of the $200,000 price tag.
Another $200,000 will be spent on a closing ceremonies celebration, also at the Fine Arts Museum on the University of Utah campus next to Olympic Stadium. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani will be the featured co-host at the closing gala, along with Leavitt. On the must-invite list were corporate CEOs and top executives from AT&T, Zions Bank, Compaq and General Electric, among many others.
At least six cabinet secretaries made appearances, including U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Environmental Protection Agency head Christine Todd Witman. Also, eight or nine heads of state attended, along with several members of Congress.
About 800 to 900 people attended the event.
Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson also held an Olympics bash. He invited people from every ethnic and community organization he could think of to the Wagner Jewish Community Center.
Like others at the mayor's party, Salt Lake resident Amy Leonard is ambivalent about most of the world fixing its attention on Utah. "I want to keep it all a secret," she said.
Amy's husband, Robert Leonard, added that despite all the ancillary surroundings of the Games, the corporate sponsors, the scandals, the controversies over their funding, people can still see the point of the Olympics.
"Now, more than ever," he said, the Games symbolize strength and resilience. When the flag that flew over the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 was carried out, "That's what got me."
E-mail: spang@desnews.com; donna@desnews.com
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February 9, 2002
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