LA28 Unveils Comprehensive Venue Plan

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Organising Committee for the Olympic Games LA28 revealed the most comprehensive version of its venue plan, confirming the locations of multiple Olympic sports and the use of several of Los Angeles’ most famous venues.

The announcement follows the approval of the plan last week by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board and the approved updates by Los Angeles City Council at the end of March.

“We’ve promised the world an incredible Olympic Games, and today we’re proud to share the plan that will make it happen,” said LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover. “Los Angeles is the epicentre of sports, culture and entertainment, and every venue selected for the 2028 Games will provide athletes and fans the best possible experience. The 2028 Olympic venue plan invites communities from across the region to celebrate the Games coming to their backyard with the most exciting sports staged at some of the world’s top-tier existing stadiums and arenas, famous beaches and purpose-built temporary structures.”

Further venues from the Exposition Park and Downtown LA area have been added to the existing roster. The University of Southern California (USC) Sports Center – where badminton will be staged, as previously announced – will also be hosting rhythmic gymnastics.

Two further Downtown venues – Peacock Theater and the Downtown Arena – have been confirmed as the stage for the boxing preliminaries and finals respectively, following the sport’s recent inclusion on the programme. Weightlifting at Peacock Theater, and artistic gymnastics and trampoline at the Arena, had already been confirmed.

These additions came after the previous confirmation that the LA Memorial Coliseum, the flagship stadium of the city’s previous Games in 1932 and 1984, will feature again in three years’ time, and that flag football, set to make its Olympic debut in 2028, and lacrosse, returning as a medal event for the first time in over a century, will take centre stage next door at the Stadium in Exposition Park.

With baseball’s Olympic return revealed to be taking place at Dodger Stadium, Downtown Los Angeles is set to be one of the Games’ major hubs, and an embodiment of LA28’s commitment to using the city’s existing world-class venues.

Another sport making its Olympic debut, squash, will be playing a starring role at Courthouse Square, an iconic Hollywood backdrop on the Universal Studios Lot in San Fernando Valley, recognisable from movies like To Kill a Mockingbird and Back to the Future.

Several urban Olympic sports and disciplines were also confirmed for the Valley – as locals call it – which will stage Olympic events for the first time. Modern pentathlon and 3x3 basketball will take place in the Valley’s Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, which was already announced to be hosting the skateboarding and BMX cycling events.

The additions to the Valley were made possible by moving archery to the Stadium in the nearby city of Carson, maximising the use of an existing sports complex that had been previously confirmed to be hosting rugby sevens (also at the Stadium), track cycling, hockey and tennis.

LA28 will take full advantage of its stunning Pacific coastline, with the famous Venice Beach neighbourhood serving as the location for the triathlon (relocating from Long Beach) and the start of the marathon and road cycling routes.

Heading south, the city of Long Beach will be welcoming beach volleyball to Alamitos Beach and coastal rowing – another first-time Olympic discipline – to the Waterfront, while sport climbing and shooting (rifle/pistol) will be held within walking distance of the sea at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Further south, LA28’s surfers will get to enjoy some of California’s best waves at Trestles Beach in San Clemente.

LA28 will also showcase the city’s surrounding areas and venues. Shooting trap and skeet events will take place at the Shotgun Center in El Monte; the cricket competitions will be held at the Fairgrounds in Pomona; fans can watch volleyball at the Arena in Anaheim; while the equestrian events will return to their 1984 Olympic home, the Equestrian Center in Arcadia.

The city of Pasadena has confirmed that Olympic football will take place at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium, including both men’s and women’s semi-finals and finals, for a third time, following its involvement in 1932 and 1984.

As previously announced, canoe slalom and softball will head to Oklahoma City at renowned purpose-built venues.

All confirmed sports and venues announced to date are available for reference on la28.org.

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

Source: IOC