LA reaches deal to host 2028 Summer Olympic Games

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (CNS / FOX 11) - Los Angeles has struck a tentative deal with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2028 summer Games, the leaders of the city's Olympic bid announced Monday.

"This is an historic day for Los Angeles, for the United States and for the Olympic and Paralympic Movements around the world. Today, we take a major step toward bringing the Games back to our city for the first time in a generation and begin a new chapter in Los Angeles' timeless Olympic story,'' Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

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Los Angeles originally bid to host the 2024 summer Olympics, competing with Paris. But the IOC recently approved a plan to name a host of both the 2024 and 2028 Games simultaneously, assuring that each city would be awarded an Olympics.

The only remaining question was which Games Los Angeles would receive.

Although the city's bid committee -- LA 2024 -- has reached the agreement with the IOC for the 2028 Games, the Los Angeles City Council and U.S. Olympic Committee Board of Directors also must approve it. If that approval is given, the IOC, Los Angeles and Paris will work on a formal three-way agreement in advance of the IOC's meeting in Lima, Peru, on Sept. 13, when the Games will officially be awarded.

Under the terms of the 2028 host city contract, the IOC would advance funds to a Los Angeles Organizing Committee due to the longer planning period and to fund youth sports in the years leading up to the Games. The IOC contribution would be $1.8 billion and has the potential to exceed $2 billion, according to LA 2024.

"This agreement with the IOC will allow us to seed a legacy of hope and opportunity that will lift up every community in Los Angeles -- not in 11 years' time, but starting now and continuing in the years leading up to the Games,'' Garcetti said. "LA 2028 will kick-start our drive to make L.A. the healthiest city in America, by making youth sports more affordable and accessible than ever before.''

Garcetti, Council President Herb Wesson and LA 2024 bid chairman Casey Wasserman have scheduled a 5 p.m. news conference at the StubHub Center in Carson to discuss the Olympic bid. They will be joined by members of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team.

"The city of Los Angeles is a proud and enthusiastic partner in this 'win-win-win' scenario,'' Wesson said. "The opportunity to again host the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a golden occasion further strengthening Los Angeles -- not just through bricks and mortar, but through new opportunities for our communities to watch, play and benefit from sport.''

After the IOC announced its intention to award both Games, either Paris or Los Angeles needed to agree to host the '28 Games if not awarded the `24 Games, and the cities' Olympic leaders started negotiating with the IOC after the announcement was made in June.

Since the idea of awarding two Games at once was first reported, it was widely expected that Los Angeles would end up hosting in '28 because its leaders expressed more openness to the idea, while Paris leaders were firm on
'24 because they said their planned Olympic village may not be available in '28.

"The IOC welcomes this decision of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic bid committee. They presented a strong and enthusiastic candidature that embraces the Olympic Agenda 2020 sustainability priorities by incorporating existing facilities and encouraging the engagement of more youth in the Olympic Movement,'' IOC President Thomas Bach said.

"Therefore, we are very happy that as part of this host city contract, we are able to expand the impact of city youth sports programming and encourage the healthy lifestyle of Angelenos for the next 11 years. We are very confident that we can reach a tripartite agreement under the leadership of the IOC with L.A. and Paris in August, creating a win-win-win situation for all three partners,'' he said.

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