A late-night U.S. military training exercise at the shuttered Golden Sails Hotel in east Long Beach jolted residents awake on June 4, rattling windows and sending neighbors scrambling for answers. Just after midnight, people reported helicopters overhead, controlled blasts, and simulated gunfire, which triggered dozens of calls to police and a wave of complaints at a subsequent City Council meeting.
City Sends Letter To Army Special Operations
In a June 11 City of Long Beach letter to Lt. Gen. Lawrence G. Ferguson of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Mayor Rex Richardson and City Manager Thomas Modica wrote that the exercise caused “significant and unnecessary disruption” and that the city had only limited notice it was coming. The letter requests earlier notification, direct community engagement and planning that steers clear of sensitive residential, environmental and commercial areas.
Videos And Neighbors Describe 'Urban Warfare'
Online videos show troops moving through hotel rooms using flashbangs, firing simulated rounds and helicopters landing in the Golden Sails parking lot, according to the Long Beach Post. Residents told city leaders that the noise “shot me out of bed,” and witnesses said the scene felt more like an urban warfare drill than a routine training run.
City Flags Safety And Environmental Concerns
The city’s correspondence notes that the hotel site sits near the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, power stations and the Los Cerritos Wetlands, and warns that low flying helicopters and debris created safety and environmental risks. Officials also wrote that confusion and extra emergency calls strained public safety resources and “erode the public’s trust and confidence” in how local and federal agencies coordinate.
Regional Exercises And The World Cup Context
Similar nighttime operations played out at the former St. Luke Medical Center in Pasadena and at the Puente Hills Mall in the City of Industry, where local outlets documented helicopters and controlled explosions. NBC Los Angeles reported that cities received only limited advance notice of the drills, and the Long Beach Post reported that federal officials later described at least some of the operations as security preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What's Next
City leaders say they will press federal partners for clearer protocols and earlier, shareable notifications so that residents and emergency services are not caught off guard again. Officials have copied the city’s federal delegation and asked the military to commit to avoiding sensitive areas, and neighbors are watching for follow up as those conversations unfold. For local coverage of residents’ reactions, see ABC7.
