LA 2028 Media Village Opens to Students

(ATR) Before media descend upon Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, more than 2,500 students annually will occupy the future part-time residence of journalists and broadcasters.

The University of Southern California officially opened its USC Village on Aug. 17 with a celebration featuring a marching band procession and statue unveiling with thousands of spectators in attendance, according to USC.

The 15-acre residential and retail complex contains six buildings, mixing the residential student-housing with a dining hall, Trader Joe’s and Target. It also features a central plaza and 80 study lounges allowing for greater student – and eventually media – collaboration.

The new village is a centerpiece of the Main Press Center cluster which contains the MPC at Annenberg Hall and the International Broadcast Center. The MPC is a five-minute walk from the village.

"On behalf of LA 2028, I’d like to congratulate USC, my alma mater, as it celebrates the grand opening of the state-of-the-art USC Village," said LA 2028 vice chair Janet Evans. "This world-class housing will serve as the LA 2028 Media Village, providing unparalleled convenience and comfort for journalists covering the Games."

With an additional four years of lead time until the Olympics given the change from 2024 to 2028, an LA 2028 spokesperson tells Around the Rings the bid will not have a role in the maintenance and upkeep of the facilities.

The $700 million construction project was completely funded by the university, bolstering LA 2028’s goals of hosting the Games with minimized construction budgets and risks with its extensive use of existing venues.

Los Angeles will be confirmed as the host of the 2028 Olympics at the IOC Session in Lima, Peru on Sep. 13.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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