The 2028 Olympics: Can LA Withstand The Weight of the World?

The 2028 Olympics: Can LA Withstand the Weight of the World?

The Countdown Has Begun

The countdown to the 2028 Summer Olympics is on, and Los Angeles is preparing to host one of the world’s most anticipated events. With millions of visitors expected and global attention, the stakes are high. LA has a unique advantage: unlike most host cities, most of the venues are already in place. But readiness extends far beyond stadiums.

As WMG President Lauren Weinbaum points out, “I don’t have concerns about the existing facilities being able to accommodate the athletes and spectators; my concern is more about how we will handle the large influx of people and ensure they can get in and out safely.”

From roads and transportation systems to fire safety, security, and airport efficiency, every element will be tested. And with recent natural disasters, including devastating wildfires, still fresh in memory, resilience has become more than a buzzword; it’s a necessity.

What Sets LA Apart (and What Doesn’t)

Los Angeles is already home to major venues like the Memorial Coliseum, Rose Bowl, SoFi Stadium, and Crypto.com Arena, which reduces the need for costly construction. The city will be reusing and repurposing much of its existing infrastructure. This smart move lowers financial risk and avoids the “white elephant” problem many host cities face after the Games.

But as Weinbaum cautions, “The biggest strength is that we have all the facilities ready to host, and we will be able to maintain those facilities after the Olympics pass through. What we should be worried about is logistics.”

But infrastructure readiness goes beyond stadiums. LA is still recovering from devastating wildfires and faces ongoing challenges in transportation, housing, and public safety. The influx of visitors will test the city’s fragile road and transit networks. While $900 million in federal funds is secured to improve public transit ahead of the Games, questions remain about whether upgrades can keep pace with the timeline.

Financially, the stakes are high. According to Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA could be on the hook for $270 million if the Games run at a loss. This is an outcome the city “absolutely cannot afford.” His words underscore the Olympic paradox: while the Games bring global attention and short-term boosts, most host cities struggle financially afterward. Will Los Angeles be able to replicate the success of 1984, leaving the town with long-term assets instead of long-term debt?

Infrastructure Pressure Points

Transportation & Roads

Traffic is already a daily reality in Los Angeles, and the Olympic influx will push it even farther. Consider this: in rush hour, it takes roughly 35 minutes to go just five miles from LAX to SoFi Stadium, which is the closest venue to the airport. With millions of visitors expected, questions arise: Can Metro expansions, lane repaving, or designated rideshare zones realistically absorb the surge?

Experts aren’t convinced. James Moore, founding director of USC’s transportation and engineering program, argues that the $870 million allocated, primarily for rail, “is not enough to seriously get people moving ahead of 2028.” Transit ridership has been declining despite investment, and Moore believes the only scalable solution may be a massive reallocation into buses, which can be deployed faster and more flexibly than new rail systems.

Airports & Travel

For many visitors, Los Angeles International Airport will be their first and last impression of the city. That makes efficiency, clarity, and flow the main keys to success.

“Wayfinding is a challenge at every single airport,” explains Lauren Weinbaum, President of WMG, “but at LAX, the design itself wasn’t intuitive. Renumbering and rethinking those flows was something that needed to be solved, whether the Olympics happened or not.”

That perspective is reflected in WMG’s work across multiple major LAX projects:

Wayfinding Project: A comprehensive renumbering of terminals and gates, integrated with the Automated People Mover and consolidated rental car facility. Signage focuses on technology, accessibility, and user testing to guide 88+ million annual travelers with greater clarity.
Delta Sky Way: A $1.86 billion project modernizing and connecting Terminals 2, 3, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
LAX Terminal Cores: Part of the $336.5 million Landside Access Modernization Program, these cores will connect terminals to the new Automated People Mover, providing vertical circulation and additional guest amenities.

These projects underscore LA’s proactive approach, but the larger question remains: with construction timelines tight and an influx of visitors on the horizon, how ready will LAX truly be?

