The Los Angeles bid committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games has begun its final stage to bring the first Summer Games back to the United States since 1996.
The delegation has departed Southern California for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Lima, Peru is being led by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA 2028 Chairman Casey Wasserman who will present to IOC members for 25-minutes Wednesday ahead of an official confirmation that the city will host the Games in LA for the third time.
Also traveling to the Peruvian Capital this week will be bid CEO Gene Sykes and Vice Chair Janet Evans; US IOC Members Anita DeFrantz, Larry Probst and Angela Ruggiero; Los Angeles City Council members and officials; and US Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun.
Olympic track and field legends and LA 2028 Athletes’ Advisory Commission members Allyson Felix and Michael Johnson, who have given the bid their solid backing, will also be in attendance.
At the IOC’s key annual meeting with almost 100 members in attendance, a tripartite agreement among the IOC, LA 2028 and Paris 2024 is set to be approved through a single vote that will officially award both cities with the Games and the IOC with reliable host cities through the next decade.
Los Angeles had been bidding for the 2024 Games but agreed to concede the the opportunity to Paris in exchange for a guarantee that it would be awarded the 2028 Games instead, along with a package of financial incentives that could increase total revenues and the city’s share. Five cities including Hamburg, Rome and Budapest had launched campaigns but the three dropped out of the race after the projects were rejected by government and constituent stakeholders due to potential costs and the associated risks.
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said “This is the moment Angelenos have been waiting for since we began our work to bring the Games back to Los Angeles.
“Today, LA 2028 is taking the final step in our bid, and preparing to begin our 11-year journey as an Olympic Host City. I am thrilled to begin the next chapter of this process, which will usher the Olympic Movement into a new generation and lift up young people from every community in our city.”
LA 2028 Chairman Casey Wasserman added “Everyone connected to LA 2028 is thrilled to be part of this win-win-win scenario for the Olympic Movement.
“Every step of the way, Olympic Agenda 2020’s principles of sustainability, responsibility and youth engagement have been our guiding stars.”
The IOC Executive Board will hold key meetings starting Monday with the IOC Session commencing Wednesday, starting with proceedings for the double-allocation of the Games to Paris and Los Angeles.
The session will continue until Saturday and will cover topics including an Agenda 2020 “halftime report”, doping issues, the organization of future Games and future plans for the Youth Olympic Games. It will conclude with the election of new IOC members.
LA ➡️ it's a lifestyle!#LA2028 Chair @caseywasserman catches up w/fashion designer James Perse in ep. 3 of "What's Not in the Bid Book" pic.twitter.com/QrROiTbjVS
— LA28 (@LA28) September 8, 2017
On Friday, LA 2028 released the third volume of its “What’s Not In The Bid Book” series with Casey Wasserman.
GamesBids.com will be reporting from the scene in Lima all next week. Follow GamesBids.com on Twitter @gamesbids or on Facebook
