Spectators file into the Olympic Medal Plaza in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, during the 2002 Olympics. Salt Lake City has grown from a winter sports venue to a vibrant technology hub in just two decades, leveraging the legacy of the 2002 Winter Olympics to transform into one of America's fastest-growing business destinations. A catalyst for economic growthIn 2002, the world watched as Salt Lake City welcomed athletes and spectators to the Winter Olympics. Salt Lake City's 2002 Olympics cost about $2 billion and turned a profit. During preparations for the Olympics, Leavitt met with Adobe co-founder and Salt Lake City native John Warnock in Silicon Valley to discuss building a tech community in Utah.

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Persons: George Frey, Michael Leavitt, Leavitt, Todd Lodwick, Anacleto, John Warnock, Warnock, what's Organizations: AFP, Getty, Census Bureau, Former Utah Gov, CNBC, Winter, Games, University, Utah's, Gardner Policy Institute, Gardner Institute, Olympic Rings, Nordic, Los Angeles Times, Olympics, Adobe, Engineering, Computer Science Initiative Locations: Salt Lake City , Utah, CNBC's, Salt Lake City, Kearns , Utah, Utah, Silicon Valley