[Source: www.olympics.com] Updates to the Olympic and Paralympic Games LA28 venue masterplan have been revealed, with the Organising Committee prioritising the use of world-class arenas and stadiums to deliver an unparalleled experience for athletes and fans alike. Additional benefits relating to sustainability, legacy and economics are anticipated, with the city preparing to host the Games in only four years’ time.

Overview of LA28’s venue masterplan, including the latest updates:

• Gymnastics will be held at the recently renovated Downtown LA Arena that is home to the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s Lakers, National Hockey League’s Kings, and Women’s NBA’s Sparks.

• Basketball will be held at the nation’s newest and state-of-the-art Indoor Arena in Inglewood, that will be home to the NBA’s Clippers.

• The nation’s newest and most advanced large pro sports stadium, located in Inglewood, which is home to the National Football League’s Rams and Chargers, will become the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, with a planned 38,000 seats.

• Athletics and Para Athletics will remain at the iconic and recently refurbished LA Memorial Coliseum, making this the only stadium in history to host track and field competitions at three Olympic Games.

* To accommodate these moves, both World Athletics and World Aquatics, the governing bodies of athletics and aquatics Olympic events respectively, have approved and support LA28’s plan to adjust the traditional Olympic schedule. Specifically, the athletics competition will move to the first week of the Olympic Games LA28, while the swimming competition will be held during the second week.

• LA28’s plans for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies are unchanged, with parts hosted at both the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Inglewood Stadium.

• The San Fernando Valley will be a hub for youthful, high energy Olympic competitions in BMX Freestyle and BMX Racing, along with Skateboarding Park and Street, all in the Sepulveda Basin area.

• Also in the Sepulveda Basin area will be Archery, for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

• Diving will return to the same pool that hosted the aquatics events at the 1932 Olympic Games, the 1932 Pool in Exposition Park, which will remain a legacy venue for Angelenos as part of the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks.

• The City of Long Beach will host Artistic Swimming and Para Swimming competitions, in addition to several other sports that will be announced at a later date.

• Equestrian and Para Equestrian competitions, previously assigned to the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area, will be held at an existing facility in Temecula - the only such facility in Southern California large enough to accommodate all the required disciplines in one location.

• Shooting and Shooting Para Sport competitions, which were also previously assigned to the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area, will be assigned to one of two possible sport shooting clubs, to be determined, in the Southern California region.

Oklahoma

While Southern California has more professional and collegiate sports venues than any area in the United States, there is no canoe slalom venue that exists locally (or anywhere in the Western US), and the largest softball venue in Southern California seats fewer than 2,000 people, which does not meet the expected spectator demand for softball at the Olympic Games.

Instead of building temporary venues for these sports, and in alignment with the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendation that encourages the use of existing stadiums outside the region of the Host City, LA28 will assign canoe slalom and softball competitions to existing, world-class venues in Oklahoma City.

Both the existing canoe slalom and softball stadiums in Oklahoma City are built to international competition standards, and the local community has consistently supported top tournaments for both sports, ensuring a high-quality experience for both athletes and fans, while allowing LA28 to achieve cost savings and revenue gains to support its balanced budget.

Benefits

Speaking about these changes, LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman, said: “The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the pinnacle of athletic competition and achievement, and we’re proud to host the Los Angeles 2028 Games in some of the greatest stadiums and arenas ever built.

"LA28’s updated venue plan will provide the ideal Hollywood stage for the world’s top athletes, and choosing from spectacular, existing venues, wherever they are, rather than building new permanent or temporary stadiums, achieves more than USD 150 million in savings and new revenue to help maintain a balanced budget. We look forward to partnering with these venues, and their experienced operators and workforce, to deliver an unparalleled experience for athletes and fans in 2028."

By making use of the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020, one of the primary goals of the updated venue plan is to leverage existing infrastructure, which significantly reduces the need for temporary constructions and enhances long-term legacy opportunities for local communities. Many of these venues will continue to serve the community long after the Games, providing opportunities for future sports events and activities.

All proposed venue changes have been assessed in consultation with the respective International Federations and have already been approved by the IOC Executive Board, conditional on LA City Council approval. LA28 submitted these updated venue proposals to the City of Los Angeles on 21 June, which must approve changes that move competitions outside the city’s boundaries compared with the venue plan submitted during the bid.

Additional changes to the Olympic and Paralympic Games LA28 venue masterplan that do not move events outside the city’s boundaries, venues for new sports and disciplines added to the Olympic and Paralympic sports programme since 2017, and the updated Paralympic venue plan will all be announced at a later date.

