The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Friday to approve the city’s bid for the 2028 Olympic Games.
The 12-0 vote to endorse a new agreement with the International Olympic Committee leaves the path clear for Paris to be awarded the hosting rights for the 2024 Games unopposed, with LA’s 2028 Games also set to be confirmed by the IOC in Lima next month.
Under the deal with the IOC, Los Angeles will receive a greater share of any financial surplus from the Games, including a contribution of up to $2bn (€1.7bn) from the governing body.
Los Angeles City Council president Herb Wesson said that the opportunity was “too great… to pass it up.” He added: “Who knows what the future holds but I have faith in you and this body that if anything comes up we will make the necessary adjustments to make this the most successful Games in the history of the Olympics.”
The next step is for the US Olympic Committee’s board of directors to approve the agreement, although it is thought that a revised budget for LA’s 2028 Games could take several months to finalise.
“We negotiated the deal of a lifetime to bring the Games back to America, create a new Olympic legacy for the next generation, and deliver access to sports and fitness programs to every community in Los Angeles,” LA Mayor Eric Garcetti (pictured) said. “The vote by the city council is a resounding show of confidence in our fiscally responsible plan for 2028, and more evidence of Angelenos’ passion to return the Games to LA.”
LA 2028 chairman Casey Wasserman added: “Since our announcement that we would pursue the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we’ve worked closely with the City Council to ensure the 2028 Host City Contract is the best deal for our city and all Angelenos. Today we’re offering the same low-risk plan for 2028 as we offered for 2024 with no new permanent venues, infrastructure or transportation to build.”
