The International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board last week approved a proposal that would award the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games later this year. The idea is still pending approval from the full IOC committee.

Los Angeles and Paris, the two cities bidding for the 2024 games, would presumably each get a chance to host. But L.A. city officials balked at the idea of hosting the 2028 Games when IOC president Thomas Bach suggested the idea earlier this year.

Mayor Eric Garcetti, pictured at a previous LA 2024 press conference, issued a joint statement indicating the city might be receptive to hosting the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games as it continues its bid for the 2024 Games.
(photo courtesy of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office)

LA 2024, the city’s Olympic exploratory committee, said in March that the city “is only bidding for the 2024 Games.” But a statement released on June 9 in response to the IOC’s recent action indicated a willingness to host in 2028.

“We welcome the IOC executive board’s decision to recognize two excellent bids from two of the world’s greatest cities,” according to a statement by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA 2024 Chairman Casey Wasserman. “With no new permanent venues to build and unwavering public support, Los Angeles is an eternal Olympic city and ideal partner for the IOC.

“We look forward to sharing our unique story with the IOC membership in July and working together to offer the best path forward for our city and the Olympic movement’s future.”

Wasserman further said in a statement that L.A.’s Olympic bid “has never been only about L.A. or 2024,” and that LA 2024 didn’t want to issue an “ultimatum” about hosting in 2024.

“We could have used that strategy, but we didn’t because we thought it was presumptuous to tell the IOC what to do and how to think,” he said. “We’re better partners than that.”

Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, who has served on the city council’s Ad Hoc Olympic Committee, said in March that plans for Los Angeles to host the games would have to be “completely rebooted,” since the current bid has been specific to 2024. He said logistical issues such as sponsorships will have to be reckoned with if L.A. is offered the 2028 Games.

He had also mentioned the appeal of awarding Paris the 2024 Games as part of a centennial celebration, because the City of Light hosted the 1924 Games. There would also be a sentimental value to holding the games in Paris after recent terrorist attacks the city has endured.

“I think it’s something the world community would rally behind,” O’Farrell said.

Los Angeles last hosted the games in 1984.

Bach said the decision to award the 2024 and 2028 Games this year is “a golden opportunity.”

“Both cities have really embraced Olympic Agenda 2020 in different ways but particularly in the way they are planning to use a record number of existing and temporary facilities,” he said. “This is something we have not seen in this dimension before in the Olympic Games and this will lead to significant cost reductions in the organization of the Olympic Games, and will make the games more sustainable and more feasible.”

United States Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun said in a statement that the U.S. will “look forward to further discussion with the IOC in preparation for their meeting in July.”

“We continue to believe the L.A. bid for 2024 is not only the most exceptional U.S. bid ever proposed, but is the exact right bid at the exact right time,” he said. “We will continue to help share the L.A. story with the membership.”

The IOC is scheduled to vote on the 2024 host city, and now likely the 2028 city, at a September meeting in Lima, Peru.