LA28 CEO Kathy Carter is stepping down as L.A. preps for 2028 Olympics

With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics just over four years away, local organizers announced Monday they would be seeking new leadership.

Kathy Carter, who had been LA28’s chief executive since the fall of 2021, will be switching to a new role as senior adviser.

The move was framed as a planned transition, with organizers shifting gears after the Paris Olympics this summer.

“As anticipated, because LA28 is moving from a commercial and planning phase to an operational and delivery phase, now is the right time for me to pass the torch,” Carter said in a statement.

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After years of focusing on securing corporate deals with the likes of Nike and Delta Air Lines, the committee recently finalized its sports lineup — adding events such as lacrosse, cricket and baseball — and is pursuing contracts with venues throughout Southern California.

The most-recent budget for the 2028 Summer Games forecasts an overall cost of $6.9 billion. Organizers have vowed to pay all expenses through sponsorships, ticket sales and other revenue streams.

Balancing the budget will be crucial because city and state legislators have agreed to serve as a financial backstop, pledging taxpayer dollars to pay for cost overruns.

During the bid process, LA28 estimated $5.3 billion in costs based on 2016 dollars. That number has been adjusted upward twice so far to account for inflation.

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Carter was the committee’s second chief executive since it was awarded the Games in 2017. The previous leader, Gene Sykes, is now chairman of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

On Monday, organizers did not give any details about how or when a new chief executive would be selected.

“I am deeply grateful for Kathy’s leadership and many contributions to the Olympic and Paralympic movement,” LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman said. “She will always be a defining part of our success at LA28 and I will continue to rely upon her advice during this transition and beyond.”