Summarized by Eric Bunker
New sponsers step in for the Olympics
(BYU) Daily Universe 18May99 L4
By Carolyn Moore: NewsNet Staff Writer
Last Saturday evening at the Olympic mascot debut, three Utah companies,
Marker Ltd., O.C. Tanner and Questar were presented as new sponsors for the
games, which have been struggling to sign up and retain sponsors since the
Olympic scandal broke.
The Marker Company will be the official outfitter, providing uniforms for
volunteers and working staff members of the games. O.C. Tanner, (which is
owned by an inactive member of the Church), will provide the victory and
commemorative medals. And Questar, a Utah based natural gas utility, will
provide its products, selected facilities, and technical services. It will
also provide the natural gas for the Olympic Flame cauldron.
SLOC has not had a new sponsor since last year with two major
companies, Johnson &Johnson and John Hancock having pulled their
sponsorship earlier this year because of the declining public confidence as
the result of the scandal.
Gary Benson, a member of the Utah State Government Watch-Dog Group, has been
opposed to the Olympics coming to Utah since the scandal broke. He has
being very aggressive in encouraging Olympic sponsors to withdraw their
support. Benson had asked SLOC for a list of all Olympic sponsors, but they
refused, so he went after them using the open records law.
Benson said in a letter to Olympic sponsors that the games are being
conducted in an "illegal, unethical, immoral, incestuous, corrupt and
self-serving" manner. He is also afraid of terrorism because of current U.
S. military actions
However, the three new sponsors are positive about their role in the
Olympics. "The Games are coming, and we feel it's important, at this
critical time, for business to get behind the effort," said Don Cash,
Questar President and CEO.
Officials from SLOC also think that this is just the beginning of renewed
support for the 2002 games.
|