The most vocal critic of Olympic spending now says he's satisfied with the $31 million budget for this year. And he says he's sorry if his vote against it last month offended anyone.
"I feel much better today," said Nolan Karras, who represents Gov. Mike Leavitt on the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's board of trustees, Thursday during a meeting called to go over the budget again - in detail.The "really healthy discussion" about the budget came Thursday during a two-hour meeting behind closed doors, Karras said.
He described it and other budget meetings as both heated and candid.
The details that were discussed in public Thursday included justification for nearly doubling the organizing committee staff over the budget year that began July 1. Organizers hope to fill 40 new positions, including a security director.
Whatever was said in private also produced a public apology from Karras to the rest of the board. He said he didn't offer the board enough of an explanation for his vote against the budget.
"If I offended someone, I truly apologize. It was not my intent to be controversial," he said. "(When) I voted against the budget, it really wasn't because I had heartburn about management or any item in the budget."
Karras also told the board not to worry about the outcome of an analysis of the numbers he requested from the governor's budget office.
"The governor's office has not completed their review, but I don't anticipate any problems," Karras said. That review will focus more on the long-term aspects of the budget, he said.
Still to be resolved is how much control the board will have over how money is actually spent. Karras had complained that organizers could move money around in the budget as long as they don't exceed the total amount approved.
That and other budget issues will now be examined in detail by the board's executive committee, which meets in private. The executive committee's recommendations will be brought to the full board.
Karras said Thursday he is trying to look out for the state's financial interest in the Games. Years ago, the state agreed to indemnify Salt Lake City against any losses from the Olympics.
Organizers plan to raise the $1 billion needed to put on the 2002 Winter Games from selling corporate sponsorships and broadcasting rights and from other private sources. Some federal assistance is also expected.
But if that isn't enough, Karras said the state will be on the hook. Both state and local taxpayers have already spent $59 million building sports facilities, money that's supposed to be repaid by Olympic organizers.
The only other board member who voted against the budget, Ken Bullock of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, had little to say Thursday. He did remind the board that local taxpayers also stand to lose money if the Olympics fail.
Karras' comments were well-received by SLOC Chairman Frank Joklik. "Figuring out where we are on preparations is not just a process of adding up a bunch of numbers," Joklik told the board.
Thursday's budget presentation, which lasted nearly four hours, revealed some of the organizing committee's plans over the next 12 months, including when the new logo for the Winter Games will be released.
That's set for Aug. 30, during half-time ceremonies at the Utah-Utah State football game at the University of Utah's Rice Stadium. The new design will be featured on some 60 products.
The first sponsors also will be announced in late August. Eight companies, including US WEST, General Motors, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot and Marriott hotels, are reportedly committing as much as $100 million each.
US WEST has already made a contribution by helping to redesign the organizing committee's Web site on the Internet. The address is the same (http://www.slc2002.
org), but the page will offer new features.
The telephone company will also donate office furniture to the organizing committee. The furniture will be left behind when US WEST vacates the second floor of the downtown office building also used by the organizing committee.
SLOC President Tom Welch said organizers, who already occupy the entire sixth floor of the building, will "make do" with that and the second floor through the end of 1999.