Beverly Hills' new Olympic planning committee wants to turn the city's busiest park into a community gathering point for the 2028 Games, building on a summer that already transformed Roxbury Memorial Park into a World Cup destination.
Councilmember Friedman and Councilmember Nazarian, serving as liaisons on the city's LA28 Standing Committee, directed staff at the committee's inaugural meeting Monday, June 29, to explore watch party locations, Cultural Olympiad participation, and events honoring Beverly Hills' sister cities of Herzliya, Cannes, Acapulco, and Pudong. Staff noted the city may need to temporarily modify its banner policy and anti-advertising ordinance to allow official Olympic signage in parks and public right-of-way.
No specific 2028 programming at Roxbury has been confirmed. All plans remain in the discussion phase.
World Cup dress rehearsal
The park at 471 S. Roxbury Drive already proved it can handle the role. The city operated a "Roxbury Global Soccer Lounge" in the Magnolia room from Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, July 19, streaming World Cup matches and installing selfie stations outside the community center. Council liaisons had approved the activation at a Thursday, May 7, ad hoc meeting.
"Much of what we've done in preparation for welcoming the world for the World Cup will be applicable to what we will do in '28 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games," Paul Krekorian, head of the Los Angeles Office of Major Events, told Politico on Thursday, June 18, speaking about the region's readiness.
Transit and proximity
Roxbury sits roughly a mile from the Wilshire/La Cienega Metro D Line station, which opened Friday, May 8, cutting the ride from Union Station to 21 minutes. SoFi Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies will be held in July 2028, is approximately four miles south in Inglewood. Metro ridership on buses serving SoFi increased 41 percent between the first and second World Cup matches at the venue.
The full D Line extension is scheduled to reach Westwood by fall 2027, completing a rail corridor expected to funnel Olympic visitors through Beverly Hills.
What's in the pipeline
The city's FY 2026-27 strategic priorities include upgrading Roxbury Park's outdoor basketball courts and preparing for the Olympics on security, transportation, and programming. The Arts and Culture Commission listed Roxbury as a potential site for Olympic-related public art installations. Recreation Services Manager Michael Muse presented a digital display project planned for the park at the Recreation and Parks Commission's February meeting.
Roxbury also anchors year-round community athletics. AYSO Region 76 fields roughly 2,000 players at the park and nearby locations each season, running from the Saturday after Labor Day through mid-December.
The Recreation and Parks Commission meets next on Tuesday, July 28, at 2 p.m. in City Hall Room 280A. The LA28 Standing Committee's next meeting date has not been announced.
