Beverly Hills wants the Olympic torch to pass through Rodeo Drive in 2028, and city staff have already submitted an application to make it happen.
At a special LA28 Standing Committee meeting on Tuesday, July 28, Councilmembers Lester Friedman and Sharona Nazarian heard more than a dozen activation proposals aimed at turning the Golden Triangle into a destination during the Los Angeles Olympics, which run July 14–30, 2028.
The proposals, prepared by Assistant Community Services Director Christopher Paulson and Recreation Services Manager Matthew Brown, range from art pianos on Rodeo Drive to a large-scale ticketed street party with a beer garden, food trucks, and a concert headliner.
Torch run and street events
Staff recommended the torch route pass through Rodeo Drive, past the Beverly Gardens Park Lily Pond, and City Hall before heading to the Coliseum for Opening Ceremonies. The staff report notes the application has been submitted to LA28.
A large ticketed event could close a Golden Triangle street (Crescent Drive, Canon Drive, or South Beverly Drive) for a big-screen watch party timed to marquee events like swimming, gymnastics, or track and field. The report describes vendors, a beer garden, and an evening concert with well-known talent.
Festival Beverly Hills 2028, the event's sixth edition, would shift to align with Olympic programming on either Thursday, July 9, or Sunday, July 16, 2028, potentially expanding into a week-long activation across multiple city locations.
Rodeo Drive activations
Staff proposed partnering with the Rodeo Drive Committee on Olympic-themed "Instagrammable moments" along the street, modeled on the oversized FIFA soccer ball that drew visitors to the Lily Pond during the 2026 World Cup. The application is already in. An inquiry has been sent to LA28 about licensing the official Olympic rings and LA28 logo.
A Sing for Hope piano installation would place artist-decorated pianos at five locations: Two Rodeo, the Lily Pond, Beverly Canon Gardens, Roxbury Park Community Center, and the La Cienega Metro station. Beverly Hills previously hosted 15 Sing for Hope pianos in 2021, with the city and The Wallis each contributing $50,000.
Staff also proposed an Olympics-inspired merchandise and athleisure line developed with local companies Bella Canvas and ALO Yoga.
Partnerships and venue inquiries
On the partnership side, official LA28-led discussions involve locally based businesses including Ralph Lauren, the Maybourne Hotel, and the Rodeo Drive Committee. Multiple countries' Olympic committees have submitted venue rental inquiries for Greystone Mansion, City Hall, Beverly Canon Gardens, local hotels, and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
The Israeli Olympic Committee proposed partnering with Beverly Hills on a Munich Memorial event honoring athletes killed during the 1972 Olympics, citing the city's relationship with Israel.
Policy questions ahead
Staff flagged several policy changes that would require full City Council approval, according to a separate staff report. The city is reviewing whether to allow long-term use of private homes as official hospitality houses during the Games. Short-term commercial home rentals remain prohibited by local ordinance, but staff noted online companies have already begun listing Beverly Hills homes against current rules. Community Development plans to bring the issue to a future Study Session.
A draft banner ordinance amendment would temporarily allow non-city-cobranded banners on street poles, after LA28 confirmed no co-branding opportunity exists on official Olympic pole banners.
What's next
No budget figures were included in the July 28 staff reports. The committee will meet bimonthly, increasing to monthly as 2028 approaches, with the next session in September 2026. A quarterly City Council check-in is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
