The declining appeal of mega-events in entrepreneurial cities: From Los Angeles 1984 to Los Angeles 2028

Abstract

Mega-events appear to be losing their appeal as tools for urban development. Events have long been funded by local governments on the promise that they can act as a catalyst for economic growth. But constituents and leaders are questioning that approach, disrupting the relationship between municipalities and global sports institutions. These political shifts are analyzed with a comparative study of Olympic planning and urban politics in American cities, from the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics to present-day preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics (during this period, Olympic planning also occurred in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Salt Lake City). The paper examines the development, mobility, and contestation of an “LA model” of mega-event planning, which emphasizes municipal fiscal conservativism, and which has provided a political rationale for city leaders to invest in mega-events. The travels of the model illustrate the evolving role of mega-events in the political economy of entrepreneurial cities.