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tca/dpaLos Angeles The 2028 Summer Olympics are now - officially - six years away as Los Angeles organizers have set the dates for the massive international competition that will take place at venues throughout Southern California.The Games will begin with a dual opening ceremony at the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14 and continue through July 30.The Paralympics will follow, starting on August 15.The announcement was made at a Monday afternoon news conference attended by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and International Olympic Committee (IOC) leaders.“Los Angeles is a special place for sport,” IOC executive Nicole Hoevertsz said in a statement. “The confirmation of the Games dates now gives L.A. a firm deadline when it will need to be ready to welcome the world.” So far, the LA28 organizing committee has spent most of its time pursuing deals with corporate sponsors such as Delta, Deloitte and Nike to help cover an estimated $6.9-billion budget.Preparations will not include any major construction as organizers seek to trim costs by using existing venues such as Crypto.com Arena, Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles and Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson [in the south bay region of Los Angeles].A balanced budget will be crucial because city and state legislators have agreed to serve as a financial backstop, meaning that taxpayers will have to pay for any cost overruns. Organizers have vowed to use privately raised funds only, insisting they can buck a trend that has seen previous host cities amass substantial deficits.Speaking at a public pool beside the Coliseum, Garcetti said the city is “ready and excited” for its third Games.After first hosting in 1932, LA played a critical role in Olympic history in 1984, when organizing chairman Peter Ueberroth revolutionized the recruitment of corporate sponsors, not only balancing the Games’ budget but also finishing with a considerable surplus.The city was named as 2028 host during an unusual bid competition that ended with the IOC striking a compromise between the finalist cities, giving 2024 to Paris and asking LA to wait four years in return for financial considerations.With the world track championships underway in Eugene, Oregon, IOC president Thomas Bach stopped in Southern California to meet with organizers, tour several venues and see youth sports programs being funded by $160 million in donations from LA28 and the IOC.“I have been really impressed by the progress and creativity of the LA28 team,” Bach said.The 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics will encompass 800 events in at least 40 sports, totaling more than 3,000 hours of competition.Some 15,000 athletes from around the world are expected to gather in Southern California.
