Famous L.A.

Los Angeles is one of the world’s most vibrant metropolitan areas. Founded in 1781, worldwide interest came in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, first as the site of major oil finds, then – thanks to excellent, year-round weather – as the preferred site for the fledgling motion picture industry. “Hollywood” was born and sunny Los Angeles, including ocean beaches, mountains and desert areas, appeared in cinemas around the world.

A love-affair with Sport

The city already hosted two Olympic Games. The Games of the X Olympiad in 1932 brought new innovations such as the Olympic Village and the first teletype system to relay results as they happened. The organizing committee made Olympic history by finishing with a surplus of $1 million, despite the Great Depression.
Los Angeles’s love affair with sports expanded following World War II. Within 25 years, the area was the nation’s center for track & field as well as professional teams in baseball, American football, basketball and hockey and collegiate teams from 10 major universities.

After 39 years of trying, Los Angeles was again awarded host duties for the Games of the XXIII Olympiad. By the Opening Ceremonies on 28 July 1984, the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee had created new concepts in financing, staffing and many other areas. The privately-organized event enjoyed a substantial financial surplus, all of which was placed at the service of local, national and worldwide sport.

Staging international events

Sport is now an annual industry in Los Angeles, which has continuously expanded its facilities, with 11 major new arenas, halls and stadia opened since the 1984 Games, including the iconic STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles. The area continues to stage major international championships, including world championships in badminton (2005), cycling (2005), figure skating (2009), football (1994 World Cup and 1999 and 2003 Women’s World Cups), gymnastics (2003), the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic and very recently the Special Olympics World Games (2015).
« If you can dream it, you can do it. » as a Los Angeles famous motto says. Let’s dream about the 2028 Games !