Los Angeles Reaches Deal to Host 2028 Olympics

Los Angeles has reached an agreement with international Olympic leaders that will open the way for the city to host the 2028 Summer Games, the AP reports. City Council President Herb Wesson's office confirmed the deal Monday. Spokeswoman Caolinn Mejza says the pact is expected to be reviewed by the council later this week. The agreement to be formally announced later Monday follows a vote earlier this month by the International Olympic Committee to seek a deal to award the 2024 and 2028 Games. LA and Paris were the last two bids remaining after a tumultuous process that exposed the unwillingness of cities to bear the financial burden of hosting an event that has become synonymous with cost overruns. Paris is now the only city left to host the 2024 Games. CNN notes this will be the first Summer Olympics held in the US since Atlanta 1996.

LA was not even the first American entrant in the 2024 contest. Boston withdrew two years ago as public support for its bid collapsed over concerns about use of taxpayer cash. The US bid switched from the east to the West Coast as LA entered the race. But the same apprehensions that spooked politicians and the local population in Boston soon became evident in Europe where three cities pulled out. With two powerful cities left vying for 2024, IOC President Thomas Bach realized France or the US could be deterred from going through another contest for 2028 if they lost. Bach floated the idea in December of making revisions to the bidding process to prevent it producing "too many losers," building support that led to LA and Paris being able to figure out themselves how to share the 2024 and 2028 Games. The dual award of the games relieves the IOC of having to test the global interest in hosting the Summer Olympics for several years until the 2032 Games are up for grabs. (More Olympics stories.)