On June 16, 1985, the Sunday editions of Anchorage’s two warring newspapers were uncharacteristically in sync. Both ran banner headlines about the U.S. Olympic Committee’s choice of Anchorage as its bid city to host the 1992 Winter Olympics.
For the next few years, barely a week would pass without Alaskans hearing more news about the Anchorage Organizing Committee’s quest to land first the 1992 Winter Olympics and then the 1994 Winter Olympics.
A parade of Olympic champions and VIPs visited to see Alaska first-hand, and a series of high-profile events were held to test Anchorage’s organizational skills. The World Junior Hockey Championships came to Sullivan Arena, bringing some of the greatest skaters to ever play the game, and the World Junior Alpine Championships came to Alyeska, showcasing skiers who a few years later stood atop Olympic podiums.
On paper, Anchorage’s effort fell short. The 1992 Winter Olympics were awarded to Albertville, France, where Juneau’s Hilary Lindh made herself at home by winning the silver medal in the women’s downhill ski race. The 1994 Olympics went to Lillehammer, Norway, where Palmer’s Tommy Moe became a gold medalist in the downhill and a silver medalist in the super-G. The dream ended in June 1989, when the USCO dropped Anchorage in favor of Salt Lake City, which went on to host the 2002 Games.
But the endeavor was a triumph in other ways. It established Anchorage as a host for major winter sporting events, and it gave residents a sense of pride and purpose — a chance to dream big and go for the gold.
