Organizers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on Friday released an update on Los Angeles’ historic third hosting of the Summer Olympics in 2028.
The Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympics, LA28, has released proposals that include plans to reallocate some sports and even move some sports outside of the city of Los Angeles. A comprehensive plan is expected to be released by the LA28 ahead of the Paris Olympics.
No new permanent venues are planned for Los Angeles, the 2017 host city. The city previously hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984 and 1932.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the pinnacle of athletics and achievement, and we are proud to host the Los Angeles 2028 Games in some of the greatest stadiums and arenas ever made,” said LA28 Chairman and President Casey Wasserman. “LA28’s modern venue plan provides the ideal Hollywood backdrop for the world’s best athletes. By choosing from great existing venues, regardless of location, rather than building a new permanent or temporary stadium, we will realize more than $150 million in savings and new revenue, helping to maintain a balanced budget. We look forward to partnering with these venues, and their experienced operators and employees, to deliver an unparalleled experience for athletes and fans in 2028.”
Under the updated venue plans, gymnastics will be held at Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles, swimming at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and basketball at the Intuit Dome, also under construction in Inglewood. Track and field will continue to be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which also hosted the events in 1932 and 1984.
Venue renderings courtesy of LA28.
Plans for the opening and closing ceremonies remain unchanged, with the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium sharing the responsibilities.
The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley will host BMX freestyle and BMX racing, skateboarding and archery during both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Diving events will again take place in the same USC campus pool that hosted the swimming events at the 1932 Olympic Games at Exposition Park. Long Beach will also host artistic swimming and para-swimming events, as well as several other events to be announced at a later date.
LA28 has submitted updated venue allocations to the City of Los Angeles for approval, including a proposal to move some events outside of Los Angeles city limits.
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Under the proposal, two sports, canoe slalom and softball, would move to Oklahoma City. LA28 said in a statement that there are no canoe slalom venues in Southern California or the Western U.S. As for softball, the largest venue in Southern California has a capacity of less than 2,000 people.
“Instead of undertaking additional construction to build temporary venues for these sports, LA28 will allocate the canoe slalom and softball events to our world-class venue in Oklahoma City,” organizers said.
Other highlights of the updated plan include:
Relocation from Los Angeles (City approval required)
Olympic Swimming: Inglewood Paralympic Swimming: Long Beach Olympic Artistic Swimming: Long Beach Olympic Basketball: Inglewood Olympic Canoe Slalom: Oklahoma City Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian: Temecula Olympic and Paralympic Shooting: Existing venues outside Los Angeles
Relocating to Los Angeles (City approval not required)
Olympic Diving to existing venues in Los Angeles, Olympic and Paralympic Archery to Sepulveda Basin, Olympic BMX Freestyle to Sepulveda Basin, Olympic BMX Racing to Sepulveda Basin, Olympic Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic, Trampoline) to Downtown Los Angeles, Olympic Skateboard Park to Sepulveda Basin, Olympic Skateboard Street to Sepulveda Basin
Click here to see the latest on LA28’s venue plans.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games are scheduled to be held from July 14 to 30, 2028.
The United States has hosted eight Olympic Games. Only London has hosted three, and Paris is set to join that club when the 2024 Summer Olympics begin July 26-Aug. 11.
With less than 100 days until the Paris Olympics begin and attention slowly turning to the next Olympic host city, NBC4’s Conan Nolan speaks with Casey Wasserman, president of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games Organizing Committee and sports and entertainment executive.