As the Vancouver Olympics approach this winter, many people are reflecting on past Winter Olympics such as the 2002 Salt Lake games. A recent Associated Press article highlighted the effects that the Olympics had on the Utah ski industry. Here are some of the articles key "Utah Talking Points":

• "Traffic on the slopes was up by 37 percent in the 6 years after the Olympics."
• "Utah skiing is now a $1 billion industry."
• "Off the slopes, this season's biggest improvement is a new set of state liquor laws."
• "The Canyons, a rival to Snowbasin in development, was once the smallest Park City resort, now bills itself Utah's largest ski area."
• "Utah always had the best snow, a secret the Olympics spilled far and wide. Major skiing magazines started to consistently rate Utah's resorts the best."
• "For the 3rd straight year, Deer Valley Resort has been named the #1 North American ski resort by a leading magazine, SKI."
• "For snow alone, Alta-Snowbird ranked #1, as it almost always does in major surveys."

It has been nearly 8 years since the Olympic Games came to Park City and skiers are still reaping the benefits.