As Olympic flag lands in Los Angeles, pressure turns up for 2028 Summer Games

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass emerged from a plane, waving the official Olympic flag while dozens of LA 28 organizers cheered, understanding the next phase of their work has arrived.

Los Angeles is officially on the clock for 2028.

"We're ready to get started," LA 28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover told USA TODAY Sports.

It was a party inside a hanger at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday as Bass and several Olympians returned to their home soil after their time at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Olympic flag symbolically made its way to the City of Angels during the closing ceremonies, which included performances from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg in Long Beach.

But this was the real deal. The actual flag arrived in a special Delta aircraft designed with LA 2028 emblems, and joining Bass was LA 28 chair Casey Wasserman, Olympic diver Delaney Schnell and skateboarder Tate Carew. The flag will now reside at Los Angeles City Hall until the Games begin in four years. There, it will serve as a constant reminder that the pressure is on to deliver a successful, thrilling Games of the XXXIV Olympiad.

2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.

"It is on," Bass said.

Bass and several LA 28 organizers were in Paris the past few weeks observing, learning about what they could do when the Olympics come to Southern California. The early impression of the 2024 Summer Games is it was a rounding success that displayed all the great qualities Paris and France have to offer, making it quite the challenge to top it in the next edition.

Casey Wasserman, president of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, said while in Paris that the goal of the committee is to not try to one-up Paris and to authentically showcase Los Angeles in its own unique way. But there were elements in this year's Games organizers want to attempt in 2028. One of the next steps in preparations is getting feedback from all of the athletes and individuals involved to see what worked and what didn't.

"We'll take the good and we'll peel back the bad," said Janet Evans, four-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and member of the organizing committee. "Paris was an incredible games, but there are things that can be learned and things that can be changed, and things that we can do unique to Los Angeles in our region."

Could 2028 Los Angeles Olympics really be a no-car Games?

Nearly every Angeleno probably turned their head when they heard Bass say the plan for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is for it to be free of cars. It was another point of emphasis from Bass as she spoke to reporters, emphasizing public transport will be heavily encouraged. To most, that goal sounds just as ludicrous as thinking the Seine would be completely safe to compete in.

As crazy as it sounds, it's something Los Angeles has achieved. When the city hosted the 1984 Summer Games, freeways and streets known to be packed were void of cars. It's something Inglewood mayor James Butts, who was a police officer at the time, remembers. He said the fears residents had of all of the traffic nightmares was enough to scare people away from the roads. Maybe the desire to be near any street hosting events will be enough again.

"We couldn't hope to be that fortunate, but if it is, everybody will be happy," he said.

The goal for the 2028 Olympics is for public transportation to be the only way to get to events, which will range from Inglewood to Los Angeles to Long Beach. It sounds like a lofty goal given the public transportation system already in place in the system is widely seen as subpar, to put it lightly.

Hoover said public transportation was something organizers studied in Paris and the success of it is something that can hopefully be replicated.

"I think it's obtainable," Hoover said. "In 2028 we'll have better transportation system. The metro system is improving. I'm very confident that we'll be able to do it."

Transportation is just one of several ways Los Angeles will try to keep up with Paris. Hoover added it set the bar for future Olympics and reinvigorated the excitement of it. Not only does Los Angeles want to deliver in the same way as Paris, it also wants to continue to maintain the Olympic spirit.

"We all feel pressure," Bass said. "We feel the pressure to make sure that our city and region is prepared and ready and that we take full advantage of what's going to come our way."

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