US OLYMPIC CITIES

Squaw Valley 1960 Olympic Winter Games

Landowner Alexander Cushing had a dream of turning an uninhabited valley near Lake Tahoe into the host of the Olympic Winter Games. Within five years, Squaw Valley transformed from an undeveloped site into a fully functioning town.

Speed skating, figure skating and hockey were all held on artificial ice for the first time ever, with the United States claiming a dramatic gold medal in hockey for the first time ever. CBS had purchased the exclusive rights to televise the Games in the United States – the first that that was done – and instant replay was born when Olympic officials asked CBS to check and see if a skier had missed a gate in the men’s slalom event.

Olympic Highlights

Nations: 30
Athletes: 665 (521 men, 144 women)
Disciplines: 8
Medal Count: Soviet Union 21 (7 gold, 5 silver, 9 bronze); United States 10 (3 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze); United Team of Germany 8 (4 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) and Finland 8 (2 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze)
New Sports: biathlon, women’s speed skating

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Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games

The Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games set attendance records for a Winter Games, selling more than 1.5 million tickets and attracting a daily average of more than 70,000 fans per day.

Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games

The United States' women's teams enjoyed resounding success at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, capturing the first-ever gold medals in women's soccer and softball, as well as winning gold in women's gymnastics team all-around and women's basketball.

Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games held without government financing since the first modern Games in 1896, the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games became a model for the future with its reliance on existing facilities and corporate sponsors, turning a $223 million profit.