In an attempt to bring the 2024 Olympics to the city of Los Angeles, L.A. 2024 Chairman Casey Wasserman and CEO Gene Sykes have put together a group of prominent public figures to be on the board of directors to make it happen.
Among the over 100 people on the list is Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten. He’s been an executive for nearly three decades, spending time in the front offices of the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Thrashers and Washington Nationals.
In 2012, Kasten joined Peter Guber and the Guggenheim Partners in bidding for ownership of the Dodgers. Kasten became a part owner and president of the team once the sale was complete.
With the building of a brand new state-of-the-art football stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles is looking to become the sports capital of the world. Hosting the Olympics, something the city hasn’t done since 1984, may be just the way to do that.
In August 2015, Los Angeles was chosen by the United States Olympic Committee after The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to back the bid. L.A. and Paris are the remaining cities in contention to host the 2024 Summer Games.
Among those with Kasten on the committee is Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Rams COO Kevin Demoff, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, San Francisco Giants president Larry Baer and Walt Disney Company chairman Bob Iger.
The International Olympic Committee will elect and announce the host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics during a session in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
Los Angeles has hosted the Olympics in 1984 and 1932, and the games have not been hosted by the United States since Atlanta hosted in 1996, which Kasten was also involved in bringing to fruition.
