New York State Takes Exploratory Moves To Host 2042 Winter Olympics
Monday, June 22, 2026 at 09:18PM By Barry Janoff
June 22, 2026: In 1980, Lake Placid, NY was the site of the iconic “Miracle on Ice” U.S. gold medal-winning men’s hockey team.
Lake Placid also hosted the 1932 Winter Olympics,
New York is now looking into creating more Olympic greatness.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul today unveiled the formation of the Lake Placid-New York City Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Exploratory Committee, a “statewide effort tasked with evaluating the feasibility of a future Winter Games concept linking Lake Placid's Olympic legacy with New York City's global platform.”
The goal is to see if it is financially and logistically feasible for Lake Placid and New York to host the Winter Olympics in 2042. There was not as yet a commitment to submitting a bid to the International Olympic Committee.
Hochul said the committee would assess “whether a modern, regionally coordinated Winter Games model-built around existing venues, sustainability, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement could support the State's broader economic, tourism, infrastructure, and regional development goals.”
The exploratory process is expected to unfold over approximately one year.
The exploratory process is being conducted with the knowledge of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and “reflects the modern Olympic approach of long-term evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and due diligence before any consideration of a formal bid.’
“The time is now to return the Olympic flame back to New York,” Gov. Hochul said via her office. (The 2026 Winter Games in) Milano Cortina showcased the immense possibility that comes with a dual city Olympic Games.
“It’s clear we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build on Lake Placid's Olympic legacy, New York City's global platform, and the strengths that make our State unique. That’s why I’ve assembled some of the best and the brightest in sports, government and community leadership to take the steps necessary to ensure New York is in the best possible position to make the dream of a Lake Placid-New York City Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games a reality.”
The 2030 Winter Games are scheduled for the French Alps.
The 2034 Winter Games are scheduled for Salt Lake City.
The 2038 Winter Games are TBD with Switzerland seen as the front-runner, having entered into exclusive "privileged dialogue" with the IOC as well as receiving the support of the Swiss government.
According to Hochul’s office, “More than $750 million in State investments have transformed and modernized Lake Placid's Olympic venues, helping position the region as a year-round hub for recreation, athlete development, and international competition. Its venues were recently designated as the contingency sliding venue for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, further demonstrating their ongoing relevance on the world stage.”
The Exploratory Committee effort will be guided by a Leadership Group chaired by Ashley Walden, President and CEO of the Olympic Regional Development Authority, and composed of leaders from state and local government, economic development, and public service. 
Through focused workstreams, stakeholder engagement, and public input, the Exploratory Committee will “evaluate whether a future Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games concept, with events centered in Lake Placid and New York City, could responsibly advance New York State's long-term priorities.
“The formation of the Exploratory Committee does not represent a commitment to pursue a formal Olympic or Paralympic bid.
“At the conclusion of the process, the committee will submit its findings and recommendations to State leadership for review. Future actions will be determined after completion of the exploratory process and evaluation of its findings.”
"Lake Placid holds a special place in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement and continues to play an important role in the development of Team USA athletes today..” Sarah Hirshland, USOPC CEO said via the organization.
“We applaud New York State and ORDA for their ongoing investments in winter sport and for taking a thoughtful, sustainable approach to exploring future opportunities that could create lasting benefits for athletes, communities, and the broader winter sport landscape."
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