In a strategic push to fire up the local economy, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, flanked by a group of heavy-hitting city council members and civic leaders, has hammered out plans to prioritize economic growth and specifically boost small businesses for the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The delegation, showing a united front, recently met with French enterprise stalwart Business France and French companies to swap ideas and examine their successes from the Paris 24 Games.
Seeking to inject a dose of French success into Los Angeles' veins, Mayor Bass and her team set sights on the consumer engagement strategies deployed in Paris, with aims to replicate and customize them for the City of Angels. According to an announcement released on March 7th, their strategy includes a rendezvous with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield CEO Jean-Marie Tritant to delve into how Westfield's retail sites can become a fountain of economic growth for Los Angeles during the forthcoming events.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to engage with Business France and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield CEO Jean-Marie Tritant to witness first-hand the collaborative nature of businesses and consumer engagement during major events," said Mayor Karen Bass. She underscored the urgency of these discussions, emphasizing the long-term growth of Los Angeles' small businesses post-Games.
The announcement builds on Mayor Bass' hefty efforts to dispel City Hall's former reputation with the business community. On her watch, City Hall has turned from lame duck to golden goose, evident by the flocking of businesses, including California's premier business bank, Banc of California, which announced a headquarters migration to Los Angeles. Bass is keen to harvest the entrepreneurial insights from the Paris Olympics playbook as her city gears up for the Olympic-sized spotlight in 2028.
Comprising the delegation are influential city figures such as Council President Paul Krekorian, Councilmember Traci Park, and Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, as well as LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and other high-ranking officials who have a direct stake in the Olympic and Paralympic Games preparations. Their collective expertise and focused commitment to economic and small business development may ensure that the 2028 Los Angeles Games will not only be a spectacle of sports but also a catalyst for sustainable local economic prosperity.
