Santa Monica, LA28 end talks to host beach volleyball for 2028 Olympic Games

April 8, 2025 8:14 AM

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 8, 2025) - The city of Santa Monica and the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, or LA28, have ended formal talks to host beach volleyball at Santa Monica State Beach for the 2028 Summer Olympics, following nearly two years of negotiations.

As the birthplace of the modern sport, the city of Santa Monica has been in discussions about hosting beach volleyball since Los Angeles' first bid for the Games in 2016.

Despite good-faith efforts to reach a deal that would benefit both the Santa Monica community and work for LA28, ultimately the two parties were not able to agree to terms around community benefits, operational details and financial guarantees.

LA28 informed the city Friday that it plans to host beach volleyball elsewhere.

With the formal end to venue city negotiations, Santa Monica will focus efforts on bringing a host of exciting opportunities surrounding the Games as a regional partner. City teams have been exploring ideas for related events and revenue-generating prospects, including hospitality houses for numerous countries, broadcast centers, practice venues and watch parties to name just a few opportunities.

The city also remains committed to partnering with LA28 and neighboring agencies to coordinate the Games in the region, including collaboration and support around transportation, hospitality, media, events and more.

"There is no better place to host the Olympic beach volleyball competition than Santa Monica, where the sport was born. We would have loved to be a venue city in 2028," Mayor Lana Negrete said. "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."

Prior to the end of venue city negotiations, a team of city officials had been meeting with LA28 since early 2023 to finalize a Venue City Games Agreement.

At a public study session on Oct. 8, 2024, the Santa Monica City Council discussed the potential impacts of being a venue city and directed staff to negotiate more tangible benefits for residents and businesses and greater clarity and assurances about financial and other impacts on residents and businesses, particularly on and around the Santa Monica Pier. LA28 declined to adjust the proposed agreement to accommodate these terms.

Separate from negotiations around the beach volleyball venue, preparations for this major regional event have been moving forward through the city's CELEBRATE28 initiative. The initiative brings together key groups of staff and community partners in areas of sustainability, transportation, arts, special events, community safety and hospitality to prepare for welcoming thousands of spectators still anticipated to visit Santa Monica during the games.

The city and its partners continue to coordinate and prepare to welcome visitors and engage locals throughout the Games, and are exploring additional revenue generating options in Santa Monica, including opportunities that could bring benefit to the community in advance of the Games.

"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," Santa Monica Travel and Tourism President/CEO Misti Kerns said. "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."

The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games kick off in Los Angeles on July 14, 2028. For more information on LA28, visit la28.org.

For more information on CELEBRATE28, visit santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/celebrate28.

Media Contact

Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov

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