Salt Lake City—In homage to the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office, the Department of Airports and Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games partnered to unveil the resurrected Hoberman Arch at SLC Airport’s exit to welcome travelers to Salt Lake City. The massive arch, which formed the backdrop of the 2002 Medals Plaza stage, sits on a base that recognizes Salt Lake City’s role as an Olympic and Paralympic host city.
“The Hoberman Arch is one of the lasting legacies from the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and, hopefully, a lens for us to envision hosting future Winter Games,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “To have the arch permanently placed in an area that will welcome so many people to Salt Lake City is a fitting tribute for such a memorable piece of our history and a reminder of our Olympic spirit.”
The Hoberman Arch is a 72’ wide by 36’ high mechanical curtain created for the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Medals Plaza in downtown Salt Lake City. The arch was designed by artist, architect and engineer Chuck Hoberman and inspired by Utah’s natural stone arches. The semi-circular aluminum structure resembles the form and movement of a human iris and weighs approx. 31,000 pounds. It is made up of 4,000 individual pieces put together as 96 connected panels with 13,000 steel rivets. The panels vary in size with the largest being 5’ wide by 9’ high.
The Hoberman Arch opened and closed to mark milestones in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, including the beginning and the end of the games, the awarding of Olympic medals and the Paralympic Closing Ceremony. At the time of its construction, the arch was the largest unfolding structure in the world.
“The Hoberman Arch is an iconic element that showcases the athletic success of the 2002 medalists and our accomplishment as a community in hosting the Games,” said Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games President and CEO Fraser Bullock. “It is also a star that guides us in bringing a future Games back to Utah in 2030 or 2034.”
The Hoberman Arch has been carefully restored by a team of talented and dedicated individuals under the direction of artist Gordon Huether at a cost of $3.79 million. The arch sits on a base structure that is 10 to 12 ft. high by 72 ft. wide. The base message memorializes Salt Lake City hosting the Olympic Games and includes the logos from the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
“Our studio is proud to have had the opportunity to repair and restore this important Salt Lake City icon that will greet millions of visitors and locals to Utah for generations to come,” said Gordon Huether.