Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee

Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee
Name	Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee
Formation	1978
Purpose	Organize the 1984 Summer Olympics
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California, United States
Key people	Peter Ueberroth, Harry Usher, John Argue
Dissolved	1984

Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. The Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee was the private, non-profit corporation responsible for planning, financing, and staging the 1984 Summer Olympics. Formed after Los Angeles was selected as the host city, the committee is renowned for its innovative, business-oriented approach that transformed the financial model of the Olympic Games. Under the leadership of Peter Ueberroth, it produced a substantial surplus, reversing a trend of massive deficits and leaving a lasting legacy on the International Olympic Committee and future host cities.

History and formation

The committee's formation was directly triggered by the selection of Los Angeles as the host city for the 1984 Summer Olympics by the International Olympic Committee in 1978. This followed the withdrawal of other candidate cities, largely due to the enormous financial losses experienced by Montreal from the 1976 Summer Olympics. The United States Olympic Committee and the City of Los Angeles agreed that the Games would be privately financed, leading to the creation of the organizing committee as a corporation under California law. This arrangement was a radical departure from the government-funded models of previous Olympics like those in Munich and Montreal, placing the financial risk entirely on the private sector.

Organization and leadership

The committee was structured as a streamlined, corporate entity, deliberately avoiding the bureaucratic bloat of past organizing committees. Peter Ueberroth, a successful travel industry executive, was appointed as its President. His deputy was Harry Usher, a lawyer who served as the General Manager. The chairman was John Argue, the attorney who had spearheaded the bid to bring the Games to Los Angeles. This leadership team emphasized efficiency, aggressive corporate sponsorship sales, and a lean staff, which stood in stark contrast to the large public committees of the Moscow 1980 Games. Key divisions reported directly to Ueberroth and Usher, ensuring rapid decision-making.

Planning and preparations

Planning was defined by a philosophy of extensive use of existing facilities and frugal innovation. The committee secured unprecedented levels of corporate sponsorship, creating the first modern Olympic sponsorship program with exclusive partners like Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and IBM. It also negotiated the first exclusive U.S. television contract for the Olympic Games with ABC, for a then-record sum. The committee faced significant political challenges, including a Soviet-led boycott involving nations like the East Germany and Cuba, which it managed through proactive diplomacy. Operational plans heavily relied on private contractors and volunteers.

Venues and infrastructure

A cornerstone of the committee's strategy was minimizing new construction, thereby controlling costs. It utilized a wide array of pre-existing venues across Southern California. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which had also hosted the 1932 Summer Olympics, was refurbished for the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field. Other key sites included the Forum for basketball, the Rose Bowl for soccer finals, and Lake Casitas for rowing and canoeing. The Olympic Village was innovatively housed at existing university campuses, including the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Financial management and legacy

The committee's financial management revolutionized the Olympic movement. Through strict cost control, lucrative television rights deals, and the pioneering corporate sponsorship program, it generated a surplus of over $200 million. This profit was used to endow the LA84 Foundation to support youth sports in Southern California. The success proved the Olympic Games could be financially viable without burdening taxpayers, directly influencing the commercial strategies of future organizers like those for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The model established by Peter Ueberroth became the blueprint for the International Olympic Committee's own TOP sponsorship program.

Games operations and execution

The execution of the Games was widely praised for its efficiency and festive atmosphere. Operations ran smoothly with a massive force of volunteers, a concept that became a staple for future events like the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Security was robust but unobtrusive, coordinated with the Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies. The athletic highlights were numerous, including record-breaking performances by athletes like Carl Lewis and Mary Lou Retton. The closing ceremony, featuring Lionel Richie and a wealth of entertainment, cemented the Games' reputation as a spectacular success, revitalizing global enthusiasm for the Olympic movement after the financial and political troubles of the previous decade.

Category:1984 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic Games organizing committees Category:Organizations based in Los Angeles