Mayor-elect Nithya Raman readies L.A. for 2028 Olympics
L.A. Mayor-elect Nithya Raman, who six years ago gave a firm “no” when asked if she supported the Olympics coming to L.A., will be “asked to take center stage at the closing ceremony,” according to Rainey, Haggerty & Zahniser of the L.A. TIMES. Raman’s recent election “won herself a ticket to sit among the dignitaries” for the opening ceremony of the Summer Games on July 14, 2028. In the more than 600 days before the Games begin, Raman will “oversee the city’s preparations.” Those “looking for signs of friction might note that the mayor-elect has closely allied herself with City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who has been locked in a battle with LA28 over its failure to publicly report some of the details of its finances.” It is “unclear what position Raman will stake out in that conflict and another one dear to several members of the City Council -- getting LA28 to agree to set aside a certain percentage of as much as” $4B in contracts to businesses based in L.A. During her run for mayor, Raman “did what she has done on many other issues -- project a more moderate, conciliatory stance on the Olympics” (L.A. TIMES, 11/7).
