IOC Coordination Commission Visits Los Angeles

The International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission visited Los Angeles ahead of the three-year mark from when the city will host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games.

“LA28 has achieved major milestones that are laying the foundation for a truly remarkable edition of the Games,” said Nicole Hoevertsz, LA28 Coordination Commission chair. “From finalizing the venue masterplan to growing a dynamic team and advancing operational planning, real momentum is taking shape. This week’s visit by the IOC Coordination Commission reflected that progress, while also highlighting the Organizing Committee’s deepening engagement with Angeleno communities.”

LA28 has unveiled its Olympic and Paralympic venue plans and event programs. The Commission saw a few examples of existing venues as the meetings were held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and when they attended a game at Dodger Stadium, the home of baseball during the Games. The Commission also visited the Organizing Committee’s new offices.

“We’re appreciative of the participation and support of our delivery partners at the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee and the City of LA for another productive Coordination Commission,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman. “With the recent progress we’ve made on the Olympic and Paralympic Games Plan, along with the recent commercial partner momentum, our planning efforts continue forward with clarity, detail and certainty.”

LA28 has announced partnerships and are on target to reach 80 percent of their $2.5 billion goal this year. Announcements around volunteering, ticketing and hospitality are expected in the coming months. In addition, plans are underway to support local and small businesses in securing Games-related contracts, while also promoting employment opportunities for the local community.

PlayLA, the LA28 flagship youth sports program, has already seen over 900,000 enrollments. The initiative was made possible through an agreement between the IOC and LA28 to invest up to $160 million in youth sports in the lead-up to the Games.

During the visit, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and City of Los Angeles Executive Director of Major Events Paul Krekorian reiterated the city’s commitment to delivering Games that benefit all LA residents.

In addition, LA28 organizers expressed confidence that President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban won’t prevent games participants from entering the U.S.

“It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration and I actually want to thank the federal government for recognizing that,” Wasserman said during a news conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Hoevertsz anticipates the U.S. government will cooperate, as it did in hosting previous Olympics.

“That is something that we will be definitely looking at and making sure that it is guaranteed as well,” she said. “We are very confident that this is going to be accomplished. I’m sure this is going to be executed well.”

Saturday marks the six-month anniversary of the start of the deadly wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades on the city’s west side and the community of Altadena, northeast of downtown. Reynold Hoover, who runs the day-to-day work of LA28 as its chief executive officer, said contingency planning is ongoing.

“The wildfires gave us an opportunity within the organization to think a little bit differently about how we’re structured and how we impact the community and how we think about sustainability,” he said.