Meeting_Body
AD HOC 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES COMMITTEE
MAY 14, 2025
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS SOLIS, DUPONT-WALKER, AND HAHN
Increasing Access to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Through Fan Zone Activations and Multi-Modal Transportation Options Motion
The Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming to Los Angeles County. Due to ongoing advocacy and leadership from Los Angeles County Supervisor Solis, two new Olympic venues were announced including the Pomona Fairplex and Whittier Narrows. The San Gabriel Valley is now home to three Olympic venues, including the Rose Bowl. The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a fantastic opportunity for the world to be exposed to the Greater Los Angeles County, however these areas must be able to provide multi-modal transportation options that are equitable and comparable to more urban areas of the County. It is pertinent to ensure that multi-modal transportation options to and around Olympic and Paralympic venues are safe, easily accessible and plentiful for folks from our local communities and visitors from around the world.
As Los Angeles County prepares to welcome the world during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, there is a unique opportunity to connect local communities to the Olympic and Paralympic spirit in a way that is accessible, sustainable, and both culturally and geographically equitable. With the formal identification of venues for the 2028 Games now complete or near completion, the County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), and our local partners should begin coordinated planning to support local jurisdictions’ work to identify and develop “fan zones” - designated public spaces where residents and visitors can gather to watch competitions, celebrate, and participate in cultural and entertainment events associated with the Games.
These zones would provide free public access to Olympic and Paralympic coverage, local food, artistic engagement and music, and community-centered programming. These zones would allow residents to experience the excitement of the Games without needing tickets or traveling far from home, while connecting the beauty of an international cultural sporting event to local culture. The key to successful fan zones in Paris was proximity to high-quality transit, connection to the immediate local culture through engaging activities, and enhancing participation.
With its diverse communities and expansive transit network, Los Angeles County’s unincorporated communities and 88 cities are well-positioned to replicate and expand on Paris’ fan zone model. Strategically located fan zones - in parks, civic plazas, or other community gathering spots near or at major transit hubs - could serve not only as celebration sites but also as a means of promoting our County’s growing transit system and fostering a sense of regional unity.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup presents a timely and valuable opportunity to pilot transit-accessible fan zones in advance of the 2028 Games. With Los Angeles set to host multiple World Cup matches, the County, cities, and their partners can pilot fan zones, community partnerships, crowd management, transit connections, and public engagement strategies. Lessons learned can inform and strengthen the planning and implementation of fan zones for the 2028 Games. This approach follows the best practice set by Paris, where early pilots helped shape a successful Olympic and Paralympic fan experience.
With 2028 fast approaching, it is paramount that planning for the fan zones begin expeditiously in coordination with the County, local jurisdictions, and community-based organizations to ensure they reflect the culture and character of our communities while advancing our shared goals. A unified approach tailored to unique immediate culture will help ensure all fan zones are uplifted and the varying jurisdictions complement each other versus compete for fan participation.
Subject
SUBJECT: INCREASING ACCESS TO THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES THROUGH FAN ZONE ACTIVATIONS AND MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS MOTION
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RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Solis, Dupont-Walker, and Hahn that the Board direct the Chief Executive Officer to:
A. Work with the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, and community-based organizations and groups to identify potential fan zones for the 2028 Games that are:
1. Geographically spread across the region;
2. Accessible by high-quality, high-frequency transit and multi-modal options;
3. Integrated with strong first/last mile connections;
4. Reflective of local culture and community; and
5. Coordinating ensuring there is no competition for the same communities.
B. Report back within 120 days on initial planning steps, including coordination efforts, potential locations, community engagement strategies, and how existing and planned transit infrastructure can be leveraged to support fan zone access. The report back will include:
1. Recommendations on how the fan zones can support broader community goals, including the promotion of active transportation, open streets, and introducing new riders to transit - both residents and visitors alike;
2. A plan on how to implement existing funds that have been secured to make El Monte Transit Center a fan zone/mobility hub and partners that are being onboarded to support this fan zone; and
3. Opportunities for Metro to uplift or enhance local multi-modal transportation to and from fan zones and Olympic and Paralympic venues in the broader Los Angeles County community.