As the curtain falls on the Winter Olympics in Italy, all eyes are now turning to Los Angeles, the host city for the 2028 Summer Games. However, the meticulous planning for this grand event has been plunged into uncertainty. Recent disclosures linking the chairman of LA’s organizing committee to Jeffrey Epstein, alongside persistent worries about critical infrastructure projects facing delays, are creating a significant challenge for officials.
A newly unveiled collection of Justice Department documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein has brought to light that Casey Wasserman, the chairman of the Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee, used Epstein’s private plane in 2002. The files also show he exchanged ‘flirtatious’ emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s long-term associate who was later convicted of sex trafficking offenses.
Despite these revelations, the LA28 organizing committee’s board announced last week that following an internal review of Wasserman’s interactions with Maxwell, he would retain his position. Yet, Wasserman, a prominent entertainment executive, is still facing mounting pressure to step down, including a direct call for his resignation from Mayor Karen Bass this past Monday.
This swirling controversy, compounded by Wasserman’s recent decision to sell the talent agency he established over two decades ago, has intensified anxieties among International Olympic Committee members. There’s a growing worry that he might no longer be the ideal public face for an event that heavily relies on securing sponsorships to meet its financial targets.
An image shows Los Angeles Olympics organizers addressing the International Olympic Committee in Milan, Italy, this month, actively promoting the upcoming Summer Games.
For example, some within the LA28 organization are reportedly worried that potential sponsors might hesitate to be publicly associated with Wasserman, according to an individual close to the Summer Games planning who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Los Angeles City Council member Monica Rodriguez, who also urged Wasserman’s resignation following the Epstein file disclosures, expressed concern that the intense focus on the chairman is diverting attention away from the athletes and the core needs of the Games.
“With these new revelations concerning Mr. Wasserman, we face numerous challenges,” Ms. Rodriguez stated, emphasizing the need for focused effort. “We have much more work to do, and we need to get it done.”
She further asserted, “These Games transcend Casey Wasserman and any single elected official’s stance. Ultimately, it’s about prioritizing the Olympic movement and the welfare of the athletes.”
The LA28 committee declined to provide anyone for an interview regarding the ongoing preparations for the Games.
Mounting Concerns Over Infrastructure Delays
As the 2028 Summer Games loom closer, Los Angeles officials are growing increasingly worried about whether Southern California’s existing infrastructure can adequately support a successful Olympics. Unsurprisingly, traffic—a perennial concern for Angelenos—tops their list of anxieties.
The most glaring example of a missed deadline is the People Mover project at Los Angeles International Airport. Designed to link airport terminals with the city’s Metro rail system, it was initially slated for completion in 2023. When Los Angeles first bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, the People Mover was a key promise, intended to be operational well before those Games.
Its most recent projected opening is now set for the latter half of 2026.
“I had hoped we would be much further along by now,” admitted Ms. Rodriguez, reflecting on her experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This delay means the People Mover is unlikely to be ready for the FIFA World Cup in June, an event expected to draw tens of thousands of fans to Los Angeles, which is set to host eight matches, including the U.S. team’s inaugural game.
For years, Los Angeles officials have faced skepticism and even ridicule for their ambitious vision of a ‘car-free Olympics,’ where athletes and visitors would primarily use public transit and charter buses. Given that driving is deeply ingrained in the city’s culture, achieving this would demand a monumental shift in habits and an exceptionally efficient public transportation network.
While Ms. Rodriguez received assurances that the People Mover would be finished on schedule, she remains apprehensive about the timely completion of other crucial transit projects. For instance, the extension of the Los Angeles Metro’s D Line is still under construction, with its completion targeted for 2027.
Los Angeles has outlined 28 projects slated for completion by the 2028 Games, including new bus corridors and carpool lanes on the vital Interstate 5. The city reports that roughly one-third of these projects are finished, with the rest still underway.
“These projects continue to be a significant concern,” Ms. Rodriguez reiterated.
Amidst the recent Winter Games in Italy, a delegation from Los Angeles traveled to Milan. They met with local officials and International Olympic Committee members to glean insights from Italy’s experience in organizing an event that covered a vast 8,500 square miles—approximately twice the area of Los Angeles County.
Paul Krekorian, the executive director of major events for Los Angeles, led the delegation. He commented that it was ‘especially useful to observe how Milan utilized the Games as a catalyst to unite stakeholders and advance initiatives that benefit the entire city and its inhabitants.’
Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi of Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of Italy’s Winter Games co-hosts alongside Milan, mentioned having ‘many, many, many’ recommendations for the Los Angeles leadership.
Cortina, nestled in the Italian Alps, is a four-hour drive from Milan. Similar to Los Angeles’s strategy, Italian officials opted for a ‘no-build’ Olympics, leveraging existing venues to cut costs. However, this approach resulted in events being spread across a wide geographical area, with venues located far apart.
The logistical challenges of centralizing Olympians were so significant that the Winter Games ultimately featured two opening ceremonies and accommodated athletes across six separate villages.
Many attendees expressed dissatisfaction with the extensive bus and car travel required between venues and the absence of a central gathering point for athletes and fans to celebrate.
Lorenzi stressed the vital importance of efficient transportation for Los Angeles, revealing that he had to recruit bus drivers from as far as Rome to adequately staff public transit during Italy’s Winter Games.
An aerial view showcases the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, an emblematic venue that LA28 organizers plan to utilize extensively as part of their ‘no-build Olympics’ strategy, focusing on existing infrastructure.
Breaking from the trend of costly new constructions seen in many previous host cities, LA28 has pledged a ‘no-build Olympics.’ This commitment involves maximizing the use of existing venues, avoiding the creation of expensive new infrastructure that could become disused after the Games.
Just like Italy’s approach, this strategy means Los Angeles-area venues will be widely dispersed, necessitating significant travel time for athletes and spectators alike—a major concern in a region already infamous for its traffic congestion.
To alleviate potential congestion, organizers have also explored options far beyond the immediate Los Angeles area.
Previously, LA28 confirmed that softball and canoe slalom events would be held in Oklahoma City. This month, they further announced that the Summer Games would feature soccer matches across six additional U.S. cities: San Jose and San Diego in California, plus New York, St. Louis, Columbus, and Nashville. The climactic final stages of the soccer tournament are slated for the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, just northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Despite these ongoing concerns, Mr. Krekorian expressed confidence that the city is on track to have everything prepared by the July 2028 start date. He also anticipates that Los Angeles will achieve its projected revenue targets for the Games.
“While unforeseen issues will always present challenges and create uncertainty,” he affirmed, “we remain exceptionally confident in our preparations.”
While Los Angeles officials intend to urge residents to avoid roads during the Games, Mayor Lorenzi offered a cautionary tale: locals in Cortina d’Ampezzo took this advice perhaps too literally.
He recounted how shop owners in Cortina d’Ampezzo complained of a significant drop in their usual local clientele, with tourists not adequately compensating through spending at the town’s luxury boutiques. Lorenzi’s advice was for Los Angeles officials to clearly communicate that residents can, and should, maintain their daily routines.
Above all, Lorenzi emphasized the paramount importance of planning and executing all projects with far greater speed than initially anticipated.
His succinct advice: “Go faster. Move quickly.”