The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis to expand access to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games through the creation of community-based fan zones and improved multimodal transportation infrastructure.

The motion directs the County to begin identifying public spaces across its 88 cities and unincorporated areas where residents and visitors can gather to watch Olympic coverage, enjoy live entertainment, and participate in cultural programming. The fan zones would be free to attend and designed to be accessible by walking, biking, and transit.

“This isn’t just about hosting a global event,” said Chair Pro Tem Solis. “It’s about investing in our communities and making sure every resident, regardless of income or ZIP code, can share in the experience. By creating spaces where people can come together to celebrate and feel part of something bigger, we’re building a stronger, more connected community and ensuring the Olympic spirit reaches every corner of the County.”

The motion builds on a similar action introduced by Chair Pro Tem Solis and approved last week by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors. That directive calls on Metro to work with cities, community organizations, and other stakeholders to identify fan zone locations near high-frequency transit corridors.

Chair Pro Tem Solis cited the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as a model for this initiative. In Paris, “festivity sites” across the city offered free access to large screens, concerts, youth sports activities, and local cultural programming. These fan zones helped create a shared sense of Olympic excitement far beyond the official venues.

Fan zones in Los Angeles County would be located near major transit hubs and public gathering places such as parks and civic plazas. The motion directs County departments to integrate feedback into the 88 for 28 workgroup, an initiative to align Los Angeles County’s 88 cities in preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as coordinate with Metro, the City of Los Angeles, and other local jurisdictions in identifying potential sites and ensuring each one reflects its community’s culture and character.

The Pomona Fairplex and Whittier Narrows Park, both County-owned sites in the San Gabriel Valley, have been officially confirmed as Olympic venues thanks to the advocacy of Chair Pro Tem Solis. She has emphasized the urgent need to prioritize infrastructure and transportation improvements in these areas to guarantee safe, equitable access for both local residents and visitors from around the world.

The motion highlights the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches scheduled in Los Angeles County, as a critical opportunity to pilot fan zone activations, test transit strategies, and refine safety improvements ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It directs County departments to collaborate with Metro, local jurisdictions, and community partners to develop a coordinated plan. Within 120 days, these departments must submit a report outlining an implementation strategy that includes identifying potential fan zone locations, ensuring equitable geographic distribution, enhancing multi-modal transportation access and safety, engaging local communities, incorporating cultural and youth programming, estimating costs, and proposing ways to integrate lessons learned from the World Cup into Olympic planning.