July 31 (UPI)—The city of Los Angeles reached an agreement with the International Olympic Committee on Monday to host the 2028 Summer Games—instead of those in 2024–an unnamed source familiar with the negotiations said.
Sources told the Los Angeles Times and USA Today the IOC is expected to announce the plan later Monday. The LA 2024 Twitter account posted a message saying there would be a “special announcement” with Mayor Eric Garcetti at 5 p.m. PDT.
Los Angeles was competing with Paris, the favorite, to host the 2024 games. Earlier this month, though, the IOC reached a unanimous vote to award Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. It would be the first time in modern Olympic history that two host cities are named at once.
IOC President Thomas Bach called the arrangement “a golden opportunity.”
The United States has been trying to bring the Summer Games back to the country for the first time in more than two decades. Initially, Boston was the city chosen to represent the United States in the 2024 bid, but the city dropped out after officials became hesitant of putting taxpayers on the hook for the cost.
Los Angeles then picked up the baton to represent the United States in 2024.
The United States last hosted the Summer Games in Atlanta in 1996. Los Angeles has hosted the Games twice before — in 1984 and 1932.