The Olympic Games LA28 are due to take place between 14 and 30 July 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games, which will be held from 15 until 27 August

The IOC and the bid committees of Los Angeles and Paris have agreed to work together on what the IOC President and LA Mayor have both described as the “golden opportunity” of awarding 2024 and 2028 Games simultaneously.

However, there is no guarantee of securing a host for 2028 before the next IOC session in Lima in September.

Speaking from the Extraordinary IOC Session in Lausanne, former IOC Vice President Sir Craig Reedie told Host City: “The IOC, having had issues with a shortage of candidates for previous Winter Games, now find themselves in a situation of having two outstanding candidates for the Summer Games of 2024.

“The Session decided that it would allow the creation of a tripartite solution involving the IOC and both of the cities, LA and Paris, to see if an agreement could be reached whereby one would agree to organise 2024 and a different city to organise 2028.

“This tripartite agreement is likely to take some time. If not successful, there will be a contest in Lima to award the 2024 Games. This solution was unanimously accepted by the IOC Session.”

The LA2024 bid committee welcomed the IOC decision with this statement: “This is a proud day for Los Angeles and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements in America.

“We're thrilled with the IOC's decision today, which is a major step forward in making LA's Olympic dream a reality.

“Today, two of the world's greatest cities, with outstanding but different proposals, stand ready to serve and advance the Olympic and Paralympic movements and their values. We look forward to working with the IOC and Paris in the weeks ahead to turn this golden opportunity into a golden future together.”

Paris mayor Anne Hildago tweeted: “#Lausanne marks the beginning of a great story between Olympic family, #Paris and #LosAngeles. Thanks to the members of the IOC.”

IOC member and co-president of Paris 2024 bid committee Tony Estanguet tweeted: “Today is day one of a new chapter. Three partners working together to strengthen Olympism.”

But not everyone is convinced that the IOC’s move is a result of positive factors. One delegate at Major Events International Summit on the Olympic park on Wednesday told Host City: “This is not a sign of strength but of weakness. They only have two candidates.”

In a wide-ranging interview to be published in the next issue of Host City magazine, Sir Craig Reedie gave an upbeat assessment of the bidding process for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

“Looking at the Winter Games that’s where there may be an indication of reason for hope. There is a potential bid from Stockholm, which is hopeful because if ever a country deserved a Winter Olympic Games it’s Sweden. They are a leading Winter sports country that have never hosted the Games.

"There is a good candidate in Switzerland from Sion and potential Innsbruck from Austria. Calgary are looking at it again, so perhaps we are moving out of the phase that the IOC had where, particularly in Europe, politicians seemed to be very loath to take on the major multisport Olympic events on the basis of their inability to control costs.”

Sir Craig Reedie is speaking at Host City 2017 in Glasgow on 28 and 29 November.

The membership of the IOC on Tuesday unanimously approved the proposal to award the hosting rights of both the 2024 and 2028 Games at the next IOC session in Lima in September.

The unprecedented decision means both cities currently bidding for the 2024 Games – Los Angeles and Paris – are set to become Olympic host cities, subject to agreement from the respective cities and national Olympic committees over which city will host which edition.

IOC President Thomas Bach described the IOC decision a "golden opportunity" for all involved.

"We are ready to work with them on this 'win-win-win' approach," said Emmanuel Macron, President of France who attended the IOC session in Lausanne.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said: "I am fully committed with the Paris team to putting all my energy, our creativity and my resolve into reaching an agreement for Paris to experience once again this Olympic adventure that it has been longing for for 100 years."

Prior to this decision, Paris has ruled out hosting the Games in 2028, while Los Angeles had not dismissed this possibility. The city that hosts the 2028 Games is expected to ask for concessions from the IOC.

"In Olympic history there's only been 37 times in which there has been a tie for a gold medal. Maybe today is the 38th," Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti said. "For Los Angeles, it's a golden opportunity, one that we don’t take lightly."

The IOC proposal approved by the IOC membership is as follows: "Recognising the exceptional circumstances and unique opportunities presented by the candidatures of Los Angeles and Paris for the Olympic Games 2024, the International Olympic Committee takes the following decision:

1. To authorise the IOC Executive Board to conclude a tripartite agreement with Los Angeles and Paris and their respective NOCs for the simultaneous election of the host cities of the Olympic Games 2024 and 2028 during the 131st IOC Session in Lima;

2. Should such tripartite agreement be concluded, the 131st IOC Session will ratify the tripartite agreement, thereby electing one city for the Olympic Games 2024 and the other city for the Olympic Games 2028. To that effect, the 130th IOC Session hereby waives the seven-year deadline set out in Rule 33.2 of the Olympic Charter; and

3. Should such tripartite agreement not be concluded, the 131st IOC Session will proceed with the election of the host city 2024 in accordance with the current election procedure."

