From The Denver Post, Wednesday, November 8, 1972

Voters Reject Funding For '76 Olympics, by Norm Udevitz, Denver Post writer

"Colorado voters decisively voiced their anti-Olympic sentiments Tuesday, passing Amendment No. 8, which cuts off state funds for the 1976 games, by a 5-to-3 margin.

With 1,797 of the state's 2,047 precincts reporting, 522,608 ballots had been cast to stop state funding, and 348,916 persons had voted to continue funds.

Passage of the Amendment has quenched Colorado's Olympic torch and put an end to the eight-year effort of many business, civic, and political leaders to stage the Games in the state.

Both opponents and supporters credited the amendment's passage to citizen fear of high costs, additional taxes and questions about the credibility of the DOC (Denver Organizing Committee)."

From The Denver Post, Thursday, November 9, 1972

Colorado Vote Reignites Feeble Utah Olympic Flame, by The Associated Press

"The action of Colorado voters has reignited, feebly, the Olympic flame in the hearts of the Olympics For Utah Committee, which tried unsuccessfully to attract the 1972 Winter Olympics.

Newly reelected Governor Calvin L. Rampton said Utah would be glad to have the Games, with a lot of "ifs." Robert D. Wilde, publicity director of Utah, Division of Travel Development, said it would be nice, but there would be problems.

Max E. Rich, former president of the Utah Committee and now a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, said he didn't think Salt Lake could handle it financially.

Salt Lake City Mayor E.J. Garn said the city could handle the Olympics more economically than any other city in the world."

From Rocky Mountain News, Thursday, Nov. 9, 1972

DOOC to meet to turn down Olympics, by Richard O'Reilly, Rocky Mountain News writer

"In probably their last official act, board members of the Denver Olympic Organizing Committee (DOOC) will meet Thursday afternoon to turn down the 1976 Winter Olympics.

With one exception, the amendment was rejected only in mountain counties which stood to benefit from increased tourism and development associated with the Games.

DOOC staffers said Wednesday they received many calls from voters who said they didn't intend to kill the Games, but only to get the state out of paying for them."

By the way...

The IOC later awarded the 1976 Winter Games to Innsbruck, Austria, site of the 1964 Games.