LA28 Games with an eye on Montecito

It is full on for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 [LA28], as peeps are vying to reserve tickets for this epic event coming to our most loved metro-neighbor for all things culture, arts, and sports. Imagine, being only 90 normal traffic minutes away from this global masterpiece of athletics!

With all the LA28 Hollywood drama happening from former Montecito resident Tom Cruise’s Paris24 handoff moto mega-stunt to free soloing the Hollywood sign while placing the Olympic rings on it, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of the LA28 attendees will visit and stay in our beloved Montecito to spot his former estate near Oprah’s, the Royals, and other notables who call our town home? Cruise is the first person ever to “touch” the Hollywood sign, leading the way for LALA stunts people to request a moment in sports at LA28.

I reached out to our iconic five-star resorts to inquire about early bookings, partnerships, and sponsorships.

The first to reply was Ian Williams, general manager of the San Ysidro Ranch who explained, “The property has received inquiries into potential family bookings for the LA28 Olympics. These families are looking to secure large cottages and use Santa Barbara as a base to avoid the crowds in Los Angeles. Those who have inquired so far are from the East Coast and Europe. They want to make their Olympic trip into a West Coast tour of the best hotels and resorts. San Ysidro Ranch does not have any plans at this time to collaborate with the Olympics but does expect to host a higher percentage of foreign travelers before and after the Olympics.”

Next, I had a telephone meeting with Bradley Cance, GM for the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara. He stated, “We’re thrilled to welcome guests to the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara during the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, and believe that the close proximity to L.A., beautiful scenery, charming atmosphere and luxury accommodations that our 358-room Resort provides is the perfect home base to enjoy all that the Olympics has to offer. Related to LA28 is the World Cup 2026 Games hosted by L.A., and we are seeing interest from corporations, international and national travelers, and sports teams, booking with us to make Santa Barbara their home during the World Cup games played on the West Coast.”

As we conversed further about LA28’s challenges with traffic, Cance presented an interesting intersection of LA28, Paris24, and Atlanta96 by explaining, “Paris did a wonderful job hosting the Olympics, and L.A. has its work cut out for itself. We (the Ritz-Carlton Bacara) do expect interest from the Los Angeles residents and corporations to stay with us, as an enclave to escape to during the 2028 Olympics. This phenomenon happened when Atlanta hosted the Olympics, and their infrastructure challenges were diminished as roads were very quiet and peaceful.”

The El Encanto Santa Barbara emailed they have not yet received bookings and will keep the MJ posted. The marketing team for Rick Fidel, managing director of Rosewood Miramar Beach, via phone stated they have no comment at this time.

For partners seeking to add the LA28 emblem to their products, there are more than 42 official LA28 emblems from which to select. The emblems feature a black “L” and a “28” paired with the letter “A” in varying any colors, shapes and configurations to represent the diversity of the Los Angeles community in sports, arts, entertainment, and economy.

The official sports venues for LA28 are the Convention Center DTLA, LA Memorial Coliseum, and the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley, which is the second largest urban park in L.A. They have committed on paper to focus on fiscal responsibility and sustainability.

LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman and LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover have estimated a budget of $6.9 billion overall; however, it will likely be city and state taxes paying for traffic direction, dedicated buses and rail, parking lots, the homeless issue, and security.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has promised “to create opportunities for all Angelenos to be able to celebrate the Games throughout the city, to address the homeless, and to support small businesses in a partnership via city contracts.” 

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn assumed the Chair of the Metro Board of Directors in July 2024. She plans to import 4,000 buses as the main source of transportation. Sorry not sorry options on the desk: 17 days of a Car-Free L.A.; dedicated freeway lanes for buses; reopen city bike lanes (under environmental impact review); and connect L.A. International Airport to the rail system.

LA28 is recruiting people for a few coveted paid positions. A call for volunteers is in the works. Tickets are being officially handled by AXS and CTS EVENTIM, available approximately in February 2027 or sooner. The Olympic Games Opening Ceremony: July 14, 2028, and the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony: Aug. 15, 2028.  

411: https://la28.org

Instagram: @la28games