As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Community Collective and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma launched a new speaker series bringing together leaders from business, government, tourism and international affairs to explore how the region can maximize the economic, cultural and community opportunities tied to the global events ahead.
Held at Blankspaces Venice, the inaugural event focused on how Los Angeles can leverage the next decade of global events to drive small business growth, tourism, international partnerships, workforce opportunity and economic development. The event was made possible through the support of Blankspaces, Visit Venice CA, Venice Paparazzi, Absolute Media Labs, the Venice Chamber of Commerce, Netherlands LA, Spin PR Group, Local Action Marketing, Sonrisa Rum, Malibu Sips, Levain Bakery, Pixie Photo Booth, Boomtown Brewery, Fuegos LA, and Emporium Thai.
For Community Collective founder Michelle Edgar, that spirit of collaboration is exactly why the speaker series was created. "The World Cup and Olympics are catalysts," Edgar said in closing remarks. "The real opportunity is the legacy we create together."
Community Collective Connects will continue this fall with a series of curated conversations focused on Olympic readiness, innovation, entrepreneurship, cultural diplomacy and economic development, including a planned partnership event with an on-going series around the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles with Gensler.
Quoting Mark Twain's observation that "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness," Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board CEO Adam Burke framed the conversation around the transformative power of global connection and cultural exchange. "Tourism is one of the most powerful economic engines we have," Burke said, noting that more than 535,000 Angelenos work in the visitor economy, visitors spend approximately $118 million daily across Los Angeles, and tourism generates roughly $3 billion annually in state and local tax revenues. According to Burke, that translates to approximately $1,000 in annual tax savings for the average Los Angeles County household.
The event brought together a diverse group of leaders, including Treasurer Fiona Ma; Australian Consul General Tanya Bennett, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor for International Affairs Dilpreet Sidhu, Adam Burke of LA Tourism; Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ron Frierson; Bank of America Head of Sports and Entertainment Marketing Cynthia Thomas, Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, and numerous representatives from chambers of commerce, innovation organizations, cultural institutions and community groups.
For Ma, the gathering represented an opportunity to ensure that California's businesses and communities are positioned to benefit from the economic activity surrounding both global events. "These events are more than sporting competitions, but catalysts for investment, tourism, entrepreneurship and international engagement."
One of the strongest themes of the evening centered on small business participation. Frierson noted that approximately 94 percent of businesses in Los Angeles County employ fewer than 20 people, underscoring the importance of ensuring entrepreneurs have pathways into procurement opportunities, hospitality activations and vendor programs tied to the World Cup and Olympics. "I want to make Hollywood the Times Square of the West Coast," Frierson said, emphasizing the role culture, entertainment and tourism will play in showcasing Los Angeles to a global audience.
Speakers encouraged local businesses to think beyond the events themselves and focus on building long-term relationships and infrastructure that can support sustained growth long after the closing ceremonies. "We're entering a golden era for Los Angeles," Burke said. "The next few years represent an extraordinary opportunity for our region."
International partnerships also emerged as a major focus. Sidhu discussed the city's growing network of global relationships and the opportunities being created through hospitality houses, cultural showcases and international activations.
Countries including Australia, France and Mexico are already exploring hospitality houses and cultural experiences throughout Los Angeles. These activations create opportunities for local event planners, caterers, production companies, security firms, artists and small businesses to participate directly in the global visitor economy.
Consul General Bennett highlighted the success of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, describing it as a transformational moment that elevated women's sports worldwide. She noted the unique opportunity for collaboration between Los Angeles and Brisbane, host city of the 2032 Olympic Games, creating a powerful Pacific partnership around innovation, sustainability, culture and sport.
Park, who chairs Los Angeles' Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee, emphasized the importance of ensuring communities throughout the region benefit from the global spotlight. "When I took office, Venice was making headlines for all the wrong reasons," Park said. "Today we're bringing major events back, investing in infrastructure and creating economic opportunities that will benefit the community for years to come."
Park outlined improvements already underway, including transportation enhancements, tourism initiatives, major cultural events and infrastructure projects that will help prepare the Westside for millions of visitors expected over the coming years.
Beyond tourism and economic development, speakers repeatedly returned to the question of legacy. Bank of America's Thomas discussed the company's efforts to expand access through youth sports initiatives and community programs, while also announcing the organization's recent $2 million commitment to provide match tickets for servicemembers, veterans, first responders and their families during the FIFA World Cup.
As Los Angeles enters what many participants described as a once-in-a-generation moment, the goal of the series is clear: ensure that every community, business and resident has an opportunity to participate in shaping the future of the region.