The organizers of the 2028 Olympics say the Games will help Los Angeles rebuild after the wildfires that devastated the city earlier this year.
“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,” LA 2028 organizing committee chairman Casey Wasserman told the Associated Press during the International Olympic Committee’s annual meeting. “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.”
Wasserman said that Kendrick Lamar will play a big part in the opening ceremony of the rapper’s hometown Olympics after his halftime show at the Super Bowl last month.
“Fortunately in my day job I represent Kendrick Lamar,” said Wasserman, who heads an international talent 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.
Wasserman said that LA’s 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 said. “What’s important is helping people get back into their homes, get back settled, get back with their lives.”
Another expected challenge for LA organizers is ensuring athletes, officials and fans from every Olympic team feel welcome and safe going to the United States during a time of unstable geopolitics.
“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 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,” Wasserman 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 program – and current restrictions for more than 40 countries who will 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 of State 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 men’s World Cup, which the US 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, who is also president of the US 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.”