LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover says the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games could generate up to $17.63 billion for the Southern California economy. His organizing committee is already reshaping downtown Los Angeles in the process.

In a Sept. 8 interview with the Los Angeles Business Journal, Hoover said the organizing committee moved its headquarters from Westwood to downtown LA in June and July 2025. The office now employs almost 950 people and expects to grow to nearly 5,000 by the time the Games open. The headquarters sits next to Crypto.com Arena, the Peacock Theater and the LA Convention Center, which Hoover called "one of our core hubs of the game."

Staff members have moved into apartments blocks from the office, spending at nearby restaurants, bars, hotels and grocery stores. LA28 has been working with local businesses including Proper Hotel and Audio Graph Beer Co., along with chambers of commerce and advocacy groups, to boost the surrounding commercial district.

The economic projections come from a December 2025 report by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). That study estimated the Games would generate between $13.62 billion and $17.63 billion in additional GDP across the six-county SCAG region from 2024 through 2029. Los Angeles County alone would capture $8.96 billion to $11.97 billion of that total.

Hoover cited the upper end of the range, calling it "upwards of a $17 billion economic impact" for the city and region. Those figures reflect GDP, not direct revenue.

Small businesses get a playbook

LA28's March 2026 procurement plan targets 75% of addressable spending for the Greater Los Angeles region and 25% for small businesses. Contracts are posted through the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement (RAMP) at RampLA.org, and suppliers can register at La28.SupplierOne.co.

LA28 is also partnering with Intuit on a supplier readiness program, according to Procurement Magazine, and with Deloitte and other firms to coach small businesses through the bidding process.

On Aug. 18, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, AECOM, Cisco, Deloitte and Guild opened applications for "Rally LA," an initiative pairing small businesses with corporate coaching and networking ahead of the Games. The first cohort is expected to be announced in fall 2026. Businesses can apply at rally-la.com/apply.

"Our small businesses are the economic engine of Los Angeles," Maria S. Salinas, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, said when Rally LA launched in August. "Rally LA will help local entrepreneurs have the coordinated support, connections, and visibility to compete and grow around these major sporting events in Los Angeles."

Vertiport, sponsorships and what's next

Separately, Archer Aviation and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) announced Aug. 24 that they will build downtown LA's first vertiport at L.A. Live. Archer's Midnight electric aircraft, which carries up to four passengers, is in the fourth stage of FAA certification and will serve as the exclusive air taxi provider for Team USA, the Los Angeles Business Journal reported.

LA28 has also surpassed $2 billion in domestic sponsorships, more than two years before the Games begin. Paralympic ticket sales are underway. The committee plans to unveil its Games slogan and the first torch relay city in the first quarter of 2027.