 |
 |
|
Rice-Eccles Transformation
Another venue that's taking shape is the Olympic Stadium. Before the Utes were even out of the locker room, Olympic Organizers were on the field at Rice Eccles, getting started on the transformation.
|
(Dec. 8, 2001)------
For a production like the opening ceremonies, this is no minor surgery to turn Rice Eccles Stadium into a venue.
Sammy Linebaugh takes a look at the changes.
Two months from Saturday night, organizers are hoping for a clear winter night just like this, when they can sit back and watch what all this hard work was for.
Where once there was turf, there are tractors.
Grant Thomas/SLOC Vice Pres., Venues: "THERE'S AN ASPHAULT LAYER THAT'S GONE OVER THE FIELD. WE'VE ALREADY INSTALLED THE PIPING FOR THE ICE SHEET. SO WE'RE MAKING ICE NOW."
Where once there was a scoreboard, only sky.
Rice Eccles Stadium is morphing day by day, as organizers prepare a stage fit for the world and an arena set to accomodate all special guests.
Grant Thomas/SLOC Vice Pres., Venues: "WE'VE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE PRESIDENT, AND OTHER DIGNITARIES WHO MAY BE VISITING."
There are grandstands to construct, phone and computer cables to connect, security measures to see to...
Grant Thomas/SLOC Vice Pres., Venues: "WE'VE NUMBERED THE NUMBER OF MAGNETOMETERES SO PEOPLE CAN GET INTO THE STADIUM. WE'RE ANTICIPATING 2 TO 2 1/2 HOUR LOAD IN."
To get it all done, surrounding roads and parking lots will be out of the mix through March, some into April.
And on campus where parking is already ugly, students are feeling the squeeze.
Kathryn Chapman/U of U Student: "IT'S BAD, PEOPLE ARE GOING AROUND EACH OTHER AND ALMOST GETTING INTO HEAD ONS, LITERALLY, IT'S BAD."
Katie Madsen/U of U Student: "THE ROAD CLOSURES ARE TERRIBLE. THEY'VE BEEN TERRIBLE, THERE'S NO OTHER WORD FOR IT. AWFUL."
More roads around campus will close as Opening Ceremonies get closer.
Grant Thomas/SLOC Vice Pres., Venues: "SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF FEBRUARY 5TH, WE'LL CLOSE 5TH SOUTH."
Sammy Linebaugh/Eyewitness to the Games: "THAT'S BECAUSE MOST OF THE 8,000 CAST MEMBERS WILL CROSS THE STREET HERE, COSTUME AND ALL, GOING FROM ECCLES TENNIS CENTER TO THE STADIUM."
And scenery build out will take much of the road too.
But if there is a glimmer of light in losing the streets to all this construction,
it is Trax.
East-West lightrail will give commuters an alternative starting December 15th.
A new pedestrian bridge is already in use.
And then there is the less tangible return.
Ben Curtis/U of U Student: "THE IDEA THAT ALL THIS STUFF'S GONNNA BE ON T.V. AND IT'S LIKE, 'HEY, THAT'S MY SCHOOL!' THAT'S GONNA BE PRETTY COOL."
Cool enough, say most, to roll with the inconvenience.
School will not be in session during the Olympics.
By this time, two months from now, opening cermonies will have ended. About 3 billion viewers will have seen this place., and the Salt Lake games will be officially underway.