Security & Public Safety

Keeping millions of attendees safe is another daunting challenge. Beyond typical crowd control, the city must prepare for political protests, heightened global tensions, and natural disaster recovery. Security strategies will need to extend well beyond the venues and cover transit systems, airports, and public gathering spaces. It’s not just about the “big picture” of global safety but also the day-to-day resilience of local infrastructure.

Wildfires & Financial Strain

Los Angeles enters the Olympic cycle under the shadow of recent wildfires. These events tested the city’s resilience, strained its resources, and left many residents questioning whether major events should take priority over recovery. While the immediate reconstruction efforts are underway, the scars remain both physical and political.

That said, the city has two major test runs before 2028: the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Super Bowl in 2027. These events will serve as a warm-up, offering both a chance to stress-test infrastructure and an opportunity to restore public confidence in LA’s ability to host global gatherings. Weinbaum notes. “Events like that will help flush out any real challenges ahead of 2028.”

Zev Yaroslavsky, who spent four decades in Los Angeles city and county government, has acknowledged the tension clearly: “As long as the Olympic [organizing] committee runs their Games in a cost-neutral or profitable way, [the fires] should not be a barrier.” But he and others caution that funding remains a moving target. Wildfires could amplify ongoing debates about the actual costs of hosting, already a politically charged issue.

The costs and risks are high. If Olympic spending runs over budget, those dollars won’t necessarily compete directly with fire recovery but will inevitably compete with other critical needs like schools, housing, or homelessness initiatives. As Yaroslavsky warns, even without the fires, “a cost overrun that the city would have to pick up the tab for would be incredibly financially stressful.”

Learning from 1984

There is, however, a unique precedent in LA’s favor. The 1984 Games were one of the few Olympics in modern history to turn a profit, mainly by leveraging existing infrastructure and relying heavily on private sponsorships. Instead of saddling the city with debt, the Games left behind assets and a surplus that funded youth sports programs for decades through the LA84 Foundation, which continues to support thousands of young athletes across Southern California today.

The question now is whether 2028 can replicate that model or whether today’s costs, politics, and environmental risks will tip the scales differently.

WMG Has Seen & Built It

Significant events aren’t new to Los Angeles, and they aren’t new to us. Having supported projects that move tens of millions of people each year, we’ve seen what it takes to keep complex systems running smoothly under extraordinary demand.

“I’ve worked on projects that were ‘thrown together’ before the 1984 Games just to meet the timeline,” Weinbaum recalls. “Today, it’s not about rushing to build; it’s about planning for movement and accessibility.”

The lesson is simple but often overlooked: success isn’t just about building structures, it’s about designing for clarity. Whether that’s through intuitive wayfinding, seamless inter-agency collaboration, or stress-testing circulation plans long before opening day, the details matter.

That same mindset will be critical in 2028. The Olympics will put Los Angeles on the global stage in a way few events can. WMG’s experience has shown us that when infrastructure is designed with movement, accessibility, and resilience in mind, cities can rise to the challenge.

The Path Forward

With less than four years to go, Los Angeles is at a crossroads. The city boasts undeniable advantages, including world-class venues, experience hosting global events, and billions in infrastructure investments already underway. But the pressure points are real: transportation, housing, safety, and climate resilience will all be tested.

What’s encouraging is that LA doesn’t have to start from scratch. Lessons from the World Cup in 2026 and the Super Bowl in 2027 will provide valuable “stress tests” for the city’s systems, giving leaders time to refine strategies before the Olympic torch is lit. The LA84 Foundation’s legacy shows that major events can leave behind lasting benefits when investments are made wisely and equitably.

The 2028 Summer Olympics will be a defining moment, not just for athletes, but for the city itself. At WMG, we know what it takes to manage large-scale projects under pressure, having successfully done so with LAX modernization and complex aviation infrastructure projects. If LA can apply those lessons, the city has the potential to showcase not only the best of sport, but the best of itself.
The countdown is on. The path forward will require honest conversations, wise investments, and a commitment to leaving behind more than just memories. So we’ll leave the question with you: Is Los Angeles ready for the weight of the world?