It's busy and it's going to get busier.
At the Salt Lake City International Airport, arrivals have been steady and consistent all week, said airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann. And today is expected to be one of the busiest days as some of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's sponsored guests arrive.
SLOC's sponsored guests are guests of the Olympic sponsors such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's and will add 6,500 passengers to the airport's normal flow today, as well as Feb. 12, 16 and 20.
Those sponsored guests have the option of using the Delta Welcome Center, a temporary facility housed in the Delta maintenance hangar. The center will operate beginning today through Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will help reduce congestion at the airport, said Delta spokeswoman Peggy Estes.
"It's like a mini-airport terminal," Estes said.
SLOC arrivals and departures general manager Ronald Malin said most of the 26,000 sponsored guests are expected to use the welcome center.
Those groups using the center will be shuttled directly from airplanes to the welcome center, which will serve as the checkpoint for both baggage and ground transportation for these groups. It's equipped with magnetometers and X-ray equipment and has all the security features the main airport terminals do, Estes said.
Gann said one of the major reasons for the genesis of the welcome center was to take some of the impact off the rest of the airport.
"We can move that many people out of the system every day," she said. "They'll be using different transportation and different bag claim."
Gann said traffic will be moved from in front of the airport, which will be busy with athletes and officials. Because half of the passengers coming into the airport are usually connecting passengers, Gann said, the shift to primarily nonconnecting passengers during the Olympics takes some adjustments on the part of the airport and airlines. The impact on the bag claim and ground transportation systems is being alleviated in part by Delta's Welcome Center.
Airport Executive Director Tim Campbell said the center will enhance customer service for all Olympic visitors. Gann said most of the Olympic teams will arrive by Saturday, with the exception of the hockey teams arriving early next week. Performers for the opening ceremonies and concerts, dignitaries, royalty and heads of state have been heading this way as well. Malin said most of the media for the Olympics have already arrived.
The major focus, Gann said, has been on accommodating the ground transportation system. Three loading zones, named for Olympic mascots Copper, Powder and Coal, are available for Olympic visitors who need to catch a ride. SLOC is responsible for transporting a great deal of those visitors ? IOC members and guests, athletes and team officials, international federation representatives and accredited media. Malin said SLOC is also taking athletes' family members to the homes where they are staying during the Olympics.
The athletes are being hauled via bus, with luggage trucks to carry equipment, while some other groups are being transported in smaller vehicles.
Malin said he doesn't have any concerns about things running smoothly.
"It's just a busy time for us," he said. "From a SLOC perspective, everyone is having a very good time. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience and everyone is enjoying it immensely."
The 400 SLOC workers at the airport are working staggered shifts, doing everything from validating credentials to helping IOC members find their way. But Malin said even though the workers are there to provide help, "part of it is just a smile."
"We're trying to put a friendly face as the first impression of Salt Lake City and the Games," he said.
E-mail: lculler@desnews.com