In preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics sporting events, six of which will be hosted in Long Beach, the city has moved to fund eight infrastructure initiatives.
The Long Beach City Council held an official vote Feb. 6 to fund a series of events during the event.
The city will host events such as Water Polo, the Triathlon, Open Water Swimming, Handball, Sailing and BMX racing. While the games are still a decade away, the council has already put into motion Mayor Garcia’s “8 by ‘28” investment plan to improve certain venues and elements that will be vital to the events.
This year’s ceremony also offers Long Beach the opportunity to showcase its communities and its Olympic history.
“There’s statistics out there that show that Long Beach is one of the largest cities in the country that has actually produced more Olympians than almost any other place in the United States,” Robert Garcia, mayor of Long Beach said.
The city had initially made a bid for the 2024 games, which were awarded to Paris, France, but will now have to settle for the 2028 Summer and Paralympic Games.
One of the key plans include a vast rebuild of the Belmont/Veterans Pier, which Garcia has stated will be a key centerpiece for the sailing event during the games. Long Beach third district councilwoman Suzie Price stated the city has been “struggling” to figure out how to repair it to act as a viewing center for the games, as well as for future use.
The other key plan is the finished construction of the Pine & Ocean Convention Center Hotel, which has been in the works since the council members approved construction back in May ‘16.
Garcia sees it as a key way to connect the hotel to both the athletes and the tourists during the games, and hopes it brings in new revenue for the city going into the future.
According to the investment plan, the fiscal impact of the initiative has yet to be determined.
With the various planning elements going into the event, cooperation between the two cities is key, and Price praised the City of Los Angeles for its work in bringing the games to California.
“I want to thank the mayor for his leadership in bringing this item [the vote] forward and I think there’s beautiful synergy here between us and the city of L.A. in jointly preparing for this incredible event that’s going to highlight our city,” Price said.
The scheduling for new updates on the budgeting and developments are still unannounced, but Garcia promised the council and public that they will be delivered soon.