The committee seeking to bring the 2024 Olympics to Los Angeles made its case Tuesday to International Olympic Committee members in Doha, Qatar, where Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed that entrusting the games to his city would usher in sustained success for the Olympic movement.
“We believe our campaign isn’t just about the Games in our city in 2024. We believe this bid is about ensuring that the Games are sustainable and relevant in every year beyond 2024 as well,” Garcetti said, addressing the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly, according to a transcript released by the LA2024 committee.
“This bid isn’t only about LA’s future — it’s about our collective future. We are planning a great Games in Los Angeles — make no mistake — but we’re also laying the ground work along with you for future Games.”
To accomplish that long-term goal, the games in Los Angeles in 2024 would have to be transformative, the mayor said.
“And we know that we can help transform the Games because we are a transformative city that reflects creativity and innovation — and because the Olympics are in our DNA, he said, alluding to the fact the Olympics have taken place in Los Angeles twice before.
Also on the L.A. delegation are six-time Olympic track gold medalist Allyson Felix, LA 2024 Vice Chair Janet Evans, a four-time Olympic gold medal- winning swimmer, committee Chairman Casey Wasserman, U.S. Olympic Committee Chairman Larry Probst, and International Olympic Committee member and hockey gold medalist Angela Ruggiero. All are from California.
Felix said the diversity of America and Los Angeles in particular makes the city the perfect place for the Olympics.
I want to tell you about the America that I love, and the America that needs the Games to help make our nation better — now more than ever,” she said.
“America is diverse. We are a nation of people whose descendants came from all over the world for a better life. We’re not a nation that clings to our past, no matter how glorious or how painful. Americans rush towards the future. Please don’t doubt us. America’s diversity is our greatest strength. … I believe L.A. is a perfect choice for the 2024 Games, because the face of our city reflects the face of the Olympic Movement itself.”
The primary focus of the LA 2024 team at the General Assembly will be observing the sessions and meeting with leaders from the 205 national Olympic committees, said Jeff Millman, LA 2024’s chief communications officer.
LA 2024’s other official presentations to IOC members will be made in July 2017 in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the final presentation in September 2017 in Lima, Peru, when the host city for the 2024 Olympics will be selected.
LA 2024 has pledged to create a transformative Olympic Games utilizing the city’s ideal climate, its culture of creativity and innovation, and its youthful energy to reimagine a Games that delivers the ultimate personalized experience for the athletes.
The committee has also pledged that its plan for hosting the Olympics would build national pride, reignite America’s passion for the Games, significantly increase youth participation in sports across the nation and show how a host city can deliver sustainable benefits to its communities.
Paris and Budapest are also seeking to host the 2024 Games.
–City News Service