2024 Summer Olympic Soccer Deal for Rose Bowl Goes Before City Council

The City Council will hear a Rose Bowl Operating Company recommendation to approve hosting of up to seven soccer matches and other events at the Rose Bowl for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, should Los Angeles be selected as the host city.

The Council is scheduled to discuss the recommendation at Monday night’s meeting.

Council authorization is required because the amount of events anticipated at the stadium that year will exceed the number allowed without the Council’s approval, according to a memo from the Rose Bowl Operating Company, and because certain commitments must be made to secure the agreeement.

Rose Bowl staff also recommend the Council approve the submission of a guarantee letter that stipulates neither Pasadena or the operating company would have increased financial liability or exposure as a result of the Games. Part of the letter also asks the Los Angeles Olympic Committee to make an unspecified investment that will improve the Rose Bowl.

The memo also asks the Council to allow the mayor to submit a letter to the International Olympics Committee as a sign of commitment, as well as authorize the City and Rose Bowl Company to strike a venue use agreement with the Olympics Committee.

According to a draft letter sent to the Rose Bowl Company by the Olympics Committee, the venue deal’s minimum terms of guarantee include an exclusive use period which states that only Olympic-related activities may take place between July 5 and August 8 at the Rose Bowl in 2024.

It also establishes a period where Rose Bowl events can happen simultaneously with construction related to the Olympics.

Furthermore, the venue deal mandates the Rose Bowl be provided to the Olympics Committee in a clean and fully operational condition and that all costs incurred in connection with the Games is the responsibility of the committee.

However, despite the fast-moving developments and narrowed down candidates for host cities, there is still no guarantee the Olympics will come back to Los Angeles for the first time since 1984, which saw the Rose Bowl host the Bronze and Gold matches for soccer in front a combined total audience of 202,000 people over a two day period.