The Olympics Infrastructure: The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainable, Intentional Urban Planning

While the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles were the only games to produce a surplus, in large part because the city was able to rely on already existing infrastructure, many others did not have a similar fate due to lavish, specialized arenas which had no beneficial use afterwards. The enticement of hosting the Olympics with the plan of investing to address communities needs at an accelerated rate is appealing to city officials and residents. As the 2028 Olympic Games host, LA has a plan to revitalize or capitalize on existing infrastructure to address the needs of the community, while simultaneously meeting requirements for the sudden temporary influx of people for the games. However, all too often billions of dollars of infrastructure, paid by taxpayers, will then be left either unutilized or underutilized, leaving the community in worse condition than it started. Similarly, projects which only look at a few data sets, or a few people's recommendation can create a so-called solution which the community does not want, nor use. A community’s investment in infrastructure and the Olympic Games should bring returns and a positive long-term legacy by soliciting feedback from those who will be impacted the most. A few case studies of several host cities and infrastructure projects will be evaluated. This analysis will conclude with key recommendations for sustainable, intentional urban planning.