The Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Summer Paralympics was an attempt to bring the Summer Olympic Games to the city of Los Angeles, California in 2024. Following withdrawals by other bidding cities during the 2024 Summer Olympics bidding process that led to just two candidate cities (Los Angeles and Paris), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a process to award the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics at the same time, with Los Angeles understood to be preferred for 2028. After extended negotiations, Los Angeles agreed to bid for the 2028 Games if certain conditions were met.[1] On July 31, 2017, the IOC announced Los Angeles as the sole candidate for the 2028 games, with US$1.8 billion of additional funding to support local sports and the Games program.[2]
Los Angeles was chosen by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) on August 28, 2015, after the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to back the bid.[3][4] Los Angeles was the second city submitted by the USOC for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Boston was originally chosen to be the American bid but withdrew on July 27, 2015.[5] Los Angeles also originally bid for the USOC's nomination in late 2014, when Boston was chosen over Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco.[6] This was the third United States summer bid since hosting the Centennial Olympic Games (1996) in Atlanta, previously losing in 2012 and 2016 to London and Rio de Janeiro, respectively.
Los Angeles previously hosted the 1932 Summer Olympics and the 1984 Summer Olympics, and will become the third city – after London and Paris in 2024 – to host the Summer Games three times. Los Angeles will become the first American city to host the Olympic games since the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It will be the fifth time a US city has hosted the Summer Olympics.
On April 26, 2014, the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games announced its bid proposal for the 2024 Olympics.[10] On July 28, 2015, the USOC contacted Los Angeles about stepping in as a replacement bidder for the 2024 Summer Games after Boston dropped its bid.[11] On September 1, 2015, the LA City Council voted 15–0 to support a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games.[12] The U.S. Olympic Committee finalised its selection moments after the LA City Council's vote.[13][14] On January 13, 2016, Los Angeles 2024 committee officials said they were "thrilled to welcome" the construction of a $2-billion-plus, state-of-the-art football stadium in Inglewood, California and believed the arrival of one—and perhaps two—NFL teams would bolster its chances.[15] On January 25, 2016, the Los Angeles 2024 committee announced that it planned to place its Olympic Village on the UCLA campus. LA 2024 also announced that media members and some Olympic officials would be housed in a 15-acre residential complex USC planned to build.[16]
On February 16, 2016, LA 2024 unveiled its new logo and slogan, "Follow the Sun."[17] On February 23, 2016, more than 88% of Angelenos were in favor of the city's hosting the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid, according to a survey conducted by Loyola Marymount University.[18] On March 10, 2016, Los Angeles officials bidding for the 2024 Summer Olympics turned their focus to temporary facilities that might be needed. Current plans include an elevated track built over the football field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and a proposal to temporarily convert Figueroa Street into a miles-long promenade for pedestrians and bicyclists.[19]
On June 2, 2016, the IOC confirmed that Los Angeles would proceed to the second stage of bidding for the 2024 Summer Games.[20] On July 29, 2016, LA 2024 officials released artist renderings of an updated Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and temporary swim stadium, should Los Angeles be awarded the 2024 Summer Olympics.[21]
On July 31, 2016, MayorEric Garcetti led a 25-person contingent from Los Angeles to Rio de Janeiro to promote their city's bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[22] On September 7, 2016, LA 2024 planned to send a 16-person delegation to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro as part of its ongoing campaign to bring the Olympics back to Southern California.[23]
