Long Beach’s Alamitos Beach will host the Olympic beach volleyball tournament during the 2028 Los Angeles Games, organizers announced Tuesday as part of a comprehensive venue plan that spans the Southern California region.
LA28, the organizing committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, revealed move to Long Beach, bringing the popular event to a coastal setting that will also host coastal rowing and open water swimming competitions.
“Los Angeles is the epicenter of sports, culture and entertainment, and every venue selected for the 2028 Games will provide athletes and fans the best possible experience,” said LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover. “The 2028 Olympic venue plan invites communities from across the region to celebrate the Games coming to their backyard.”
The announcement comes after speculation about where the beach volleyball competition would be held, following the breakdown of negotiations with Santa Monica, which had originally been anticipated as the host venue.
Olympic officials said Long Beach’s selection as the beach volleyball venue represents a significant win for the city, which has been designated as an official “2028 Venue City” and will now host multiple high-profile Olympic events.
Santa Monica was originally considered for the beach volleyball venue but negotiations ended after city officials and LA28 organizers failed to reach terms. A financial analysis commissioned by Santa Monica found that hosting Olympic beach volleyball would bring in $14.09 million but cost the city $15.54 million, resulting in a $1.45 million shortfall.
The same report projected that even without hosting the event, the city could see $11.3 million in tourism revenue with just $650,000 in related expenses, yielding a net gain of $10.65 million. Santa Monica officials cited concerns about “community benefits, operational details and financial guarantees” in a statement explaining why the deal fell through.
The original plan had included a temporary 12,000-seat stadium north of the Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica City Councilmember Dan Hall said the decision was difficult but suggested the city could better use its resources elsewhere, including “paying down our unfunded pension liabilities, rebuilding our reserves and housing trust fund, repairing infrastructure” and other priorities.
The comprehensive venue plan announced Tuesday spans the entire Southern California region, from San Fernando Valley to San Clemente, and includes both iconic locations and new venues.
Venice Beach will serve as the new home of the triathlon competition, which is relocating from Long Beach. The historic beachfront neighborhood will host the official starting locations for the marathon and cycling road courses.
“This plan brings the Games to all corners of our city like never before — from the Sepulveda Basin to the iconic shores of Venice Beach, our world-famous neighborhoods as well as our hidden gems will be on full display for all to experience and enjoy,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley will host Olympic events for the first time, including 3x3 basketball and modern pentathlon, alongside BMX freestyle, BMX racing, and skateboarding events.
In a nod to Hollywood’s influence, squash will make its Olympic debut at Universal Studios Lot’s Courthouse Square, recognizable from films like “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Back to the Future.”
Dodger Stadium will host baseball as the sport returns to the Olympic program, while cricket will make its Olympic comeback after more than a century at a temporary facility at the Fairgrounds in Pomona.
Surfing competitions will take place at Trestles Beach in San Clemente, chosen for its consistent waves, while equestrian events return to Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, which previously hosted the sport during the 1984 Olympics.
The City of Carson will stage archery at its stadium, while volleyball moves to the Arena in Anaheim. Boxing will be held at the Peacock Theater and Arena in Downtown Los Angeles, and rhythmic gymnastics relocates to the USC Sports Center.
Long Beach will also host sport climbing at the Convention Center Lot and target shooting at the Convention Center, while shotgun shooting events will take place at the Shotgun Center in South El Monte.
Beyond venues, the IOC Executive Board confirmed a record number of Olympic medals will be awarded at LA28, with several new mixed team events and significant steps toward gender equality.
For the first time in Olympic history, the women’s soccer tournament will feature more teams than the men’s competition, with 16 women’s teams compared to 12 men’s teams. Water polo and boxing will achieve gender equality for the first time, with women’s water polo expanding to 12 teams to match the men’s tournament, and boxing adding a new women’s weight class for a total of seven in both men’s and women’s competitions.
Six new mixed gender team events will debut across archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics (4x100 mixed gender relay), coastal rowing, golf, and table tennis.
Swimming will add six medal events with the inclusion of 50-meter races in backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly for both men and women. Sport climbing will separate the previous combined event into three distinct medal competitions: speed, boulder, and lead.
“We are opening the door for more athletes to compete, win, and live out their Olympic dream at the LA28 Games where athletes have always been, and always will be, the heart of the Games,” said LA28 Chief Athlete Officer Janet Evans. “We are proud to champion an athlete-centric vision that celebrates excellence and the unifying spirit of the Olympic Movement.”
The 2028 Olympic Games will bring together approximately 10,500 athletes across the 31 sports on the initial program, with up to 700 more competing in the five additional sports proposed by LA28 and added by the IOC in October 2023.
The Games, which will mark Los Angeles’ third time hosting the Olympics and first time hosting the Paralympics, are scheduled to begin on July 14, 2028.
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