The Olympic Games are returning to Los Angeles, where in 2028 officials plan to run economically viable games that can be replicated by other cities and countries in future Olympics.
Too often host cities have built massive structures only to see them later become useless eyesores. “This is where Olympics run into trouble,” says Gene Sykes, chief executive of LA 2028, the committee that put together the winning bid for the games. “They’re too expensive, stressful and difficult for cities to manage.”
But with the official announcement September 13 from the International Olympic Committee that LA will host in 2028, Sykes and his team are moving forward with a model of building the Olympics around the city, not forcing their city around the games. The LA Olympics will involve no new buildings. Instead, LA 2028 will use existing structures and repurpose buildings used in past Olympics. The effort will benefit from infrastructure projects, such as mass transit expansion, already in the works.
The plans are already popular in Los Angeles, where more than 80 percent of residents support having the games. “LA has a great opportunity to rethink the games for a new era,” says Bill Hanway, a top executive of AECOM, the design firm behind several Olympics and now LA. He said LA 2028 is even exploring the option of sharing temporary structures with Paris, host for the 2024 games.
The 2028 Olympics will bring to bear all of California’s assets to enhance the enjoyment of fans everywhere. Given LA’s renown as a film and television hub and, further north, Silicon Valley’s technology prowess, the organizing committee is sure it can offer an exceptional entertainment experience to fans in California and across the world.
