Photographs of Los Angeles and Oklahoma City skylines side by side

LA28 Celebrates 1000 Days Until the 2028 Olympic Games with Festivities in Oklahoma City 

LA28 Joins Team OKC and Local Officials as Preparations to Bring Olympic Softball and Canoe Slalom to Oklahoma City in 2028 Progress, Highlighted by an LA28 Day of Sport, Inspiring the Next Generation and Promoting Olympic and Paralympic Values  

 

Oklahoma City, OK (October 20, 2025) – Today, LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman and LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover joined Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Team OKC President Michael Byrnes in Oklahoma City (OKC), marking 1000 days until the 2028 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles. This innovative collaboration showcases the nation’s excitement to deliver an unforgettable summer Olympic and Paralympic experience for the first time in more than 30 years.  

 

Over the weekend, LA28 and Team OKC, the local group helping to organize 2028 events in Oklahoma City, joined young athletes, Olympians and Paralympians for sport clinics held at the Willa D. Johnson Recreation Center, and visited both world-class venues—the OKC Softball Park and OKC Whitewater Center—which will host the Olympic Softball tournament and Canoe Slalom competitions, respectively in 2028. Today, organizers shared progress in planning efforts alongside Olympians and members of OKC city council at a press conference. 

 

“The LA28 Olympic Games will bridge regions and communities from the Pacific coast in Los Angeles to the central plains of Oklahoma City through the power of sport, highlighting their unique sporting legacies and incredible world-class venues,” said LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman. “We remain steadfast in our planning and working tirelessly toward creating an incredible Games experience for athletes, residents and visitors alike in 2028 – and with 998 days to go, our momentum is unstoppable.”    

 

“Oklahoma City has proudly stepped up to the plate to welcome Softball and Canoe Slalom events, showcasing America’s collaborative spirit and love for the Olympic and Paralympic Movement,” said Reynold Hoover LA28 Chief Executive Officer. “Here in Oklahoma City, we are marking 1000 days out from the LA28 Games, reflecting a nationwide celebration of sport as we prepare to host Olympic competitions in premier existing venues.” 

 

“We are deeply honored and thrilled to host this 1,000 countdown in Oklahoma City. We believe Los Angeles is going to deliver the greatest Olympic Games in history, and the opportunity for Oklahoma City to directly support that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every resident of this city,” said Oklahoma City Mayor Holt. “Additionally, staging two sports and seven events here in the center of the country dramatically expands the reach of the Olympic experience and will leave a nationwide legacy for these Games. Oklahoma City could not be more excited as we think about 2028, as well as the many announcements and preparations that will be made in the next 1,000 days.” 

 

Inspiring the Next Generation Through the Power of Sport

On October 18, to mark the official milestone of 1000 days out from the 2028 Olympic Games, LA28 CEO Hoover, Mayor Holt and Team OKC spent the day with dozens of kids alongside Olympians and Paralympians participating in LA28’s Day of Sport. This sport-centric program is designed to inspire the next generation of athletes through the power of sport while promoting core Olympic and Paralympic values of determination, inspiration, courage, friendship, excellence, respect and equality.  

 

Guest Athletes:

  • Jeremy Campbell, PLY – Team USA, Para Track and Field (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024) - 5x gold medalist 
  • Nadia Comaneci, OLY – Team Romania, Gymnastics (1980, 1976) - 5x gold, 3x silver and 1x bronze medalist 
  • Bart Conner, OLY – Team USA, Gymnastics (1976, 1984) - 2x gold medalist 
  • Kelly Garrison-Funderburk, OLY – Team USA, Gymnastics (1988)  
  • Michelle Moultrie, OLY – Team USA, Softball (2020) - 1x silver medalist 

 

Preparing to Bring the Games Back to the United States

Just last month, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt signed a Memorandum of Understanding ahead of the Games focused on innovation and coordination as both Mayors commit to delivering incredible experiences for residents, fans and athletes that will continue benefiting their cities for generations to come. 

 

ABOUT THE LA28 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES

LA28 will bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Los Angeles in 2028, uniting more than 15,000 of the world's greatest athletes in a celebration of sport, culture and human potential. Set against a diverse collection of venues only Southern California can deliver, from the Pacific Ocean to Hollywood stages to world-class arenas, Los Angeles will become the third city ever to host three Olympic Games, following 1932 and 1984, and will also host its first ever Paralympic Games. The LA28 Games will celebrate historic milestones including becoming the first Olympic Games in history to feature more women athletes than men, the debut of new Olympic and Paralympic sports and becoming the first Games since 1948 to not build any new permanent infrastructure. Operating as an independently funded, non-profit organization, LA28 has built a strong foundation of successful commercial partnerships alongside licensing, hospitality, ticketing and with the support of the International Olympic Committee. 

 

###