Exposition Park is expected to receive nearly $100 million for beautification and other improvements ahead of upcoming major events such as the World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, officials announced Monday.
Approximately $97 million will come from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed state budget for fiscal year 2026-27 with an additional $1 million to come from federal funding, which was secured by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles.
Eight World Cup games are scheduled to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which officials expect will serve to boost tourism across Los Angeles County. Exposition Park — home to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — will serve as the Olympic Park for the third time in 2028.
Additionally, the park will see new openings with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in September, and the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at the California Science Center, home of the space shuttle Endeavour. While the space center completed construction in 2025, a date for opening has not been announced.
Exposition Park is a 160-acre green space, located in South Los Angeles, across from USC. Built in 1872, the park has grown to contain museums and sports venues such as the Coliseum, BMO Stadium, the California Science Center, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California African American Museum.
“Los Angeles is about to enter the most intensive — and exciting — three-year period of sporting events that any city in the world has ever experienced, and these investments will ensure that Angelenos continue to benefit from these events for decades to come,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
The mayor led a news conference Monday morning alongside local leaders to tout the investment. Bass thanked state and federal officials, and the Exposition Park leadership, for their work that will help create a more welcoming and accessible park for residents and visitors from around the world.
“These valuable state and federal investments will advance our efforts to transform Exposition Park into a premier global destination,” Andrea Ambriz, general manager of Exposition Park, said in a statement.
She noted the investment is expected to create more than 300 jobs.
“Exposition Park is the backyard of Los Angeles, and we will be ready to be the front yard to the world by 2028,” Ambriz added.
California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot noted the project will involve renovations, infrastructure improvements, and public safety upgrades, among other elements. He described the upgrades as “essential.”
“Just as important, these upgrades also improve the safety and usability of the park for Angelenos who need it to get outdoors,” Crowfoot said in a statement. “We’re proud of these proposed improvements and unique partnerships that are marking Expo Park a truly world-class urban destination.”
Kamlager-Dove called the investment a “win for LA and for America,” adding that it would benefit communities for years to come.