Earlier in the day, the delegations of Los Angeles 2024, led by Mayor Garcetti, and Paris 2024, led by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, made outstanding and emotional presentations at the 2024 Candidate City Briefing.

"Ensuring the stability of the Olympic Games for 11 years is something extraordinary," the IOC President said later at a press conference with the two mayors and leaders from the two candidatures.

"That is why we say this is a great day for the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement, and it's a great day also for these two wonderful cities, these two great Olympic cities."

The IOC Executive Board on 9 June put forward a proposal to award the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games to Los Angeles and Paris simultaneously and address challenges around the bidding process for future Games.

The dual awarding proposal will be put to IOC Members at a new Extraordinary Session in Lausanne on 11 and 12 July, when a “Candidate City Briefing” had already been scheduled.

IOC Members had been scheduled to choose between Los Angeles and Paris as the host city of the 2024 Games at the IOC Session in Lima on 13-17 September. With this public statement from the Executive Board, IOC Members are now set to approve in July the proposal to award the Games to both candidates and seize what President Thomas Bach described as a “golden opportunity” and engage in a process of “discussions and negotiation” with the cities to establish when, and not if, they will host the Games.

The IOC’s four Vice Presidents – John Coates, Uğur Erdener, Juan Antonio Samaranch and Yu Zaiqing – have been leading on internal discussions around this possibility in recent months. During SportAccord Convention in April, Samaranch told a small group of media including Host City “Internally we are thinking of how we can be more flexible to have a selection system that better suits our interests and the interests of the Olympic movement.”

Throughout the bid process Paris has said it would not wait until 2028 while Los Angeles has taken a more flexible stance. LA 2024 Candidature Committee Chairman Casey Wasserman said in a statement earlier in the week “LA 2024 has never been only about LA or 2024. Even when the issue of a dual award for the 2024 and 2028 Games was initially raised, we didn’t say it’s ‘LA first’ or it’s ‘now or never’ for LA: that sounds like an ultimatum.”

Wasserman and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued the following joint statement on Twitter: “We welcome the IOC Executive Board’s decision to recognise two excellent bids from two of the world’s greatest cities. With no new permanent venues to build and unwavering public support, Los Angeles is an eternal Olympic city an 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 the Olympic Movement’s future.”

Speaking at the press conference on 9 June, Bach said: “The situation of these candidature for 2024, having two such great cities and such great countries, having two candidatures which are really enthusiastic and really promoting the Olympic Games and Olympic Spirit in a great way – this represents a golden opportunity for the Olympic Games and the IOC.”

“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. 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 organisation of the Olympic Games and will make the Games more sustainable and more feasible.”

“We want to make this change and we can make this change and we can do it without amending the Olympic Charter. The Charter is flexible enough in this respect.”

“First of all, it is the IOC Members who have to express themselves on this proposal and only after the Members have had this opportunity will we enter in to deeper discussions with the Candidate Cities. Conversations so far have been very open. No one has closed the door. Discussions and negotiation may start, but only after Members have given the green light to this.

“The signal we are sending is very clear – a golden opportunity and a fascinating race. It is hard to imagine something better. It is also a strong signal of stability for the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games. It is an expression of mutual confidence. It is also offering a great potential for the two cities to cooperate. Transfer of knowledge could even start from day one – there could also be the joint development of some turnkey solutions.  There is a great potential in such a double allocation.”

2026 Olympic Games bids

The Executive Board also agreed on the direction of changes to the bidding procedure for future Olympic Games, including the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which Stockholm pulled out of bidding for in April.

“There are two reasons why the Executive Board thinks a change is necessary: one external, one internal,” Bach said at the press conference.

“Firstly, the change in the decision-making procedure in many western countries. Today if the establishment is united behind one project, people now say there must be something wrong. We could complain about this change in attitude but we cannot ignore it. Even less so, because we are giving some arguments for this scepticism.

“To put it in a nutshell, the candidature procedure in this world we are living in has become too expensive and too onerous for potential candidate cities and in this way it is producing too many losers. The IOC will customize its approach to the needs of the cities in order to develop together the best value proposition for the cities and for the Games.  All this will lead to a lighter process for the cities with reduced costs.”

IOC Members will discuss the new approaches at the Extraordinary Session in July.