After deadly fires devastated much of Los Angeles, organisers of the 2028 Olympics told the IOC on Thursday how the city will rebuild with help from the Games. Count on Kendrick Lamar, too, to be part of “the greatest show on earth” in three years.
“The rebirth, the rebuild, maybe reimagining LA 2.0 and the Olympics as a catalyst for all those things we think is really part of our ethos,” organising committee chairman Casey Wasserman said.
“You can’t have a natural disaster at that scale in a city as big and as important as Los Angeles and not have it be part of your core philosophy going forward,” he said in an interview before giving sports leaders an update at the International Olympic Committee’s annual meeting.
Lamar would be a globally popular part of the opening ceremony on July 14, 2028, after his stunning halftime show at the Super Bowl last month.
“Fortunately in my day job I represent Kendrick Lamar,” said Wasserman, who heads an international talent and promotions agency. “He is truly an LA icon so I think it would be a pretty fair bet that Kendrick will be involved in the Olympics in Los Angeles in some way.”
The wildfires in January have reset the daily life and global perception of the city. “Everyone loves a comeback story,” Wasserman told IOC members on Thursday. Olympic venues and operational plans escaped serious damage.
“From purely an Olympics perspective we got very lucky. That’s not the most important thing,” Wasserman told the AP on Wednesday. “What’s important is helping people get back into their homes, get back settled, get back with their lives.”
Olympic athlete visas another expected challenge for LA organisers is ensuring athletes, officials and fans from every Olympic team feel welcome and safe going to the United States in what shapes to be a turbulent future for the world.
“Irrespective of politics today, America will be open and accepting to all 209 countries for the Olympics,” Wasserman said. “LA is the most diverse city in the history of humanity and we will welcome the people from around the world and give them all a great time.”
Updating IOC and sports leaders on Thursday, Wasserman said his team made “significant strides” with President Donald Trump’s administration, which has security obligations for the Olympics and subsequent Paralympics.
“I have met with President Trump and his team both prior to his inauguration and again last month,” the LA Olympics leader said. “We have a regular cadence across all federal agencies with leadership from the president to make sure that these Games deliver for all our constituents.”
The US Visa programme and current restrictions for more than 40 countries who should compete in LA was the subject of a sharp question from IOC member Ingmar de Vos, the equestrian official who leads the collective group of Summer Games sports bodies. De Vos cited a “red list” ban on travel to the US From 11 countries. “I don’t anticipate any, any problems from any countries to come and participate,” Wasserman replied, noting the US State Department has a “fully staffed desk” to help prepare.
“In my many conversations with President Trump and Secretary (Marco) Rubio they understand the scale and complexity required to deliver these Games, the access required for not just athletes but for delegations, and the incredibly short time frame on which to do those.”
Wasserman insisted “with all due respect to FIFA,” visa issues for the Olympics are more complicated than for the World Cup in men’s soccer which the U.S. Is co-hosting next year with Canada and Mexico.
His audience included IOC member Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president who has closely aligned himself with Trump.
IOC member Gene Sykes, also president of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, promised his city and nation will “extend warmth and respect” to all visitors.
“The recent tragic wildfires tested our community,” Sykes said, “yet they illuminated our resilience and determination.