On September 13, 2016, the LA 2024 bid committee released a two-minute video featuring a montage of local scenes narrated by children talking about their "dream city".[24] On September 23, 2016, LA 2024 agreed to terms with the U.S. Olympic Committee on a required but controversial marketing arrangement. The Joint Marketing Program Agreement outlines shared responsibilities—and shared income—between Los Angeles and the USOC.[25] On October 7, 2016, LA 2024 officials again made adjustments to their proposal for the 2024 Summer Olympics, moving half of a large and potentially expensive media center to the USC campus.[26] On October 21, 2016, the LA 2024 bid committee again enlisted U.S. Olympians to help make the case for restoring the Summer Olympics to Los Angeles.[27]
On November 9, 2016, LA 2024 issued a statement noting "LA 2024 congratulates President-elect Donald J. Trump and appreciates his longstanding support of the Olympic movement in the United States. We strongly believe the Olympics and LA 2024 transcend politics and can help unify our diverse communities and our world."[28] On November 12, 2016, Mayor Eric Garcetti and six-time gold medalist sprinter Allyson Felix led an LA 2024 presentation to an array of Olympic leaders and sports officials at a general assembly for the Assn. of National Olympic Committees in Doha, Qatar.[29] On 23 November 2016, President-elect Trump expressed his support for Los Angeles's 2024 Olympic bid during a phone call with Mayor Garcetti.[30] On December 2, 2016, LA 2024 released a new budget estimating it would spend $5.3 billion to stage the Games.[31]
On January 2, 2017, Angeleno Olympians and Paralympians rode on the Rose Parade float titled "Follow the Sun" to promote the city's bid.[32] On 9 January 2017, LA 2024 issued a report predicting that the mega-sporting event would boost the local economy by $11.2 billion.[33] On January 25, 2017, the Los Angeles City Council gave unanimous final approval for a privately run bid.[34] On February 28, 2017, it was announced that four Hollywoodfilm studios (Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros.) would be helping promote the Los Angeles bid.[35] On April 20, 2017, the private committee - trying restore the Summer Olympics to Los Angeles - issued a new set of renderings and videos showing what the Games might look like.[36]
Following the decision to award the 2024 and 2028 games simultaneously, Los Angeles announced that it would consider a bid for the 2028 Games if certain conditions were met.[37] On July 31, 2017, the IOC announced Los Angeles as the sole candidate for the 2028 games, with $1.8 billion of additional funding to support local sport and the Games program.[38] On August 29, 2018, Olympic officials arrived for a two-day visit that included meetings with local organizers and a tour of the city's newest venues.[39] On April 17, 2019, LA2028 announced that it would partner with NBC Universal to sell media and sponsorship deals in tandem.[40] On April 25, 2019, LA2028 expanded its staff.[41]
At the time of the bid, UCLA, the University of Southern California (USC), NBC Universal, the Los Angeles Rams and the City of Los Angeles were modernizing or building infrastructure for future Olympic venues, totaling over $3 billion. Not listed as non-OCOG (Organizing Committee for Olympic Games).[56]
The City of Los Angeles has guaranteed to sign the required Olympic City Charter and be the sole entity responsible for the Games and cost surplus or overruns. The City has pledged to contribute $250 million to cover any cost overruns. The State of California has created an Olympic Games Trust Fund that would pay for potential budget overruns up to $250 million. Both government guaranty payments would take place only if LA 2024's private insurance proves inadequate to cover cost overruns.[57]
The theme and bid embodies the IOC Agenda 2020 reforms of Olympics, and a surplus of $161 million is predicted in Los Angeles. On January 9, 2017, the LA 2024 committee issued a report predicting that the Olympics would boost the local economy by $11.2 billion.[58][59]
Los Angeles International Airport (widely known by its IATA code of LAX), the city's main airport, is investing more than US$1.9 billion into an expansion of the Tom Bradley International Terminal.[60] The new Midfield Concourse Terminal is scheduled to add 11 gates for 2019, and many other improvements are planned with an expected completion date of 2023.[61]
The Los Angeles Metro passed a county-wide measure expanding the county of Los Angeles' transportation tax for modernization of its infrastructure in 2008. This measure provides funding for many of the highest priority projects, including the Crenshaw/LAX Line connecting to LAX, Regional Connector light rail subway line corridor thru Downtown LA to Santa Monica and Long Beach, D Line Extensionsubway to UCLA, the Los Angeles Streetcar through downtown LA and five other transit lines and projects in the draft stages. The D Line and Crenshaw/LAX connectors are to be completed in time for 2024. The transportation plans are already fully funded by LA County voters. A second measure, Measure M, which passed in November 2016 elections, will extend the transportation tax funds indefinitely and speed many other projects with $120 billion in highway and transit projects over forty years, including a Sepulveda Subway line from the Valley to the Los Angeles westside thru the Sepulveda Pass.[62]
