California and Nevada have launched an exploration of a possible bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Fifty-two years after the Olympic flame was first ignited in the Tahoe region, California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and Nevada Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki announced today (April 5) the formation of the Lake Tahoe Winter Games Exploratory Committee (LTWGEC), a new joint California Nevada initiative dedicated to developing an Olympic Bid for the 2022 Winter Games.

"The timing is right for Californians and Nevadans to come together and seriously explore bringing the Winter Olympic Games to the Tahoe region," said Krolicki. "Our new committee is the evolution of years of work by many people and if the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) decides to bid on the 2022 Winter Games, we will be ready to showcase the Tahoe region's scenic majesty and winter games capabilities."

"As someone who has worked on Bids for major sporting events like the Olympic Games and the America's Cup, I know how important it will be for us to have a galvanized regional effort," said Newsom. "We will only succeed if leaders on both sides of the state line stand as one."

The Lake Tahoe Winter Games Exploratory Committee will be tasked with creating a group of business, civic and political leaders that will work to thoroughly explore the benefits and impacts of hosting the Olympic Games in the Lake Tahoe Region. According to Krolicki and Newsom, the new group's leadership will be announced in the coming weeks - including a robust environmental leadership team.

"Lake Tahoe's physical beauty is our greatest asset and our greatest responsibility," said Newsom. "We can't do this without the environment being front of mind for us."

"Andy Wirth, Squaw Valley CEO and President, was chosen to serve as interim chair of the committee at this incipient stage of the groups formation.  In the coming weeks we'll be announcing the leadership of the Lake Tahoe Winter Games Exploratory Committee. We are creating an organization that represents the great diversity of our two states," said Krolicki.

Photo from 2010 Olympic Games by Gepa