Olympic Beach Volleyball Still Scheduled for Santa Monica Despite Lack of Signed Agreement

When the Los Angeles Olympic Committee announced a slew of venues for the 2028 Games last week, Santa Monica was conspicuously absent from the list. However, plans for a Santa Monica venue are still in the works, according to Olympic officials.

Last week, the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games announced that more than a dozen venues have been awarded for Olympic sports in the city of Los Angeles and the neighboring cities of Carson and Long Beach.

The city of Los Angeles is the de facto host of the Games and will be the center of the activities. However, the Committee has indicated that it plans to utilize several regional locations to reduce the need for construction and maximize the quality of the Games.

“The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games reflect everything the Los Angeles region has to offer, and with these venue awards, we are proud to bring the Games to many of our vibrant and diverse communities,” said LA28 Chief Athlete Officer Janet Evans. “The city of Los Angeles will host more Olympic sports than anywhere else, and Carson and Long Beach, which have hosted competitions in previous Games, will host more competitions than ever before. These cities’ world-class venues provide ideal conditions for athletes and fans, and we look forward to welcoming them back in 2028.”

As announced last week, Los Angeles will host badminton at the USC Sports Center, fencing at the Downtown Convention Center, golf at The Riviera Country Club, judo at the Downtown Convention Center, table tennis at the Downtown Convention Center, taekwondo at the Downtown Convention Center, weightlifting at the Downtown Theater, and wrestling at the Downtown Convention Center.

Carson hosts track cycling in the cycling stadium, hockey on the fields, rugby sevens in the stadium and tennis in the tennis center.

Long Beach hosts canoe sprint at Marine Stadium, handball at the Arena, marathon swimming at the Waterfront, rowing at Marine Stadium, sailing at Belmont Shore, triathlon at the Waterfront and water polo on the convention center grounds.

Olympic officials said they have a standard contract with venue cities that compensates hosts for costs above and beyond the cost of normal operations. Those contracts are finalized on a city-by-city basis, and while Santa Monica’s hasn’t been signed yet, the process is proceeding as normal.

Although the new golf course is located next to Santa Monica, the city itself has already been designated as host for the beach volleyball tournament.

In Olympic Beach Volleyball, teams of two players compete on an outdoor sand court, with the goal of hitting a ball over a net and landing it on the court on the opposing team’s side. The Olympics describe it as a fast-paced sport in which teams attempt to win two out of three sets. The first two sets are played to 21 points, and the third set, if necessary, is played to 15 points.

As previously discussed, the venue for the sport would be a temporary 12,000-seat stadium just north of The Pier. The preliminary construction plan for the 2028 Olympics would see the closure of Beach Lot 1 North spread out over several months. Parking would be temporarily unavailable during construction, competitions, and demolition.

Although the loss of parking spaces is significant, local officials have continued work in anticipation of the Games.

The City of Santa Monica has launched the “Celebrate28 Initiative” to prepare for the LA28 Olympics by engaging city staff, community leaders, and business representatives. Nine committees will be formed to define goals, establish milestones, and determine resource needs for Santa Monica’s participation. The City Manager’s Office will lead the initiative, with the goal of ensuring thorough preparation for the Olympic Games. Members will participate in regular meetings, collaborate on goals, identify resources, and execute plans in accordance with the City’s budget process. Major decisions will follow the guidance of the Council.

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