LA 2024 bid leaders are touting these measures and infrastructure improvements as indicators of the new Los Angeles and a car-free Olympics in a city known for its car culture.[63] 158.5 km (98 miles) of new rails, 93 stations and 350,000 daily average boardings.[64] Los Angeles had no rail lines in 1984. Bid leaders indicate public rail transportation lines will be available to all of the clusters: Downtown Long Beach, San Fernando Valley Sports Park, Downtown L.A., and the Santa Monica beach cluster.[65]
The Los Angeles Olympic bid committee has stated that its legacy will be delivering a sustainable model for the bidding process and delivery of a cost-effective Olympic Games.[61] The Los Angeles Olympic bid committee has stated that its legacy will be delivering a sustainable model for the bidding process and delivery of a cost-effective Olympic Games.[61] Los Angeles bid leaders are focusing on delivering an Olympic Games for the best athlete experience and not a centerpiece for a city revitalization project, as was recently the case for Sochi, Russia and Beijing, China. Bid leaders have indicated Los Angeles is transforming itself, does not need a city showcase, and has the ability to showcase the athletes instead.[citation needed]
Social and economic benefit
The theme and bid embodies the IOC Agenda 2020 reforms of Olympics, and a surplus of $161 million is projected in Los Angeles.[67] On January 9, 2017, the LA 2024 committee issued a report predicting that the Olympics would boost the local economy by $11.2 billion.[58]
Proposed venues
The 2024 Los Angeles Olympic bid uses existing venues, venues under construction and new temporary venues in and around the City of Los Angeles.[61] Approximately half of the venues are outside the City of Los Angeles.
Many of the proposed venues are facilities constructed after the 1984 games: Staples Center in 1999, StubHub Center (since renamed Dignity Health Sports Park) in 2003, Galen Center in 2006, and Microsoft Theater in 2007. UCLA proposed the Olympic Village on their campus with dorms built in 2015.[68] Rose Bowl was renovated in 2013. The Forum was recently renovated in 2014. USC "University Village" was officially opened in 2017. The "MyFigueroa" street redevelopment project is currently under construction. SoFi Stadium, a state-of-the-art convertible American football venue built for the Los Angeles Rams, opened in 2020 as the new home of both the Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum renovations were scheduled to begin in mid-2017 by USC. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum renovations began in mid-2017 by USC. The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACOEX) remodel and additions began in 2018. The NBC/IBC proposed center was completed in 2019. All of these proposed venues would have been renovated or completed with or without the Olympic Games being awarded.
Olympic ceremonies could be held in two venues simultaneously; the ceremony would begin at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park to honor the legacy of the Olympics in Los Angeles and then transfer to the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to proceed with the parade of athletes, oaths, traditional Olympic protocol and the lighting of a cauldron. LA 2024 bid leaders wish to use the new LA stadium to dispel negative thought about using the LA Memorial Coliseum for a third Olympics. They also cite ticket sales at both sites as extra cash flow for the committee. Additionally, the LA 2024 team stated they would reverse the closing ceremony with a start at LA Stadium and close the show at the LA Coliseum if chosen.[70]
Football (soccer) stadia
Football venues will be situated within Los Angeles and in other parts of California, to be determined.[55]
Potential venues:
Rose Bowl, Pasadena (92,542 capacity) – 3 group matches, quarterfinals, semifinals and women's final
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood (80,000) – 3 group matches, quarterfinals, semifinals and men's final
According to LA2024.org there will be eight venues in the borders of State of California (probably eight venues in four municipalities).
Changed venues
Piggyback Yard, a rail yard along the LA River, was the original proposed location for the Olympic Village. It would have been an entirely new residential development that would be permanent housing after the games. The plan was abandoned and UCLA was chosen as the new proposed location.[71]
