Los Angeles city leaders are pressing the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee to direct more business to local companies, even as LA28 says it cannot promise city-only guarantees. The dispute centers on billions of dollars in contracts tied to the Games and who in the region will benefit.
According to LA28, contracts for IT services, cleaning and construction could total up to $4 billion. City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson has introduced a motion asking LA28 to require that a set share of those contracts go to businesses inside Los Angeles city limits.
The city has a financial stake in the Games because it is the host city and the final backstop if there is a budget shortfall. City officials argue it is unfair for Los Angeles to carry the risk while businesses elsewhere receive most of the benefits.
LA28 has rejected the idea of a city-specific set-aside, saying limiting contracts only to Los Angeles businesses could reduce competition and increase financial risk for taxpayers. The organizing committee says it aims to spend 75% of its procurement budget in the Greater Los Angeles area and 25% with small businesses, but it defines the local area broadly, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.
