A posh club opened last week in downtown Salt Lake City. And the guest list is as exclusive as Studio 54 in its heyday.
Prince Albert of Monaco opened the Visa Olympian Reunion Center on Thursday before a crowd of past Olympians and other dignitaries.
"This is the opportunity to hear stories and share exchanges which cement bonds between Olympians," he said.
In a converted warehouse on 400 West, about a block from the Olympic Medals Plaza, overstuffed beige couches and modern lighting combine to encourage athletes to linger longer and spill stories.
This club is only open to past and current Olympians who must present credentials to enter. They receive the credentials the first time they go.
However exclusive, many Olympians expressed elation that there was a place for them to hang out and reconnect.
Salt Lake is the first host city of a Winter Olympics to have such a place for Olympians.
Former Olympian Julian D. Munoz, who competed for Costa Rica in the giant slalom and the slalom in the 1988 Calgary Winter Games and the 1992 Albertville Winter Games, hopes to see familiar faces.
"The camaraderie among Olympians was the most important thing I remember about the Games," he said. "That is what is imprinted in my mind."
Former Olympian Lane Spina who won medals in freestyle skiing in Calgary and Albertville said he has been to three previous Olympics and he's never seen anything like this before.
"Before this, I would just go to the Games and maybe run into a few people. You just never knew where to meet up with old teammates."
The idea of a reunion center began at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games and came into fruition at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, gaining momentum at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympic Games.
More than 5,000 athletes visited.
E-MAIL: sgiles@desnews.com