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Anaheim And Pasadena Submit Paperwork, Along With Long Beach, To Join L.A.'s Pitch For 2024 Olympics

Rome's Mayor Says Olympics Would Be Too Costly, Leaves Paris, Bucharest And L.A. As Contenders


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(Sept. 22, 2016, 5:55 a.m.) -- Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and LB city management didn't tell, and LB City Councilmembers didn't ask, what Olympics events might end up in Long Beach if L.A. is chosen to host the 2024 Olympic Games, but LBREPORT.com has learned that the Anaheim and Pasadena City Councils approved submitting basically the same type of paperwork as Long Beach did to join L.A.'s pitch for the Games.

As reported (first again) by LBREPORT.com, an item was added to the Sept. 20 Long Beach City Council agenda (reported at this link seeking Council approval to authorize the City Manager or his designee "to enter into an agreement with the LA 2024 Exploratory Committee to host a portion of the 2024 Olympic Games at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center area, adjacent waterfront, and other possible areas throughout Long Beach."

The Long Beach Council agenda item didn't disclose the proposed agreement's terms, or propose a current limit on potential LB taxpayer costs but did include a management expectation that the Council will set aside LB taxpayer sums annually (that could otherwise provide city services) to create a "reserve" at some level not publicly indicated to cover potential cost exposures when they're known.

LBREPORT.com cites and quotes from documents and materials that the City of Santa Monica publicly agendized for its residents as part of their city's proposed action to join in L.A.'s Olympics bid. LBREPORT.com speculates that the Santa Monica documents may be similar to those that the City of Long Beach is being asked to sign.

[Scroll down for further.]


Santa Monica proposes to provide one Olympic venue: beach volleyball. To see a digital rendering of the Santa Monica proposed facility/location, click here.

The Long Beach City Council agenda item doesn't indicate what 2024 Olympics events would be in Long Beach or where they'd take place; LB city management's agendizing memo refers to the possibility of hosting "a portion of the 2024 Olympic Games at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center area, adjacent waterfront, and other possible areas throughout Long Beach."

Santa Monica's documents include:

  • Venue Use Guarantee Agreement that states in pertinent part:

    The consideration described in Appendix C [beach rental fee payable to City of Santa Monica estimated at roughly $3.7 million] is inclusive of the general provision of the normal and customary level of municipal services (e.g., cleaning, maintenance, police, fire, transportation, public works, and building and safety) appropriated in the Venue Owner's Budget, at the time of the Games...

    ...Event-related operational costs of the Venue, which shall include, but not be limited to, utility expenses (electricity, water, etc.), construction costs associated with any Venue improvements, event insurance, security, and any municipal services (e.g., cleaning, maintenance, police, fire, transportation, public works, and building and safety) above and beyond the general provision of the normal and customary level of municipal services appropriated in the Venue Owner's Budget during the use periods contemplated herein, are not included in the consideration and will be payable separately by the OCOG under the terms of the Venue Use Agreement." [OCOG = L.A. Organizing Committee for the games.]

    ...This letter shall constitute a binding and legally enforceable commitment for the benefit of the Candidature Committee and the OCOG to the Minimum Terms of the Guarantee subject in all respects to the final terms and conditions of the Venue Use Agreement..."

  • Side-letter to City of Santa Monica from LA 2024's Exploratory Committee chair Casey Wasserman stating the following in pertinent part:

    If, despite our mutual good faith efforts, we are unable to agree upon and execute a mutually acceptable Venue Use Agreement prior to December 31, 2018, we undertake to notify the IOC immediately that the Venue is withdrawn from our plan for the Games and we will seek an alternate location to hold any contemplated events that would have otherwise been held in the Venue. Upon such notification, the Guarantee Letter shall be deemed terminated, and neither the Venue Owner nor the Candidature Committee or OCOG shall have any further obligations thereunder.

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Long Beach city management's Sept. 20 City Council agendizing memo acknowledges:

FISCAL IMPACT

If Los Angeles is awarded the Olympic Games bid for 2024, the City of Long Beach may incur unknown staffing and venue costs associated with its participation. City staff will work with LA 2024 to pursue full cost recovery. If the City is expected to incur non reimbursable costs, staff will return to the City Council at a later date for direction. It is envisioned that the City would establish a reserve fund, to which funds would be added over the next eight years to cover any costs not covered by LA 2024. If Los Angeles is selected to host the Olympic Games, it is anticipated that new jobs will be created, which are directly related to the venues chosen within the City of Long Beach.

On Sept. 21, Rome's Mayor indicated she doesn't favor going forward with that City's bid to host the games. Boston was the US Olympic Committee's preferred venue until Boston withdrew, citing cost considerations. That cleared the way for L.A. to pursue the Games. Three cities remain in serious contention now: Paris, Budapest and Los Angeles; the IOC is scheduled to announce its choice on September 13, 2017.

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The Long Beach City Council Olympics agenda item first appeared online on Sept. 17, after LB Council members voted on Sept. 13 to approve a FY17 budget that, despite a City Hall-sought, voter-approved sales tax increase to 10%, didn't restore 95% of previously provided LB police officers and left three fire stations without fire engines. [LB's Mayor and Council have no announced plan to provide these restorations for taxpayers.]

LB City Council "closed session" agendas over the past few weeks (including Sept. 13) indicate ongoing negotiations with multiple city employee unions for new contracts, anticipated to include raises but without public disclosure of LB taxpayer costs in the Mayor/management recommended, Council approved FY17 budget.

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Long Beach was part of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932 and 1984. LB's 1984 Olympic event venues were Archery @ El Dorado Park; Volleyball @ the LB Arena; Fencing @ LB Convention Center and Sailing @ the Shoreline Marina (built downtown to host the competition.) In 1932, LB hosted rowing at Marine Stadium (created/dredged in 1925 with further dredging for the 1932 games; the only facility built specifically for L.A.'s 1932 Olympics was the Swimming Stadium.)

Critics of the Olympics point out that its organizers chose Berlin in Nazi Germany to host the games in 1936 with plans for the 1940 Olympics in Tokyo (which didn't occur because the Axis regimes had already ignited WWII which came to the U.S. with Imperial Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.) More recently, the IOC awarded the games to totalitarian regimes including the now-former Soviet Union in 1980 and the Peoples Republic of China in 2008.

Some critics have also opined that Games' athletic focus is now too often eclipsed by corporate sponsorships and advertising contracts.



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