By Jorge Casuso
April 8, 2025 -- Santa Monica's dream of hosting beach volleyball during the Summer Olympics was dashed last week after the City and organizing committee for the 2028 Games failed to reach a deal.
After two years of "good-faith efforts," LA28 informed the City Friday that it "plans to host beach volleyball elsewhere," City officials said Tuesday.
The parties failed to agree to terms "around community benefits, operational details and financial guarantees" that would "benefit both the Santa Monica community and work for LA28," officials said.
Santa Monica remains committed to partnering with LA28 and neighboring agencies to support transportation, hospitality, media and events during the games, according to City officials.
The City also will focus on opportunities to cash in on "related events and revenue-generating prospects" that could include "hospitality houses for numerous countries, broadcast centers, practice venues and watch parties."
“There is no better place to host the Olympic beach volleyball competition than Santa Monica, where the sport was born," said Mayor Lana Negrete. "We would have loved to be a venue city in 2028.
“While we’re disappointed that an agreement was not realized, we remain eager to share in the excitement the Olympics will bring to our region and are looking forward to being a regional partner in this historic event.”
The talks ended six months after the Council sought specific answers to terms in LA28's standard agreement that put the cash-strapped City at risk of losing $12.1 million ("Santa Monica to Continue Olympic Negotiations," October 9, 2024).
The proposed agreement did not spell out "potential financial and legal risks," the scope of services -- including security -- the City would have to provide or the level of reimbursement for those services, staff told the Council.
It also prevented the City from hosting public and private events on the Pier and could shut businesses on the popular venue, opening the City to legal claims, staff said.
"It is tough to close this door with LA28," Councilmember Dan Hall said in a statement to the press Tuesday.
"However, as a leader who has a fiduciary responsibility to the City and community, we needed the financial backstop guarantee to provide the security, safety, and cleaning services hosting such a massive event would’ve required, especially while we face a financially distressed budgeting cycle," Hall said.
Hall, who served as chair of the Pier Board, said Santa Monica now stands "a great chance to profit massively through pursuit of hospitality suites, block hotel bookings, and other Olympics-related events and productions.”
The City and its partners, including Santa Monica Travel and Tourism (SMTT), will continue to prepare to welcome visitors and explore "additional revenue generating options" for the games that kick off in Los Angeles on July 14, 2028.
“When the world shows up to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympics, we look forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands of participants and sports enthusiasts to Santa Monica for an iconic California experience,” said SMTT President/CEO Misti Kerns.
“With our key location and proximity to LA28 venues, our beachside city is already seeing strong demand for the summer months of 2028.
"Our hotels, restaurants, attractions, and shopping areas are working to create additional packages and experiences while looking forward to hosting Olympic visitors during this exciting time for the region,” Kerns said.
