Mayor Bass Brings Olympic Flag Back To Los Angeles as Preparations For 2028 Games Continue

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass returned to Los Angeles Aug. 13 with the official Olympic Flag after she made history by becoming the first Black woman mayor to ever receive the Olympic flag at a closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. During the ceremony, Mayor Bass received the flag as part of the handover ceremony from Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who is the first woman to serve as Mayor of Paris. Team USA Gymnast Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, joined Mayor Bass in receiving the flag during the historic moment. She returned to L.A. alongside LA28 and regional leaders. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The Mayor’s priority for the 2028 Games is to ensure Angelenos benefit from the preparation and hosting of this major event, both now and for decades. She is focused on helping local, small businesses, creating local jobs, and delivering lasting environmental and transportation improvements throughout Los Angeles.

“The Olympic Games have officially come back to Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “We have been working with the urgency that is required to put on an international event, and we are focused on all the ways we can match Paris’ success in Los Angeles. My goals for the Games are big, and I want to ensure Angelenos from all corners of the City have the opportunity to show the world all of our communities, that we will grow small and local businesses, and that we will invest in the transportation improvements necessary to leave a lasting legacy in our city for generations to come. Forty years ago, Mayor Bradley hosted a Games that continue to benefit Los Angeles – I will be sure to do the same. Congratulations to the City of Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Paris 2024 for an outstanding Olympic Games. We look forward to seeing a transformative Paralympic Games in Paris in just a few weeks.” 

During her trip to Paris for the closing ceremony, Mayor Bass visited cities and communities outside of the Paris city center to observe how they are engaging the local community and benefiting from the Games. Additionally, Mayor Bass visited the Paris Media Centre, the Athlete’s Village and sporting event venues to examine effective logistics and communication output in order to recreate effective operations in Los Angeles.  

Examining the All of Paris Region Approach to Hosting the Games:

• Examining Strategies To Embrace The Games In Creative Ways – After Mayor Bass landed in Paris she toured the Paris 2024 Olympic cauldron at Tuileries Garden, which is an example of partnership between the private sector and the Games. She was joined by LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and George Pla, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission President. The group also visited Hôtel De Ville, Paris’ historic City Hall, to participate in the City-hosted La Terrasse des Jeux, a free fan festival and watch party where more than 4,000 residents and visitors are able to come together to experience the Games outside of the arenas. The Mayor hopes to implement similar activities throughout the City in 2028.
• Observing Creative and Accessible Activations Throughout The Region And Outside of Arenas – Mayor Bass visited the Parc des Nations at La Villette, home to 15 National Olympic committee’s hospitality houses in a shared urban park space, which includes Club France. Ten of the 15 hospitality houses offer free entry, giving visitors from all around the world the opportunity to cheer on their athletes and feel at home at little to no cost. The park sees around 100,000 visitors a day. The mayor also visited Station Afrique, a space dedicated to members of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa. Mayor Bass hopes to implement a similar hospitality house system in Los Angeles, where diaspora communities, visitors, and residents can connect to the cultures and nationalities represented within the Olympic Movement.
• Observing Logistics To Optimize The Olympic Experience – Mayor Bass visited the Place de la Concorde, the venue hosting Breaking, 3×3 Basketball, BMX Freestyle Cycling and Skateboard, with LA28 leadership where she observed the crowd flow, capacity, and other important characteristics that will factor into the planning of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Observing Logistics Important To A Successful Olympic Games

• Preparing To Host Press From All Over The World – Mayor Bass visited the City of Paris’ temporary Media Center at Carreau du Temple, which is host to hundreds of non-accredited media covering the 2024 Games. Operated by the City of Paris, the Paris Media Centre is designed to give journalists a window into the vibrant atmosphere and dynamism of the city as it hosts the 2024 Games. With capacity for 600 people, the media center provides 300 workstations, two press conference rooms, interview areas, recording studios, as well as relaxation and catering areas, creating a free, all-hours, centralized location for journalists to operate during the 2024 Games.
• Observing Sport Competitions – Mayor Bass supported Team USA at the Men’s Basketball final where the USA played against France, while observing the different venues in Paris — their crowd flow, capacity, and other important characteristics that will factor into the planning of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In order to host a successful Games in 2028, Mayor Bass is collaborating internationally and across all levels of government to deliver for the people of Los Angeles: 

• Federal and Local Partners – Mayor Bass and local leaders including Council President Paul Krekorian, Councilwoman Traci Park, and city administrative officer Matt Szabo, joined second gentleman Douglas Emhoff and his Presidential Delegation, including California Senator Laphonza Butler and Congressman Robert Garcia, in meeting with Team USA athletes in the Athletes Village. Mayor Bass also met with athletes and coaches from the Refugee Olympic team, representing more than 100 million displaced persons worldwide, as well as the director of the Olympic Refugee foundation where they discussed their historic first medal and the significance of the Olympic Refugee team within the Olympics movement.
• Strengthening Partnerships For the 2028 Games – Mayor Bass met with Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine Mayor Karim Bouamrane at Saint-Ouen City Hall to follow up on the partnership established with Los Angeles during their meeting in March. This partnership includes collaboration on shared priorities for youth, the environment, sports, and culture and to share knowledge from the 2024 Games experience. Saint-Ouen is a city just north of Paris and, with Saint-Denis, is home to the Olympic and Paralympic Athletes Village for the 2024 Games. Mayor Bass and Mayor Bouamrane also met with youth from the 100 Black Men of America Summer 2024 Cultural Exchange, an opportunity for young future leaders to experience new perspectives by visiting a foreign country and exploring different cultures. The delegation to Saint-Ouen during the Paris 2024 Games consist of participants from Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, New Orleans, Louisiana, Savannah, Georgia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and London, England. There are six young men and four young women in the delegation.
• Partnering with Private Companies like Delta – An LA28 inaugural founding partner, Mayor Bass met with Delta leadership as she continues to collaborate with the public and private sectors for the 2028 Games.